2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology
in the college football
season of 2006-2007. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys
, Samford Bulldogs
, and Troy Trojans
coach Chan Gailey
. It plays its home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium
in Atlanta, Georgia
.
to under 85 yards of total offense, while in 2005 Georgia Tech held #3 Miami
to only 10 points in Georgia Tech's victory in the Miami Orange Bowl
. Georgia Tech defeated two highly heralded Auburn
teams in 2003 and 2005 and only allowed 17 points in the two matchups (the 2005 game ended Auburn's 15 game winning streak).
(QB
) was expected to lead the team as a seasoned veteran with three full years of starting behind him. Junior Calvin Johnson
(WR
) was considered by many sports writers to be the top wide receiver in the nation. Oklahoma
transfer Tashard Choice
(RB
) found the starting job behind an experienced offensive line.
Georgia Tech was in some pre-season top 25 polls.
! Recap
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The game began with Georgia Tech taking a 10-0 lead over the Irish. Reggie Ball
connected with Calvin Johnson
for a touchdown and Travis Bell kicked a field goal. At the end of the first half, Notre Dame finally scored on a Brady Quinn
quarterback draw. The second half featured two relentless defenses. Notre Dame would score the final points in the game on a Darius Walker
touchdown run. The run followed a controversial late hit penalty, which took Notre Dame from 4th down to 1st down and goal. The game had no turnovers and was highlighted by Calvin Johnson's 7 receptions, 110 yards receiving, and touchdown and Reggie Ball's 207 all-purpose yards.
Georgia Tech returned two interceptions for touchdowns for the first time since their 1966 victory over Tulane in what would turn out to be another great defensive performance. Samford only scored two field goals in the first quarter and Georgia Tech only allowed 12 yards rushing to the 1-AA school. 69 Georgia Tech players saw action in the game, including four different quarterbacks and four different tailbacks. The game was highlighted by Calvin Johnson's two touchdown catches, a Tashard Choice rushing touchdown, Reggie Ball's 92 all-purpose yards, and Djay Jones and Jamal Lewis' interception touchdowns. Djay's interception was 28 yards long and Jamal's interception was 98 yards long.
Georgia Tech needed two late interceptions from Gary Guyton and Jamal Lewis to help put down the Trojans. The game was tied 14-14 going in to the fourth quarter before the Yellow Jackets got the go ahead touchdown on a play action pass to fullback
Mike Cox. The next Trojan possession saw a tipped pass get intercepted by Guyton and Tech would drive down the field for a Tashard Choice rushing touchdown. Jamal Evans would score another rushing touchdown following a second GT pick by Lewis. The game was highlighted by Rashaun Grant's 53 yards and a touchdown on two end around plays, Tashard Choice's 73 yards rushing and a touchdown, Reggie Ball's single game GT QB rushing record of 138 yards, and James Johnson's 74 yards receiving with a touchdown.
Georgia Tech ended its three game losing streak to UVA with a dominating defensive effort and superb performances by Reggie Ball and Calvin Johnson. Reggie Ball is now 1-3 against the Wahoos and had 205 yards passing, 2 touchdown passes, and a rushing touchdown. Calvin Johnson set his personal longest touchdown reception record twice recording 58 and 66 yard touchdowns in a 165 yard effort. Tashard Choice, Rashaun Grant, and Jamaal Evans added 103 yards on 26 carries between them. Patrick Nix called three risky plays in the game. The first was a fullback pass from Mike Cox to Reggie Ball. The blocking back has never rushed for yardage but managed to complete a 17 yard pass to Ball. Rashaun Grant also received two reverse pitches from Tashard Choice, whiched netted only 7 yards. The defense held the Cavs to 166 yards of offense and forced three turnovers (two interceptions by Djay Jones and Jahi Word-Daniels and a fumble recovery by Jamal Lewis). The only Cavalier score was made possible by a fourth quarter fumble by Ball and Choice on a speed option. Also of note, Georgia Tech sported a white helmet and mustard uniform from the Bud Carson
era (1969–1971).
Georgia Tech opened with 21 straight points and never relented against the Hokies. The first play from the line of scrimmage was a 59 yard pass from Reggie Ball to James Johnson. Georgia Tech would block a punt to help set up their third touchdown. The defense also added points to the effort with a Philip Wheeler strip on Sean Glennon, which was recovered by Gary Guyton and returned for a touchdown. Calvin Johnson added 115 yards and 2 touchdowns, Tashard Choice accumulated 104 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, and Reggie Ball added 211 yards of total offense to the victory.
