Tech savors prime-time exposure: Annual ESPN event brings big matchup

No ACC team has played on Thursday nights more than Georgia Tech. No ACC team has played better on Thursday nights than Miami.

Tech is 9-11 on the ESPN showcase, Miami 13-1.

Under the conference’s contract with ESPN, Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia Tech host a Thursday night game every year. Running back Jonathan Dwyer wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The whole world’s going to be watching,” said Dwyer, the ACC’s leading rusher with 1,056 yards.

“It’s something you always want to be a part of. It’s exciting; it’s going to be emotional, and it’s the seniors’ last home game.”

Tech won its first appearance on ESPN’s Thursday night package in 1991, beating Virginia 24-21 on Scott Sisson’s field goal.

Thursday brings another high-stakes matchup.

Miami (7-3, 4-2) controls its destiny in the Coastal Division. If the Hurricanes beat Georgia Tech and N.C. State, they’ll go to Tampa for the ACC championship game.

Georgia Tech (7-3, 4-3) needs to win to keep its ACC title hopes alive.

Last Thursday, Miami boosted Georgia Tech’s chance to win the division by edging Virginia Tech 16-14. Georgia Tech got another lift when North Carolina lost at Maryland 17-15 Saturday.

Now the Jackets must deliver in front of a national audience, and hope that North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech each lose one more game.

“Realizing what happened [last weekend], that just motivates us more to do what we have to do to get this win,” Dwyer said. “This is a great opportunity.”

Here are six of Tech’s most memorable Thursday games:

> 1995, the “Seat Cushion Game,” Georgia Tech 31, Maryland 3: Students in the north end zone hurled giveaway yellow seat cushions onto the field after early Tech touchdowns by C.J. Williams and Cedric Zachary. The Jackets drew an unsportsmanlike conduct flag the second time, but it didn’t help the 16th-ranked Terps.

> 1996, Maryland 13, Georgia Tech 10: With redshirt freshman Joe Hamilton struggling on a cold night in College Park, the Jackets fell to 5-4 on their way to a 5-6 finish. It was Tech’s last losing season.

> 1999, Georgia Tech 49, Maryland 31: Hamilton set a school record with 474 yards of offense, throwing touchdowns of 80, 30 and 29 yards while running for 87 yards. It was another monster performance for that year’s Heisman Trophy runner-up.

> 2000, N.C. State 30, Georgia Tech 23 (OT): The Jackets blew a 13-point halftime lead, then Wolfpack freshman quarterback Philip Rivers hit Koren Robinson for a 23-yard touchdown in overtime. Kerry Watkins dropped a pass in overtime but five weeks later made a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone to beat Clemson 31-28.

> 2006, Georgia Tech 24, Virginia 7: Wearing throwback jerseys, the Jackets dominated behind All-American Calvin Johnson, who caught six balls for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Tech won its fourth straight en route to the Coastal Division title.

> 2007, Virginia Tech 27, Georgia Tech 3: Quarterback Sean Glennon, wearing a Georgia Tech road jersey because his Hokies jersey disappeared from the locker room, threw for 296 yards in a game that helped seal former coach Chan Gailey’s fate. Taylor Bennett threw four interceptions as the Jackets were eliminated from the division race.