Best game you have seen at Grant field?

[Old South Stands]

Like how the venue is referred to as "Grant Field". With all respect to the late Bobby Dodd, it's still difficult calling it Bobby Dodd Stadium. Doesn't really sound right. Having only seen live games with any consistency during the Pepper Rodgers and Bobby Ross years (excepting the 1990 season, working Saturdays at Pero's), there are a lot of great games that would have topped the list... The Fog Bowl in 1985 probably would have been at the top. Saw the game with a UGA fan from our barracks out in California. We were perhaps the only two people in the room with any skin in the game. You could feel the stadium excitement coming through the television screen. It was Tech's second straight victory over the Dogs after a long stretch of consecutive losses dating back to '78. (The '84 victory in Athens was the most satisfying victory for me as a Tech fan). The 1999 victory over UGA might have rivaled the Fog Bowl, while the home victories over VPI and FSU during the 2000s would have been up there as well...

Since my experience of memorable live victories at Grant Field is limited, I'd have to say the win over Virginia in 1976 was tops. Great night seeing the game from the press area (my first night game), watching Eddie Lee Ivery and some of the other old greats. Got to have dinner at the Lark and the Dove on Roswell Road before the game -- the only time I ever ate there -- so that added to the 'specialness' of that night.

 

[redmule]

IIRC, that '90 Clemson game, Clemson scored the first TD that year on our D in about the 5th game of the season and they didn't get it until the 4th qtr. I think y'all are wrong about the goal line stand ending the game. IIRC, it ended when their FG kicker, Gardocki (?) I think, missed a 55-60 yd desperation kick. The goal line stand was early in the 4th qtr. We had to punt after the stand, they came back down and finally scored to take the lead at 19-14 I think. That's when Tisdale ran back the kickoff. It was his first return. Ken Swilling had been returning kicks, but he hurt his ankle on a KO return early in the game, and was never the same after that. Tisdale didn't run it back all the way, but to inside the 10. On third and goal from the 7 or 8 our RB (Edwards?) busted up the middle for the TD to regain the lead. That set up the late FG try by Clemson. I fully expected the FG to be good and for our hearts to be broken, but in 1990 whatever we needed to happen happened even if it was a huge KO return by somebody out of nowhere. I think he ran one back against Duke to break open a tight game later that year. Duke had won the ACC the year before under Spurrier and was a decent team. Lots of unlikely heroes that year.

 

[Dustman]

IIRC, that '90 Clemson game, Clemson scored the first TD that year on our D in about the 5th game of the season and they didn't get it until the 4th qtr. I think y'all are wrong about the goal line stand ending the game. IIRC, it ended when their FG kicker, Gardocki (?) I think, missed a 55-60 yd desperation kick. The goal line stand was early in the 4th qtr. We had to punt after the stand, they came back down and finally scored to take the lead at 19-14 I think. That's when Tisdale ran back the kickoff. It was his first return. Ken Swilling had been returning kicks, but he hurt his ankle on a KO return early in the game, and was never the same after that. Tisdale didn't run it back all the way, but to inside the 10. On third and goal from the 7 or 8 our RB (Edwards?) busted up the middle for the TD to regain the lead. That set up the late FG try by Clemson. I fully expected the FG to be good and for our hearts to be broken, but in 1990 whatever we needed to happen happened even if it was a huge KO return by somebody out of nowhere. I think he ran one back against Duke to break open a tight game later that year. Duke had won the ACC the year before under Spurrier and was a decent team. Lots of unlikely heroes that year.

Correct on the Gardocki miss and the fact that they were the first team to score a TD on our D. My recollection of that game was that Clemson came out with some trickeration early that didn't go well and we got an early 2 TD lead. Clemson kept it on the ground in the second half and really wore us down. Raymond Priester and another back I can't remember. The second half felt like a Clemson death march. They really just ran out of time. We were fortunate to win that game. I remember Swilling getting hurt on the kick return too. You're right, he was never the same player after that.

Edited. Priester wasn't on that Clemson team. Not sure who their backs were, but they were grinding on us. It was a physical game as others have said. Smash mouth.

 

[GPD]

Thanks for your recollections redmule..
I forgot about that long FG attempt... it's true though... I remember it now after you said that.
My memory from that game was the goal line stand, the kickoff return, and the fact that Clemson ran the ball, ran it some more, and then ran it.
Just all in all the best football game I've ever seen in person.
The most "exciting" games '90 UVA and '89 UGA... The Tech fans in Charlottesville for UVA game and the energy in BDS for ga game... electric.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

Been to so many great ones. But 99 UGA stands out. Mutt fans just knew they had won the game on the FG block. Snatched that victory from them thanks to heads up call by O'leary. The mutts were literally crying......how can you top that? I laughed my *** off

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Been to so many great ones. But 99 UGA stands out. Mutt fans just knew they had won the game on the FG block. Snatched that victory from them thanks to heads up call by O'leary. The mutts were literally crying......how can you top that? I laughed my *** off

Guess who recovered the ball on that blocked field goal attempt (brilliant because it was kicked on 3rd down)............................. George Godsey.

Brent Mussburger: "The football gods were kind to Ga Tech..."

 

[Animal02]

Guess who recovered the ball on that blocked field goal attempt (brilliant because it was kicked on 3rd down)............................. George Godsey.

Brent Mussburger: "The football gods were kind to Ga Tech..."

The stadium looks so small with the old north stands.

 

[ClydeBrick]

The stadium looks so small with the old north stands.

It was - only 46k during that time. I believe that the Old North only held about 5k

Brent Mussburger: "The football gods were kind to Ga Tech..."

Wasn't there a UGAg fumble at the goal line that the mutts claimed their guy was down?

 

[Sean311]

12 virginia..haven't been to many but I'll be there next Saturday!!!

 

[Animal02]

It was - only 46k during that time. I believe that the Old North only held about 5k



Wasn't there a UGAg fumble at the goal line that the mutts claimed their guy was down?

Had there been instant replay / review back then, the fumble probably would have been overturned.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Wasn't there a UGAg fumble at the goal line that the mutts claimed their guy was down?

Yep, Jasper Thanks.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

Had there been instant replay / review back then, the fumble probably would have been overturned.

You're probably right but I don't feel bad about it one bit. We've been screwed countless times in this series by the zebras with blown call and no calls that cost us games. The funny thing is the closeness of the vast majority of these contests when they have the clear and decided talent advantage.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

You're probably right but I don't feel bad about it one bit. We've been screwed countless times in this series by the zebras with blown call and no calls that cost us games. The funny thing is the closeness of the vast majority of these contests when they have the clear and decided talent advantage.

Also, what is Jasper doing losing that ball in that situation period. Whether he was down or not if you hold onto the ball it isn't an issue. Especially in any sort of pile where refs are not going to be able to see clearly.

 

[slugboy]

Good call on that South Carolina victory. We had it clicking that day.

I was at that USC East game too--upper deck.

 

[slugboy]

I did enjoy the 2003 Auburn game. Just because we weren't supposed to win, and we absolutely stoned 'em.

 

[Animal02]

You're probably right but I don't feel bad about it one bit. We've been screwed countless times in this series by the zebras with blown call and no calls that cost us games. The funny thing is the closeness of the vast majority of these contests when they have the clear and decided talent advantage.

I don't feel bad at all either....those were the existing rules...UGAG got greedy......F em......a W for us, a L for them.