Pregame line: Maryland +14
Georgia Tech needed a 13-point fourth-quarter rally to rid Bobby Dodd Stadium of Terrapin
red
. Georgia Tech's first drive resulted in a touchdown but the celebration was short-lived as Maryland's cornerback Josh Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff for a 104-yard touchdown. Georgia Tech's placekicker Travis Bell faulted three times in the game, missing two field goals and throwing an incompletion to punter–holder Durant Brooks. The missed field goals allowed a stuttering Maryland offense to keep the game close. Maryland drove to the 7 yard line with 1:02 left in the game. QB Sam Hollenbach was sacked two times on 3rd and 4th down by end Michael Johnson in the last minute to seal the victory for Georgia Tech. The game featured a 133-yard and one-touchdown effort by Calvin Johnson, 245 yards of offense and two touchdowns from Reggie Ball, and most importantly a dominating effort by Tashard Choice of 137 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Georgia Tech's defense held Maryland to only 87 yards rushing, garnered 5 sacks, had 1 fumble recovery, and picked off 1 Hollenbach pass. Georgia Tech had not been 5–1 and 3–0 in conference since GT's co-ACC Championship in 1998. The game was also the 90th anniversary of the 222–0
victory over Cumberland College
.
Georgia Tech suffered its first conference loss to Clemson in Death Valley. CJ Spiller and James Davis accounted for 92% of Clemson's offense in the loss. Georgia Tech's vaunted rush defense gave up over 300 yards on the ground after only allowing 81 yards a game coming into the contest. Calvin Johnson was held to no catches for the first time since his first game as a Yellow Jacket and only had -4 yards rushing on a speed option. Reggie Ball had 130 yards of offense and James Johnson had the Jackets only touchdown on an awkwardly deflected 35 yard pass. The Jackets forced two turnovers and had one sack. Djay Jones had the Ramblin' Wreck's pick and Philip Wheeler recovered a fumble after Tyler Grisham got drilled by Djay Jones. This game continues the Yellow Jackets streak of losing in ESPN College Gameday events with an overall record of 0-4-1.
Georgia Tech got off to a rocky start when a Reggie Ball fumble was returned for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. The two teams then exchanged field goals until Georgia Tech's offense kicked out of neutral. Reggie Ball connected on a Hamilton
-Campbellesque
46 yard play action touchdown to James Johnson. Six field goals were kicked in the game by both squads, three by Travis Bell. Calvin Johnson had a 1 yard touchdown reception and 67 yards receiving. James Johnson had 69 yards receiving and his 46 yard touchdown bomb. Tashard Choice had 101 yards rushing and a 24 yard break away touchdown that put the game out of reach. Mike Cox had 2 receptions of 36 total yards, which resulted in punishing hits to Miami defenders. The Georgia Tech defense and special teams managed to force 4 turnovers and the defense sacked Kyle Wright 7 times (Pat Clark interception, Avery Roberson fumble recovery, Chris Dunlap fumble recovery, and KaMichael Hall fumble recovery). Durant Brooks pounded 6 punts at 51 yards per kick and his last punt sailed over the returner's head, was mishandled, and recovered by GT for the victory. Georgia Tech now has an 11 year winning streak in homecoming games.
Pregame Line: N.C. State +6
The Georgia Tech defense shut NC State out of the end zone and continued Georgia Tech's dominance over Chuck Amato
. The only NC State touchdowns were scored off of an interception return and kickoff return. NC State could not capitalize on field position and the second Georgia Tech interception turning all red zone attempts into field goal attempts. NC State also misfired on 2 of their 5 field goal attempts and committed 102 yards in penalties. Reggie Ball, James Johnson, and Calvin Johnson lit up the skies with over 215 passing yards and four touchdowns. Tashard Choice also contributed 165 yards on the ground behind a solid Georgia Tech offensive line effort. Georgia Tech has now outscored their last four opponents 47-21 in the fourth quarter of play.
