The Notre Dame vs Georgia Tech History Holds Some Big Stories

Georgia Tech and Notre Dame have a football history that goes back over 100 years, starting in 1922. Because of their sporadic scheduling, the overall series includes only 37 games. And Notre Dame has won 30 of them , including the last three.

But within that intermittent and lopsided rivalry, there are several events that are intertwined . One is the Rudy game, in 1975 when a strong Notre Dame team beat a good Georgia Tech team. The game had no national implications but was made famous by the exploits of Irish walk- on Rudy Ruettiger, who got into the game at the tag end, and was celebrated for sacking the Tech QB at game's end in a 24- 3 win. Rudy was celebrated for his walk- on wannabe embodiment of the Notre Dame spirit.

Another story involved the short- lived tenure of George O'Leary as head coach at Notre Dame. O'Leary was coaching at Georgia Tech in 2001 ( 52-33, 1994- 2001) when he took the job at Notre Dame....only to resign five days later when several " inaccuracies " on his resume came to light. It was an embarrassing moment for the proud Notre Dame program, and also for Tech , which hired O'Leary twice.,, presumably with that resume.

Beyond those two episodes, there were two Tech -Notre Dame seasons where national title consequences were directly involved.

In 1980, Georgia Tech stunned #1 ranked Notre Dame with a 3-3 tie in a game in Atlanta. Georgia Tech was 1- 7 coming in under first year head coach Bill Curry. Tech used freshman tight end Ken Whisenhunt as " emergency " QB after starter Ted Peeples was hurt. Tech's defense was tenacious, allowing only a long field fourth quarter goal by Notre Dame to save the Irish from the loss.

Meanwhile, down in Jacksonville that same day, Georgia gained one of their most miraculous wins ever in the " Run , Lindsay, run! " victory over Florida. The Dogs were ranked #2 nationally going into that game, and after Notre Dame's tie in Atlanta, Georgia moved to # 1. The Dogs stayed there in the rankings and cemented their position as the #1 team when they beat Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl 17-10 on January 1, 1981. In that game, freshman running back Herschel Walker ran for 150 yards and two scores. Georgia passing game was nonexistent– completing one pass of 13 attempts, for zero yards. The Dogs defense was key, getting four turnovers and a blocked field goal attempt.

Georgia won the national title , Vince Dooley's first and only, for the 1980 season.

1980 was Dan Devine's final year at Notre Dame. Upon his retirement, Notre Dame made a Faustian bargain ....with high school coach Gerry Faust. He lasted five seasons in South Bend, going 30-26, and then giving way to Lou Holtz. Holtz was at the helm in 1988 when he won his only ( and Notre Dame's most recent ) national championship.

Two years later it was Georgia Tech's turn in the national spotlight. The Yellow Jackets went undefeated in the 1990 season under Bobby Ross . Tech's only blemish was a 13-13 tie at North Carolina. Tech's biggest win of the season came two weeks later when they beat then #1 Virginia in Charlottesville to vault into the top ten. Tech climbed to #2 by season's end and they were paired with Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day.

Tech beat Nebraska soundly to cap off an 11-0-1 season. All eyes were then on the Orange Bowl that night where a 9-1-1 * Colorado team, ranked #1, faced off against #5 Notre Dame. The Buffaloes seemingly had the favored eyes of the voters all season long. Not only had they gone 1-1-1 in their first three games, they also had a tarnished late season win* over Missouri on a last play touchdown that inexplicably came on a fifth down. Yes, somehow refs, coaches, players and announcers all failed to note that Colorado had already used three downs when their QB spiked the ball to stop the clock. He then scored on the next play– the fifth down and the game's final play– to give Colorado a two point win. It's still hard to believe.

The Buffaloes charmed life that season was not over. Holding a late one point lead over Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Jan 1 1991, they gave up a punt return for a go -ahead touchdown tby the Irish return specialist Rocket Ismael. The play was called back on a mysterious clipping call against Notre Dame , and Colorado won 10-9.

When votes came in for the national title, it was split. The Associated Press ( the writers ' poll)​ voted Colorado ( 10-1-1) #1, with Tech #2. This strange season brought Colorado their only national championship.

The UPI ( the coaches poll) voted Georgia Tech ( 11-0-1) #1, with Colorado #2. This title brought Georgia Tech their fourth national title. ( 1917, 1928, 1952 and 1990).

And that's the way it went into the books. Back in a time before playoffs , these games and the entire 1990 season helped create the bowl coalition, a nascent move toward a more structured "bowl system" to crown a national champion.

This week, Georgia Tech hosts Notre Dame in Atlanta . The Irish are ranked #12 at 6-1. Tech is 5-2 and unranked. The Irish are favored by 12 points.

Tech is playing their back-up QB, Zach Pyron, because starter Haynes King is out with an injury.

Anybody channeling QB Ken Whisenhunt circa 1980?

Patrick Conarro

RamblinSports.com