Georgia Tech-Georgia: A Thanksgiving Tradition

The Thanksgiving holiday has two standing traditions in my life. On Thanksgiving Day my family gathers for the traditional feast, and then on that Saturday after Thanksgiving, Georgia Tech and Georgia reunite for another battle for college football pride.

I’m the only Georgia Tech fan in my family and amongst almost all of my friends. Even my own two children are proud Bulldog fans, although my daughter will pull for Tech because she knows that Buzz is the coolest mascot in all of college football.

A lot of people ask me why I’m such a big Tech fan while being surrounded by the Bulldog Nation. It’s simple, and for me, it’s another thing I’m thankful for...

In 1979 I was in second grade at Grovetown Elementary School, and my teacher (Louise Duckworth) was a die-hard Georgia Tech fan. Her husband was a graduate of Tech and was a teacher at the high school that I would later attend. My family was close to the Duckworths, and my older sister and brother were the same ages as their kids, so we were always close.

That year I went to the Georgia Tech-Georgia game in Atlanta (Tech lost 16-33), and I was instantly born a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket. I would not revisit that game until 2006, when I took my son to the game in Athens (Tech lost 12-15), and then realized that I cannot watch this game anywhere but in a padded room in a straitjacket.

Another question I get a lot is why I can’t be a Georgia fan on every week other than this one, and the answer is certainly an easy one: I’m a die-hard Georgia Tech fan, which means I hate the Georgia Bulldogs and all they stand for. I pull against them each and every week, and I take joy in a Bulldog loss, almost like I do a big Tech win.

This year it was easy because Georgia Tech had nothing to lose with a new head coach and a new offense, while Georgia came in (overrated) preseason No. 1 and didn’t live up to even their own expectations. The Alabama loss was great and the Florida loss even better, with Tech beating Florida State that same day.

This year Georgia Tech has its best chance to sting the Dogs in a lot of years (we’ve lost seven in a row), and with the triple option I’m predicting that the Yellow Jackets will win this game, and it will not be close.

If Georgia fails to have an answer to our offense, we’ll run away early, but if Georgia steps up (doubt it) and Tech is forced to pass, then we’ll be in trouble. Georgia Tech’s defense is playing better than Georgia’s offense right now, so that question is already answered.

If Tech plays like they did against Miami, and Georgia plays like they have for the past three games or so, there is no doubt Georgia Tech will win this game. The last line I saw has Georgia favored by 7 ½-8 points, but being the underdog is a perfect game time scenario.

Georgia has nothing to play for really. They screwed themselves out of the SEC, and either Alabama or Florida will play for the BCS title. Tech, on the other hand, can make it to the ACC title game with help from Virginia on Saturday, and the Georgia game has no effect on that outcome.

This is what I’ve been waiting for, and even if we lose this game (not happening), I know we’ve already exceeded our expectations for this season—and I know for sure we’ll be badass next season, and we’ll beat Georgia’s ass in Atlanta next November.