Georgia Tech shut out the Tar Heels in a game reminiscent of the 1990 tie that almost cost the Jackets the 1990 UPI title. The game marked the first shut out for Georgia Tech in six years and featured the longest drive of the year by an ACC team. The ten and half minute drive was the only score for the Jackets as Tashard Choice pushed his way into the end zone. Choice accumulated 119 yards on 32 carries. The defense added two picks by Jamal Lewis and Kenny Scott, which staved off any real Tarheel threats to score. The Tar Heels were held to only 65 yards rushing and gave up two sacks. Tech's offense had an 11 minute advantage in time of possession. Georgia Tech has now clinched the ACC Coastal division and will be playing in Jacksonville on December 2.
Pregame Line: Duke +26.5
Tech finished its ACC schedule with an easy victory over mismatched Duke. The game was won on the legs of Tashard Choice and the big connections between Reggie Ball and Calvin Johnson. Choice ran for 118 yards and a score while Reggie connected with Calvin for 5 passes, 78 yards, and two touchdowns. Ball finished the day by the end of the second quarter with 7-13 passing for 122 yards and 3 touchdowns against the maligned Blue Devils. Taylor Bennett lead the second team in the third and fourth quarter adding another score on his second pass on a 20 yard dart to Greg Smith. Bennett and Smith connected later on another score of 25 yards. Third string back Jamaal Evans added another 90 rushing yards and a score. The defense added 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries.
For the third straight year, the Tech-UGA game has been settled by a touchdown or less in a defensive brawl. The Jackets could not overcome three turnovers to end their losing streak to the Dogs and lost on a Matt Stafford touchdown pass with 1:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. The true bright spots for Tech in the loss were the spectacular play of Tashard Choice, Durrant Brooks, Travis Bell, and the Tech Defense. The defense recorded two sacks and held the Bulldog offense to less than 100 yards rushing. The defense also recovered a fumble to help set up a Travis Bell field goal. Travis Bell was 2 for 2 on field goals. Durrant Brooks boomed 5 punts for a 44.6 yard average. 3 of the 5 punts landed within the 20. Tashard Choice continued his streak of 100 yard games with a 143 yard and 1 touchdown performance. Choice's touchdown lifted the Jackets to their final lead early in the fourth quarter but the lead would only last for 7 minutes. Georgia Tech's last possession saw Tech starting within their own 20 and needing a big play downfield. UGA's defensive line aided Tech with a personal foul on 4th down and 12, but Reggie Ball, who finished the game 6-22 for 42 yards with 0 TDs, 2 interceptions and a lost fumble, threw the ball right into the arms of Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver
to seal the Bulldogs win.
In a game that featured the excellent kicking games of Tech and Wake, Wake prevailed by kicking a field goal with 2:55 left on the game clock to go ahead for good 9 to 6. Both teams punted a combined 12 times for almost 550 yards. There were 6 field goal attempts made, the ony miss coming from Wake's backup field goal kicker. The Tech defense recorded 4 sacks and held the Demon Deacons under 100 yards rushing. Tashard Choice recorded 99 yards rushing, Calvin recorded 117 yards receiving, and Reggie Ball recorded 170 all-purpose yards. Also of note, Georgia Tech sported navy blue
jerseys for the game, a style not worn since Bill Lewis
' 1994 season.
Georgia Tech opened the game with fireworks taking as much as an 18 point lead at the start of the 3rd quarter. However, WVU rallied to the tune of 21 3rd quarter points and beat the Jackets by 3 in the highest scoring Gator Bowl in the 61 years of its operation. Taylor Bennett started for Georgia Tech as Reggie Ball was found academically ineligible at the completion of the Fall semester. Taylor had a career high 335 yards and 3 touchdowns. His lone pick was one of the few mistakes Taylor made in his 2007 coming out party. Tashard Choice dominated against a supposedly stingy WVU run defense racking up 169 yards on 27 carries along with 2 touchdowns. Choice also accumulated 36 yards receiving. Calvin Johnson highlighted Georgia Tech's offensive efforts with 9 catches, 186 yards receiving, and 2 touchdowns. The defense recorded 1 sack and Durrant Brooks boomed 4 punts for a 46.3 yard average.
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in the college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
season of 2006-2007. The team's coach is former Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
, Samford Bulldogs
Samford University
Samford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
, and Troy Trojans
Troy University
Troy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
coach Chan Gailey
Chan Gailey
Thomas Chandler "Chan" Gailey, Jr. is an American professional and college football coach. Gailey is the current head coach of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League ; he was formerly the head coach of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets college football...
