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DEL.ICIO.USNotre Dame vs. Tech a classic matchup
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
Off and on, Georgia Tech has been playing Notre Dame since 1922, for better or worse, and more times than not, for worse. Anytime Notre Dame is on the schedule, the floodlights go up, trumpets sound, bugles blare and the nation’s eyes are upon you, as they will be the first day of September in South Bend. Only five of the 33 times Georgia Tech has played Notre Dame have the Yellow Jackets come away in celebration.
No, make that six. (We’ll get around to that later.) The series record reads 27-5-1. It’s the “1” that takes the stage here, one of the monumental views I’ve ever had from a press box. And there have been some show-stoppers in this infrequent series. Twice, the Jackets have handed the Irish defeat under the circumspection of Touchdown Jesus.
Take you back to 1942 and a freshman named Clint Castleberry, still a mystical figure in Georgia Tech football history. A local kid, not of national renown, Castleberry so rattled the Irish that Tech upset them in South Bend 13-6 and in the process ensured himself of All-America status. Sadly, he never had another season. Somewhere out of North Africa the bomber he was piloting during World War II disappeared, and he was never heard from again. His jersey still hangs among Tech’s display of historic memorabilia.
The fuse was lit, and something was bound to explode in 1953, when Tech, saddling an unbeaten streak of 31 games, rode into South Bend. Naturally, the Irish were favored, particularly since Bobby Dodd elected to start a freshman quarterback, Wade Mitchell. The weather was gray. The stadium was stuffed and the heavily bundled spectators were full of negative charm. This was the game in which Frank Leahy failed to appear after halftime, stricken by a pancreatic attack in the locker room. The game turned on a high snap and a blocked punt, and the Irish won 27-14. Names of the perpetrators, one dead, the other long retired, are omitted here in the interest of good sport.
Six years later Georgia Tech returned to South Bend, this time with more exhilirating results. Snow had fallen overnight, and the campus was scenic in its whiteness. Should have been Notre Dame kind of weather, but Marvin Tibbetts took control at quarterback, and with a surge from Taz Anderson, then a fullback, he scored both touchdowns and managed a 14-l0 victory, most definitely an upset.
Tech never won again until 1976, which, it turned out, was not a partcularly good year — Pepper Rodgers’ team put up a 4-6-1 record — but Saturday, Nov. 6 was a good day. It was a rare game in that the Jackets never threw a pass. Gary Lanier, a stubby little quarterback, kept the ball on the ground, and Tech humiliated Notre Dame at Grant Field 23-14. The most memorable view remaining is the sight of the Notre Dame coach Dan Devine striding out on the field holding a fish in his hand for an official to see, one delivered by some knave in the student section. Devine wanted divine intervention, but got none.
Now, about that “1,” the one tie in the series. The year was 1980, Bill Curry’s first as head coach. Tech had beaten Memphis State and no one else. Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, even Tulane had shredded the poor Yellow Jackets. Notre Dame rode into Grant Field No. l in the nation. It was the same day Georgia was playing Florida in the glamour game of the season, the “run, Lindsay, run” game. Nobody was paying attention to Grant Field, except a few devout football Catholics.
Tech’s starting quarterback, Mike Kelley, was hurt. Two replacements came on and got nothing done, but neither did Notre Dame. Curry turned to a player who had been recruited as an end, and sent him in with the cautionary message: “Whatever you do, don’t dare throw a pass.”
The kid — he was from Augusta — maneuvered into field-goal position late in the third quarter, and Johnny Smith kicked a field goal. Incredibly, Tech led 3-0. Late in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame’s Harry Oliver kicked a wobbler through the pipes, and the Irish got out of town with a tie. Since everybody else on our staff wanted to be in Jacksonville, I got the short straw, but I got to see one of the most memorable games of my life.
Oh, the name of the freshman “quarterback” from Augusta — it was Ken Whisenhunt, later an NFL end for the Falcons and Redskins, and now, as you may have noticed, head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. So there you are, and Georgia Tech returns to South Bend to open the season this year. Nothing will ever match the tie of 1980, and as it turned out, Georgia later completed a state sweep. The Bulldogs played Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship, and won.
Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: Furman Bisher, Tech / ACC
Comments
By Roy McCreary
August 25, 2007 5:45 PM | Link to this
Those were the days.
By MisterT
August 25, 2007 10:08 PM | Link to this
Great article Mr. Bisher. I didn’t realize you had been covering Tech since 1922? ;-)
By GTDavid
August 25, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher, I have to say I always enjoy your articles. You truly seem to be the only unbiased sports reporter left at the AJC. Kudos to you and I look forward to more from you in the future!
GO JACKETS!!!
By D Dickson
August 25, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this
As a graduate of UGA who was a graduate student at Tech in 1980, I was certainly paying attention to what was happening at Grant Field that day. This was one of the most exciting games ever. It was at this game that I became a Tech fan and have remained one ever since.
By LongBeachJacket
August 25, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Furman, for the historical review. A nice article. The ‘98 Gator Bowl, a Tech win 35-28, and arguably the high-watermark of the Jackets under O’Leary, was also an entertaining contest as was last year’s opener in Atlanta. This one should rise to that occasion.
By Denis
August 25, 2007 11:45 PM | Link to this
I am confused. You state that Tech beat the Irish twice under touchdown Jesus, but you show no wins at ND after the library (with TDJ overlooking the field) was built.
