Only 115 short days until kickoff...

[billga99]

Just made me watch the replay of this blocked FG in 2015. If that doesn't fire you up for the season, nothing will. I don't know how the game in Ireland will turn out, but I have high hopes for this game based on our returning QB and most of the offense and new DC Coordinator.

 

[billga99]

Some of Durham's calls are pretty good as well.

 

[TooTall]

Some of Durham's calls are pretty good as well.

"Oh Charlie! Oh Charlie! Charlie Charlie Ohhhhhhhhhhh Charlie!" Greatest sports call in the history of the State of Georgia ever hands down!

 

[wesgt123]

Just made me watch the replay of this blocked FG in 2015. If that doesn't fire you up for the season, nothing will. I don't know how the game in Ireland will turn out, but I have high hopes for this game based on our returning QB and most of the offense and new DC Coordinator.

It would be a huge start of a potential shift in our program if tech won that one.

 

[HurricaneJacket]

We push through summer, grinding out one longgg hotttt dayyy at a time. Then the reward is getting football a week early and upsetting FSU yet again to start the 2024 season.

Push forward, men! (And ladies.)

And just to kill some time.... favorite win over FSU? PLEASE don't say 2020 with *you know who*

Favorite win over FSU has to be the one bright spot in 2015. My grandmother had died a couple weeks into the season, and the kick six was a catharsis that was desperately needed.

 

[HurricaneJacket]

There have been some awesome finishes and some wins over better FSU teams, but 2009 stuck out to me.
We were coming off a big season and off to a good start looking for an even bigger season and FSU was badly needing a win. This was exactly the type of game FSU seemed to always break our hearts.
Doak. At night. NO PUNTS.
Our fumble early in the 4th seemed like catastrophe, only to have our D come right back with the huge sack fumble. Only two stops of the night I think.
Then Nesbitt… just Nesbitt. Got his head taken off on a cheap shot and replied with, “oooooh, you gone and done it now…”
When he finally made a mistake, he made the most improbable play ever to take it back.
I was a little leery of our D, but that night I knew we had ourselves an offensive juggernaut.

This is definitely my 2nd favorite win over them. Freshman year, lightning delay, Nesbitt stealing the ball back, and Bobby flabbergasted. *chef's kiss*

 

[Tech Lawyer]

I have an interesting story to share regarding the 2009 game in Tallahassee. As some of you might recall, during the week leading up to that game the FSU President made a public effort to push Coach Bowden out as the FSU program had been sliding for several years. Well, the FSU fanbase would have none of it. The Seminoles came out of the tunnel walking with arms locked around their beloved Coach and the 80,000 in attendance applauded wildly. As some have already mentioned the game was a total track meet. Christian Ponder and Josh Nesbitt were lights out. FSU lost a heartbreaker in perhaps Tech's finest offensive performance under Coach Johnson. Fast forward about three years and who came by my office one Friday evening but none other than Jon Dwyer. Jon had put on a summer football camp that my son had attended at Kell High School that day. I told Jon that as I was riding home from that game , I listened to Coach Bowden's post game interview. Despite the emotional turmoil of the week and the heart breaking FSU loss, Coach Bowden launched into 30 seconds of comments praising Jon for being such a fine young man at the start of the interview. I told Jon this is a Hall of Fame Coach talking about you. Well, I think Coach Bowden would be very proud of Jon now. Recently someone who he is close to said he is doing very well as an Assistant Coach at Kell and is loved by the students and players. One thing is for sure. There will never be another Coach Bobby Bowden.

 

[bobongo]

I was all for trying to run it back. It can't hurt. Besides what's the worst that could happen? Arguably one of the greatest finishes in CFB of all time?

A blocked field goal is a golden opportunity for a long return. The kicking team has a kicker, a holder, a long snapper, and mostly blockers to stop you. Maybe a couple of tight ends. Few skilled tacklers out there, and it's a broken field. The percentage play is to scoop it up and run like hell.

 

[wesgt123]

A blocked field goal is a golden opportunity for a long return. The kicking team has a kicker, a holder, a long snapper, and mostly blockers to stop you. Maybe a couple of tight ends. Few skilled tacklers out there, and it's a broken field. The percentage play is to scoop it up and run like hell.

Yeh I'm not sure why some folks are so adamant on not returning it. Maybe just settling for OT? Lance Austin said F that...

 

[bobongo]

Yeh I'm not sure why some folks are so adamant on not returning it. Maybe just settling for OT? Lance Austin said F that...

Austin said he hesitated when he heard Paul screaming for him to leave it alone but saw the green field opening up and took off. Coaches in general have a tendency to err on the side of caution.

Pop quiz: who blocked the kick?

 

[FlatsLander]

Yeh I'm not sure why some folks are so adamant on not returning it. Maybe just settling for OT? Lance Austin said F that...