. It plays its home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium
Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field is the football stadium located at the corner of North Avenue at Techwood Drive on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, who completed the 2011 season with a loss to rival UGA...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Previous seasons
Georgia Tech had posted four consecutive seasons with 7 wins under Coach Gailey. The team had been to four bowl games under Chan Gailey and had a 2-2 record in postseason play. Under Chan Gailey, Georgia Tech had become notorious for having a stifling defense and a ball control offense. In 2004 Georgia Tech held MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
to under 85 yards of total offense, while in 2005 Georgia Tech held #3 Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
to only 10 points in Georgia Tech's victory in the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
. Georgia Tech defeated two highly heralded Auburn
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
teams in 2003 and 2005 and only allowed 17 points in the two matchups (the 2005 game ended Auburn's 15 game winning streak).
Pre-season
Head Coach Chan Gailey returned for his fifth year at the helm of the program. Senior Reggie BallReggie Ball
Reginald Lewis Ball is an American football Quarterback who currently plays for the Bricktown Brawlers of the Indoor Football League He was originally signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
(QB
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
) was expected to lead the team as a seasoned veteran with three full years of starting behind him. Junior Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
(WR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
) was considered by many sports writers to be the top wide receiver in the nation. Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
transfer Tashard Choice
Tashard Choice
Tashard J. Choice , is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He played collegiately at Georgia Tech. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.Choice began his collegiate career at The University of Oklahoma but...
(RB
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
) found the starting job behind an experienced offensive line.
Georgia Tech was in some pre-season top 25 polls.
Pre-season awards
Preseason Football Buzz- Calvin JohnsonCalvin Johnson (American football)Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
- All-America First Team - Joe Anoai - Lindy's All-ACC First Team
- KaMichael Hall - Sporting News' All-ACC First Team
- Kenny Scott - Sporting News' All-ACC First Team
- Reggie Ball - Athlon's All-ACC Third Team
- Andrew Gardner - Sporting News All-ACC Second Team
- Mike Cox - Sporting News All-ACC First Team
Schedule
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Notre Dame
Pregame Line: Notre Dame -7.5The game began with Georgia Tech taking a 10-0 lead over the Irish. Reggie Ball
Reggie Ball
Reginald Lewis Ball is an American football Quarterback who currently plays for the Bricktown Brawlers of the Indoor Football League He was originally signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
connected with Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
for a touchdown and Travis Bell kicked a field goal. At the end of the first half, Notre Dame finally scored on a Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
quarterback draw. The second half featured two relentless defenses. Notre Dame would score the final points in the game on a Darius Walker
Darius Walker
Darius A'Dunte Walker is an American football running back who is a free agent in the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Notre Dame.Walker has also been a member of the St...
touchdown run. The run followed a controversial late hit penalty, which took Notre Dame from 4th down to 1st down and goal. The game had no turnovers and was highlighted by Calvin Johnson's 7 receptions, 110 yards receiving, and touchdown and Reggie Ball's 207 all-purpose yards.
Samford
Pregame Line: Samford +37Georgia Tech returned two interceptions for touchdowns for the first time since their 1966 victory over Tulane in what would turn out to be another great defensive performance. Samford only scored two field goals in the first quarter and Georgia Tech only allowed 12 yards rushing to the 1-AA school. 69 Georgia Tech players saw action in the game, including four different quarterbacks and four different tailbacks. The game was highlighted by Calvin Johnson's two touchdown catches, a Tashard Choice rushing touchdown, Reggie Ball's 92 all-purpose yards, and Djay Jones and Jamal Lewis' interception touchdowns. Djay's interception was 28 yards long and Jamal's interception was 98 yards long.
Troy
Pregame Line: Troy +17.5Georgia Tech needed two late interceptions from Gary Guyton and Jamal Lewis to help put down the Trojans. The game was tied 14-14 going in to the fourth quarter before the Yellow Jackets got the go ahead touchdown on a play action pass to fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
Mike Cox. The next Trojan possession saw a tipped pass get intercepted by Guyton and Tech would drive down the field for a Tashard Choice rushing touchdown. Jamal Evans would score another rushing touchdown following a second GT pick by Lewis. The game was highlighted by Rashaun Grant's 53 yards and a touchdown on two end around plays, Tashard Choice's 73 yards rushing and a touchdown, Reggie Ball's single game GT QB rushing record of 138 yards, and James Johnson's 74 yards receiving with a touchdown.