By Wrecker1
August 26, 2007 12:51 AM | Link to this
I was at the ‘80 game and will forever remember it for 2 things. It was a GREAT game that TECH really should have won. The second thing, some guy sitting near me was listening to the Ga/Fla game. It was late in both games and the guy says “Georgia’s going to lose, Georgia’s going to lose.” So I’m thinking this is going to be a great day. It seems like he had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth and he says, “Georgia’s gonna win.” I also remember the TECH student body throwing Devine some fish in the 1978 game also.
By Buzz
August 26, 2007 9:55 PM | Link to this
As a freshman and fraternity pledge in 1980, I was required to attend each home game in my “rat” hat - which, having come from a HORRIBLE football high school, was salt in the wound. I, too, will never forget that game - and we came darn close to winning it too. Of course, it was still a long decade. Hopefully, with lowered expectations, Tech can shine this year! (P.S., fish are too much trouble to smuggle into the stadium - we switched over to cookies in the ’80s.)
GO Jackets “”STING ‘EM”” bzzzzzzzz
By gtbaltfan
August 27, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this
My favorite series memory is the 1969 GT-ND game. Saturday night in November on National TV, ND was ranked in the top 3 and was looking to increase its ranking against a Tech team that won only 4 games (including 6-0 over UGAG). Tech played well but lost 38-20. We, the student body in the upper east stands, also threw giant mackerals down on the ND bench. Late in the game, Ara P. was calling timeouts in hopes ND could score again to get its point total into the 40’s. As might be expected, Tech fans were not too happy and repeatedly chanted for the final minutes “Go to Hell, Notre Dame, Go to Hell” It was the loudest thing I ever heard and no matter what the tv guys did, they could not block out that rage. Tech held and it was a huge moral victory to keep ND out of the endzone in the closing minutes. I’ve hated ND ever since, even though my Godfather, a guy named Jack Cannon (ND guard in the late 20’s) was on the Grantland Rice All time All-American team. I sure hope we have more than a moral victory Saturday. Go Jackets.
By p.moser
August 27, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this
It was not much of an upset in 1959..ND was 3-3 coming in as GT was 5-2 …ND was +1 for year GT was +27 at that point ND had allowed 111 points to date and GT 67 points…a betting man would have had his cash on GT
By Trey
August 27, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this
Interesting article. I appreciate the unbiased approach in even a local paper. Everyone is picking a whipping for the Irish this year, but it wont start with Tech. Irish will win by at least a TD. My prediction:
27-17
By FootballFan
August 27, 2007 1:08 PM | Link to this
So, a “memorable moment” for you consists of fish being thrown at Notre Dame’s head coach as part of an anti-Catholic display? What’s next - watermelons thrown at African-Americans? This type of bigotry is why the South is held in such low regard by the rest of the country. It’s about time you caught up with the 21st Century.
By JustMe
August 28, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this
I recall the 1980 game. It was a great day. I was in the Tech band. Just before half time, we had to go behind the Irish bench to prepare for the show. Those ND players were very large and also very confused. They just couldn’t figure out out such scrawny kids (Tech players) could be beating them (it was 3-0 at the half). I will never forget the looks on their faces!
After the game, and we tied 3-3, the Tech student body stayed in the stands and celebrated as if we had just won the NC game. It was great!
By BuzzFactor
August 28, 2007 1:03 PM | Link to this
Ms FootballFan, he said it was memorable, not honorable. If you had been there, you would certainly remember it as well. And I’m sure there were quite a few Catholics in the stands cheering for Tech, as I myself come from a Catholic family of Tech Alumni. Someone must have picked on you at a young age, to make you so insecure…
By Tech is Classless
August 29, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this
Throwing fish at Coach Devine. Throwing bottles at Coach Bryant. Cheering when Brady Quinn was seemingly hurt. Yeah, you Techies sure “outclass” everyone. Jeez.
By Mr Breeze
August 29, 2007 2:58 PM | Link to this
I was on the sideline in 1976. What a day: blue sky, sunshine, homecoming, and no chance that GT could ever win. But win we did, and it is one of my most cherished memories. P.S. I don’t remember any fish at all…
By son_sir
August 30, 2007 6:46 PM | Link to this
Good article as always Mr. Bisher. I was 10 yrs. old and still vividly remember listening to Al Ciraldo’s broadcast of that shocking 1980 game on a static filled AM radio. What a great game and what a great broadcaster.
Can’t wait until “toe meets leather” this Saturday.
GO JACKETS !!
By son_sir
August 30, 2007 6:56 PM | Link to this
If I remember correctly it was fish and whiskey bottles raining on the ND team in ‘76. Pepper had to address the Tech student body as the ND team was brought to midfield for protection. To correct my earlier post, it was this game I was referring to and not the 1980 game. At any rate, the whiskey bottles and fish weren’t something to be proud of, but it happened. I remember my Dad jokingly saying that Pepper Rogers went over to the student section and “told ‘em to save him a mess of fish and a few pints of Jack”.
By son_sir
August 30, 2007 7:13 PM | Link to this
For the record, I’ve never thrown bottles or fish at the opposition. However,it sure was fun to chunk a few rotten oranges (to mock UGA’s Citrus Bowl birth) during the final moments of the ‘84 game. I don’t know who managed to get all that citrus fruit past the gates at Sanford, but it was being passed around like crazy in those old West end zone bleachers.
By Jason Middleton
August 31, 2007 11:12 AM | Link to this
I am a current GT student, and intern in the athletic association. I enjoyed the article, and reading all of the many stories from the past games. I am so excited we will be opening the season in south bend tomorrow. I work with Gary Lanier, and he vividly remembers that experience, and the history of the series
By Katherine
September 1, 2007 6:56 PM | Link to this
HAHAHAHA! By a touchdown? How about a 30 point victory by Tech.