If we don't touch it, we are guaranteed OT. If we touch it, then it's a live ball and it could have ended up in F$U's hands with them getting the walkoff TD.

 

[bobongo]

If we don't touch it, we are guaranteed OT. If we touch it, then it's a live ball and it could have ended up in F$U's hands with them getting the walkoff TD.

But Austin grabbed the football with no Seminoles anywhere near it. Odds are nobody is going to score, but there's a far greater chance that ball ends up in their end zone than ours, especially considering the fact that they have few if any skilled runners or tacklers on the field.

 

[FlatsLander]

But Austin grabbed the football with no Seminoles anywhere near it. Odds are nobody is going to score, but there's a far greater chance that ball ends up in their end zone than ours, especially considering the fact that they have few if any skilled runners or tacklers on the field.

Oh, I'm just explaining why the general rule is to not touch it in that situation. Like if Austin had had trouble grabbing the ball and it got kicked around, F$U would have had just as much of a chance as we had getting the TD. I'm not saying one way or the other is more right.

 

[bobongo]

Oh, I'm just explaining why the general rule is to not touch it in that situation. Like if Austin had had trouble grabbing the ball and it got kicked around, F$U would have had just as much of a chance as we had getting the TD. I'm not saying one way or the other is more right.

I understand it's the general rule, but it shouldn't be a hard and fast rule. If there were Seminoles in the vicinity, and with the ball at our own 22-yard line, I would agree - don't touch it.
But with Austin all alone back there with the football and lots of green ahead of him, the odds shifted heavily in his favor. Time to scoop and run.

And by the way, to answer my own pop quiz, the player who blocked the kick was Patrick Gamble.

 

[iceeater1969]

I mean how could you ever beat

“AUSTIN”
“STILL ON HIS FEET”
“ONE MAN”
“YOU CANT BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED”
“WHAT A TIME TO BE ALI-AGHVE”

I get chills even thinking about it. I think that game single-handedly turned me from tech football enjoyer, to die hard gold-oozer.
We were 2-5 before that game. But that’s GT baby and I love that.

Same here- GT never out of it
When Austin got the ball he ran straight towards our seats in lower west. I watched him as he turned the corner . As he headed up field everyone stood up and got on thier seats to watch. I was afraid to look. I just sat their with eyes closed and turned on the permanent record. The deepening roar and the crescendo is locked in . What a game. Glad that toughness has returned.

Would love to play fsu twice next year

 

[stinger 1957]

I understand it's the general rule, but it shouldn't be a hard and fast rule. If there were Seminoles in the vicinity, and with the ball at our own 22-yard line, I would agree - don't touch it.
But with Austin all alone back there with the football and lots of green ahead of him, the odds shifted heavily in his favor. Time to scoop and run.

And by the way, to answer my own pop quiz, the player who blocked the kick was Patrick Gamble.

Thank you for the answer, I've always wanted to know who blocked the kick, of course no one ever talks about that part of the play in light of what happened. It's a part of the play really hard to see also.

 

[bobongo]

Thank you for the answer, I've always wanted to know who blocked the kick, of course no one ever talks about that part of the play in light of what happened. It's a part of the play really hard to see also.

I didn't know myself, but found it in this old article:

Georgia Tech stuns Florida State with blocked FG for TD on final play

Lance Austin returned a blocked field goal 78 yards for a touchdown on the final play.

www.usatoday.com

"...the kick had to be low to get some distance on it, and Patrick Gamble managed to get a hand on the ball."

Aquayo said he hit it well. Said he looked up and expected to see it flying down the middle but instead saw it lying on the ground.

 

[AugustaSwarm]

This is definitely my 2nd favorite win over them. Freshman year, lightning delay, Nesbitt stealing the ball back, and Bobby flabbergasted. *chef's kiss*

That dadgum wishbone

 

[wesgt123]

That dadgum wishbone

*It's...well...we just...well...it's kinda like, we don't know who to TACK-HEL*

 

[danny daniel]

Thank you for the answer, I've always wanted to know who blocked the kick, of course no one ever talks about that part of the play in light of what happened. It's a part of the play really hard to see also.

Tech had several advantages to picking up the ball and returning it. The location of the ball made it safe to pick up. Several Tech players were aware that Austin picked up the ball and this awareness preceded most if not all the FSU players. At least 3 Tech players with speed (one safety and two CBs) had early awareness and got in position and made blocks or screened off players. The FSU players were predominately slower lineman who got late starts, took bad angles, and were not open field tacklers. At least 3 critical and legal blocks or screen-offs were thrown at opportune times during the run. Austin did a masterful job in using his escorts and his cutting ability to take it all the way. This was a great ST play. Thank you Pat Gamble.