Virginia
Pregame Line: Virginia +16.5Georgia Tech ended its three game losing streak to UVA with a dominating defensive effort and superb performances by Reggie Ball and Calvin Johnson. Reggie Ball is now 1-3 against the Wahoos and had 205 yards passing, 2 touchdown passes, and a rushing touchdown. Calvin Johnson set his personal longest touchdown reception record twice recording 58 and 66 yard touchdowns in a 165 yard effort. Tashard Choice, Rashaun Grant, and Jamaal Evans added 103 yards on 26 carries between them. Patrick Nix called three risky plays in the game. The first was a fullback pass from Mike Cox to Reggie Ball. The blocking back has never rushed for yardage but managed to complete a 17 yard pass to Ball. Rashaun Grant also received two reverse pitches from Tashard Choice, whiched netted only 7 yards. The defense held the Cavs to 166 yards of offense and forced three turnovers (two interceptions by Djay Jones and Jahi Word-Daniels and a fumble recovery by Jamal Lewis). The only Cavalier score was made possible by a fourth quarter fumble by Ball and Choice on a speed option. Also of note, Georgia Tech sported a white helmet and mustard uniform from the Bud Carson
Bud Carson
Leon H. "Bud" Carson was an American football coach best known for his role on the Pittsburgh Steelers' championship teams of the 1970s.-Player:Carson played defensive back for North Carolina from 1949 to 1951, then entered the Marines.-Georgia Tech:...
era (1969–1971).
Virginia Tech
Pregame Line: Virginia Tech -8.5Georgia Tech opened with 21 straight points and never relented against the Hokies. The first play from the line of scrimmage was a 59 yard pass from Reggie Ball to James Johnson. Georgia Tech would block a punt to help set up their third touchdown. The defense also added points to the effort with a Philip Wheeler strip on Sean Glennon, which was recovered by Gary Guyton and returned for a touchdown. Calvin Johnson added 115 yards and 2 touchdowns, Tashard Choice accumulated 104 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns, and Reggie Ball added 211 yards of total offense to the victory.
Maryland
Georgia Tech needed a 13-point fourth-quarter rally to rid Bobby Dodd Stadium of Terrapin
Terrapin
A terrapin is a turtle living in fresh or brackish water.Terrapin may also refer to:* Terrapin , a transport vehicle used for amphibious assault by the Allies during the Second World War...
red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
. Georgia Tech's first drive resulted in a touchdown but the celebration was short-lived as Maryland's cornerback Josh Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff for a 104-yard touchdown. Georgia Tech's placekicker Travis Bell faulted three times in the game, missing two field goals and throwing an incompletion to punter–holder Durant Brooks. The missed field goals allowed a stuttering Maryland offense to keep the game close. Maryland drove to the 7 yard line with 1:02 left in the game. QB Sam Hollenbach was sacked two times on 3rd and 4th down by end Michael Johnson in the last minute to seal the victory for Georgia Tech. The game featured a 133-yard and one-touchdown effort by Calvin Johnson, 245 yards of offense and two touchdowns from Reggie Ball, and most importantly a dominating effort by Tashard Choice of 137 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Georgia Tech's defense held Maryland to only 87 yards rushing, garnered 5 sacks, had 1 fumble recovery, and picked off 1 Hollenbach pass. Georgia Tech had not been 5–1 and 3–0 in conference since GT's co-ACC Championship in 1998. The game was also the 90th anniversary of the 222–0
Georgia Tech v. Cumberland, 1916
The 1916 Cumberland vs. Georgia Tech football game was an American football game played on October 7, 1916, between the Georgia Tech Engineers and the Cumberland College Bulldogs at Grant Field in Atlanta, Georgia...
victory over Cumberland College
Cumberland University
Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:...
.
Clemson
Pregame Line: Clemson -7.5Georgia Tech suffered its first conference loss to Clemson in Death Valley. CJ Spiller and James Davis accounted for 92% of Clemson's offense in the loss. Georgia Tech's vaunted rush defense gave up over 300 yards on the ground after only allowing 81 yards a game coming into the contest. Calvin Johnson was held to no catches for the first time since his first game as a Yellow Jacket and only had -4 yards rushing on a speed option. Reggie Ball had 130 yards of offense and James Johnson had the Jackets only touchdown on an awkwardly deflected 35 yard pass. The Jackets forced two turnovers and had one sack. Djay Jones had the Ramblin' Wreck's pick and Philip Wheeler recovered a fumble after Tyler Grisham got drilled by Djay Jones. This game continues the Yellow Jackets streak of losing in ESPN College Gameday events with an overall record of 0-4-1.
Miami
Pregame Line: Miami +6Georgia Tech got off to a rocky start when a Reggie Ball fumble was returned for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. The two teams then exchanged field goals until Georgia Tech's offense kicked out of neutral. Reggie Ball connected on a Hamilton
Joe Hamilton (football player)
Joe Hamilton is a former American football player who now serves as running backs coach at Georgia State University. Before joining the Georgia State football staff in 2010, he had played professionally as a quarterback, most recently for the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League...
-Campbellesque
Kelly Campbell
LeVaughn Kelly Campbell is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
46 yard play action touchdown to James Johnson. Six field goals were kicked in the game by both squads, three by Travis Bell. Calvin Johnson had a 1 yard touchdown reception and 67 yards receiving. James Johnson had 69 yards receiving and his 46 yard touchdown bomb. Tashard Choice had 101 yards rushing and a 24 yard break away touchdown that put the game out of reach. Mike Cox had 2 receptions of 36 total yards, which resulted in punishing hits to Miami defenders. The Georgia Tech defense and special teams managed to force 4 turnovers and the defense sacked Kyle Wright 7 times (Pat Clark interception, Avery Roberson fumble recovery, Chris Dunlap fumble recovery, and KaMichael Hall fumble recovery). Durant Brooks pounded 6 punts at 51 yards per kick and his last punt sailed over the returner's head, was mishandled, and recovered by GT for the victory. Georgia Tech now has an 11 year winning streak in homecoming games.
NC State
The Georgia Tech defense shut NC State out of the end zone and continued Georgia Tech's dominance over Chuck Amato
Chuck Amato
-External links:...
. The only NC State touchdowns were scored off of an interception return and kickoff return. NC State could not capitalize on field position and the second Georgia Tech interception turning all red zone attempts into field goal attempts. NC State also misfired on 2 of their 5 field goal attempts and committed 102 yards in penalties. Reggie Ball, James Johnson, and Calvin Johnson lit up the skies with over 215 passing yards and four touchdowns. Tashard Choice also contributed 165 yards on the ground behind a solid Georgia Tech offensive line effort. Georgia Tech has now outscored their last four opponents 47-21 in the fourth quarter of play.
North Carolina
Pregame Line: North Carolina +13.5Georgia Tech shut out the Tar Heels in a game reminiscent of the 1990 tie that almost cost the Jackets the 1990 UPI title. The game marked the first shut out for Georgia Tech in six years and featured the longest drive of the year by an ACC team. The ten and half minute drive was the only score for the Jackets as Tashard Choice pushed his way into the end zone. Choice accumulated 119 yards on 32 carries. The defense added two picks by Jamal Lewis and Kenny Scott, which staved off any real Tarheel threats to score. The Tar Heels were held to only 65 yards rushing and gave up two sacks. Tech's offense had an 11 minute advantage in time of possession. Georgia Tech has now clinched the ACC Coastal division and will be playing in Jacksonville on December 2.
Duke
Tech finished its ACC schedule with an easy victory over mismatched Duke. The game was won on the legs of Tashard Choice and the big connections between Reggie Ball and Calvin Johnson. Choice ran for 118 yards and a score while Reggie connected with Calvin for 5 passes, 78 yards, and two touchdowns. Ball finished the day by the end of the second quarter with 7-13 passing for 122 yards and 3 touchdowns against the maligned Blue Devils. Taylor Bennett lead the second team in the third and fourth quarter adding another score on his second pass on a 20 yard dart to Greg Smith. Bennett and Smith connected later on another score of 25 yards. Third string back Jamaal Evans added another 90 rushing yards and a score. The defense added 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries.
Georgia
Pregame Line: Georgia -3For the third straight year, the Tech-UGA game has been settled by a touchdown or less in a defensive brawl. The Jackets could not overcome three turnovers to end their losing streak to the Dogs and lost on a Matt Stafford touchdown pass with 1:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. The true bright spots for Tech in the loss were the spectacular play of Tashard Choice, Durrant Brooks, Travis Bell, and the Tech Defense. The defense recorded two sacks and held the Bulldog offense to less than 100 yards rushing. The defense also recovered a fumble to help set up a Travis Bell field goal. Travis Bell was 2 for 2 on field goals. Durrant Brooks boomed 5 punts for a 44.6 yard average. 3 of the 5 punts landed within the 20. Tashard Choice continued his streak of 100 yard games with a 143 yard and 1 touchdown performance. Choice's touchdown lifted the Jackets to their final lead early in the fourth quarter but the lead would only last for 7 minutes. Georgia Tech's last possession saw Tech starting within their own 20 and needing a big play downfield. UGA's defensive line aided Tech with a personal foul on 4th down and 12, but Reggie Ball, who finished the game 6-22 for 42 yards with 0 TDs, 2 interceptions and a lost fumble, threw the ball right into the arms of Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver
Paul Oliver (American football)
Paul J. Oliver is an American football safety for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League...
to seal the Bulldogs win.
ACC Championship Game
Pregame Line: Wake Forest +2.5In a game that featured the excellent kicking games of Tech and Wake, Wake prevailed by kicking a field goal with 2:55 left on the game clock to go ahead for good 9 to 6. Both teams punted a combined 12 times for almost 550 yards. There were 6 field goal attempts made, the ony miss coming from Wake's backup field goal kicker. The Tech defense recorded 4 sacks and held the Demon Deacons under 100 yards rushing. Tashard Choice recorded 99 yards rushing, Calvin recorded 117 yards receiving, and Reggie Ball recorded 170 all-purpose yards. Also of note, Georgia Tech sported navy blue
Navy blue
Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue which almost appears as black. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue worn by officers in the British Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world....
jerseys for the game, a style not worn since Bill Lewis
Bill Lewis (football)
-External links:*...
' 1994 season.
Gator Bowl
Pregame Line: West Virginia -10.5Georgia Tech opened the game with fireworks taking as much as an 18 point lead at the start of the 3rd quarter. However, WVU rallied to the tune of 21 3rd quarter points and beat the Jackets by 3 in the highest scoring Gator Bowl in the 61 years of its operation. Taylor Bennett started for Georgia Tech as Reggie Ball was found academically ineligible at the completion of the Fall semester. Taylor had a career high 335 yards and 3 touchdowns. His lone pick was one of the few mistakes Taylor made in his 2007 coming out party. Tashard Choice dominated against a supposedly stingy WVU run defense racking up 169 yards on 27 carries along with 2 touchdowns. Choice also accumulated 36 yards receiving. Calvin Johnson highlighted Georgia Tech's offensive efforts with 9 catches, 186 yards receiving, and 2 touchdowns. The defense recorded 1 sack and Durrant Brooks boomed 4 punts for a 46.3 yard average.
Postseason awards
| American Football Coaches' Association All-America Team | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Team | Second Team | ||
| Calvin Johnson, WR | Philip Wheeler, LB | ||
| Walter Camp All-America Team | |||
| Calvin Johnson, WR | |||
| Fred Biletnikoff Award | |||
| Calvin Johnson, WR | |||
| Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year | |||
| Calvin Johnson, WR | |||
| Associated Press All-ACC Team | |||
| First Team | Second Team | ||
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Roster
| (as of 07/26/2006) | ||||||
Wide Receivers
Offensive line
Tight Ends
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Fullbacks
Defensive line
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Linebackers
Defensive backs
Long Snappers
Punters
Kickers
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Coaching staff
- Chan GaileyChan GaileyThomas Chandler "Chan" Gailey, Jr. is an American professional and college football coach. Gailey is the current head coach of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League ; he was formerly the head coach of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets college football...
- Head Coach - Joe D'Alessandris - Offensive Line
- Buddy Geis - Wide Receivers/Assistant Head Coach
- Jeep Hunter - Tight Ends
- Brian Jean-Mary - Linebackers
- Charles Kelly - Special Teams Coordinator
- Curtis ModkinsCurtis ModkinsCurtis Modkins is an American football coach, currently serving as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League.-Playing career:...
- Running Backs - Patrick NixPatrick NixPatrick Nix is a college football coach and former player in the United States.-Player:Patrick Nix began his career at Etowah High School in Attalla, Alabama. Nix was a standout quarterback at Auburn University, where he came in for an injured Stan White vs. Alabama to help lead the Tigers to a...
- Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks - Giff Smith - Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator
- Jon Tenuta - Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator