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Georgia Tech–Vanderbilt football rivalry
First meetingNovember 19, 1892
Vanderbilt, 20–10
Latest meetingSeptember 17, 2016
Georgia Tech, 38–7
Next meetingTBD
TrophyGold Cowbell (1924–present)
Statistics
Meetings total38
All-time seriesGeorgia Tech leads, 20–15–3 [1]
Largest victoryGeorgia Tech, 83–0 (1917)
Longest win streakVanderbilt, 7 (1929–1935)
Current win streakGeorgia Tech, 6 (1966–2016)
Locations of Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt

The Georgia Tech–Vanderbilt football rivalry is an American college football rivalry [2] [3] [4] between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and Vanderbilt Commodores. Both universities are founding members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Southern Conference (SoCon), and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). Georgia Tech leads the series all time 20–15–3.

In the 1910s, both programs were coached by men inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame: Dan McGugin and John Heisman. In 2016, a trophy for the contest, the Gold Cowbell, was unearthed after almost 70 years of dormancy. The trophy began in 1924.

History

The schools first meeting was on November 19, 1892. In 1896, both teams joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA).

McGugin and Heisman

McGugin (left) and Heisman (right)

In 1904, Hall of Fame coaches were hired at each school: Dan McGugin at Vanderbilt and John Heisman at Georgia Tech. [a]

Heisman was already of repute, having won a claim to the 1903 SIAA championship at Clemson the previous season. McGugin was new on the job, but is still the only coach in college football history to win the first three games he ever coached each by 60 points. [5] McGugin would coach at Vanderbilt (with the exception of the 1918 season due to World War I) until the 1930s. Heisman would coach at Georgia Tech until after the 1919 season. William Alexander was hired to succeed Heisman, and he continued to produce strong teams utilizing the Heisman shift. Alexander coached until the 1940s, when he was replaced by Bobby Dodd.

Vanderbilt's oldest rival was Sewanee. One publication claims "The first scouting done in the South was in 1905," before the upcoming Sewanee game, "when Dan McGugin and Captain Innis Brown, of Vanderbilt went to Atlanta to see Sewanee play Georgia Tech." [6]

Both Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech claim a Southern title in 1915. Seven out of eight newspapers voted the SIAA championship to the "point a minute" Vanderbilt Commodores. The Atlanta Constitution declared it a tie between Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech, which was then independent. However, Tech challenged Vandy's championship. [7]

McGugin would win 11 Southern championships in his first 20 seasons coaching the Commodores, including 4 straight from 1904 to 1907, 3 straight from 1910 to 1912, and 3 straight again from 1921 to 1923, as well as the one in 1915. Heisman would win four straight from 1915 to 1918, including a Southern team's first undisputed national title in 1917. McGugin's 1907 team gave Heisman his worst loss at Tech, and Heisman's 1917 team gave McGugin and the Commodores their worst loss ever.

Gold Cowbell trophy

In 2016, a trophy for the contest, the Gold Cowbell, [8] was unearthed after almost 70 years of dormancy. [2] [9] [10] The winner of the contest was awarded the cowbell trophy tradition starting in 1924, and it was still awarded to the winner of the contest up until the 1960s. [11]

Notable games

1892: First matchup

The first matchup was in 1892, a 20–10 Vanderbilt win. It was Georgia Tech's inaugural season (their second-ever game) and Vanderbilt's third season. The 1892 Vanderbilt team was the oldest in the memory of Grantland Rice. He claimed Phil Connell would be a good player in any era. [12]

1906: Manier scores five touchdowns

The 1906 Vanderbilt team was one of the strongest in its history. [b] Owsley Manier rushed for five touchdowns on Tech. Sportswriter Alex Lynn wrote after the game that Manier was: "the greatest fullback and all round man ever seen in Atlanta." [14] Lob Brown scored for Tech.

1907: Heisman's worst loss at Tech

The following season, Vanderbilt beat Georgia Tech 54–0. "The rooters stridently called: "We want sixty! We want sixty!" [15] The highlight of the first half came on a triple pass. Sam Costen passed the ball to Honus Craig, Craig passed it to Morton and Morton passed it to Bob Blake, who ran to the side and passed it 25 yards back to Costen. Costen ran the remaining 20 yards for a touchdown. [16]

1910: Morrison Licks Jackets

In 1910, Vanderbilt won a close game over Mississippi 9–2. Late in the first quarter, Ray Morrison returned a punt 90 yards for Vanderbilt's only touchdown. [17] [18] John Heisman was the game's field judge, and McGugin did not want to show too much, playing Heisman's Georgia Tech in two weeks. [19] Morrison was the star of the Georgia Tech game too, scoring two touchdowns on road to a 23–0 victory for Vanderbilt. [20]

1917: Vanderbilt's worst loss

1917 Tech backfield

The 1917 Georgia Tech team was the South's first national champion. Despite Vanderbilt having a respectable team, Tech beat Vanderbilt 83–0, the worst loss they have ever suffered. "It was not until 1917 that a Southern team really avenged long-time torment at McGugin's hands. And it took one of history's top backfields– Joe Guyon, Ev Strupper, Al Hill, and Judy Harlan of Georgia Tech–to do it," wrote Edwin Pope. [21] Guyon was the game's star; according to Morgan Blake, "Guyon has been great in all games this year. But Saturday he was the superman". [22]

Vanderbilt captain Alf Adams praised the Tech team: "Tech's magnificent machine won easily over Vanderbilt. It was simply the matter of a splendid eleven winning over an unseasoned, inexperienced team. Tech played hard, clean football, and we were somewhat surprised to meet such a fair, aggressive team, after the reports we had heard. I think that Vanderbilt could have broken that Tech shift if we had had last year's eleven. Being outweighed, Vanderbilt could not check the heavy forwards, or open up the line. Thereby hangs the tale." [23]

1919: Vanderbilt loses in the mud

Tech-Vanderbilt in 1919.

In Heisman's final year at Georgia Tech, both teams were undefeated entering the game. Vanderbilt suffered its only loss on the year in the mud, 20–0. Halfback Buck Flowers and fullback Bill Giaver starred. [24] Flowers had a 78-yard touchdown run. Vanderbilt's captain was Josh Cody.

1920: Flowers and Barron run up a large score

Georgia Tech continued its success with new coach William Alexander. With Flowers and Red Barron in the backfield, SIAA champion Tech defeated Vanderbilt 44–0. During the scoring barrage, Flowers converted a 44-yard drop kick field goal. In the fourth quarter, a fight broke out between Vanderbilt's Gink Hendrick, and some Tech players and fans. No ejections could be made since too many players were involved.

1924: Wakefield's field goal beats Tech

Hek Wakefield

All-American Hek Wakefield scored on a 37-yard drop kick field goal for Vanderbilt's first win in Atlanta since 1906. [25] Wakefield was considered the greatest drop kicker in Vanderbilt history. [26] The Gold Cowbell trophy was introduced after this game. [11]

Vanderbilt elected to start the game with the wind at its back, hoping for an edge in punts which would lead to good field position early. Gil Reese caught one of these punts in the first quarter on the fly and, noticing both of Tech's ends blocked to the ground, raced to within striking distance of the end zone. From there, Hek Wakefield made a drop kick. [27] Wakefield was the star of the game; "He was death on returning punts and when he started around the ends the Tech stars groaned", recalls one account. [28]

Tech's one chance to score came when fullback Douglas Wycoff missed a kick low, partially blocked by Vanderbilt. Hendrix attempted to recover but missed, and Georgia Tech retained possession at the 4-yard line. On first down, a snap from center missed Wycoff, and Vanderbilt fullback Tom Ryan recovered the ball at the 15-yard line, and later punted it away to safety. [29]

1925: Wright should run for governor

Describing the most spectacular play he ever saw, coach Alexander cites one from the 1925 game against Vanderbilt. Doug Wycoff was hurt, and his substitute Dick Wright was sent in with only minutes to go in the game. On a muddy field, Wright ran off tackle and dodged Vanderbilt's safety Gil Reese, "usually a sure tackler," to get the touchdown that gave Tech a 7–0 victory. [30] The yearbook remarked, Wright "should have run for governor of Georgia right after he ran 56 yards against Vandy."

1926: Spears beats Tech

Bill Spears

in 1926, Vanderbilt beat Georgia Tech 13–7. Tech scored on an off-tackle play when Carter Barron got loose for a 50-yard run. Bill Spears faked a pass and ran for 24 yards to spark a drive to tie the game at 7, and added two field goals to win the game for Vanderbilt. [31] [32]

1927: Spears and Armistead held scoreless

On a wet field, Tech's strong defense held the high scoring Vanderbilt team, including Hall of Famer Bill Spears and high scorer Jimmy Armistead, to a scoreless tie. [33]

1928: National champions end Commodores title hopes

Georgia Tech ended the Jimmy Armistead-led Vanderbilt Commodores' hopes of a southern title with a 19–7 victory. [34] Tech went on to win the Rose Bowl and a national title.

Georgia Tech's first touchdown came on a 45-yard (41 m) pass from Tom Jones to Warner Mizell on a triple pass play. [35] Georgia Tech's next score came on an end run from Mizell. Vanderbilt's lone score came on an 85-yard (78 m) run by lineman Bull Brown after picking up a Stumpy Thomason fumble. [36]

The game has also been credited as the first Vanderbilt football game on the radio. [37]

1931: McGugin's trick

Vanderbilt's All-American center Pete Gracey once said "In my first varsity year, the night before we played Georgia Tech, Coach McGugin casually walked up to me in the lobby of our hotel, put his arm around my shoulder and sorta whispered, "I was with some Atlanta newspapermen this afternoon and I told them you were the finest sophomore center I had ever coached. I hope that I haven't made it embarrassing for you" We beat Tech, 49 to 7. Afterward I talked to seven other players and you know, Coach McGugin told them all the same thing he told me." [38]

1933: Wroton Tallies In Closing Minutes

In 1933, Vanderbilt won a close game 9–6. In the closing minutes, a tipped pass was caught by Vanderbilt's Lang Wroton for a score. [39] [40]

1935: Geny wins it with interception

In the fourth quarter, Willie Geny intercepted a pass and raced 67 yards for a touchdown to win the game for Vanderbilt 14–13. [41] This is the last win for Vanderbilt in Atlanta to date, and the season had Vanderbilt's best SEC record.

1937: Tech wins; trophy returns

Georgia Tech beat a previously undefeated Vanderbilt 14–0, and the Golden Cowbell trophy had been recovered after previously being stolen. [11]

1941: Vanderbilt remains unbeaten; Jenkins scores

Vanderbilt's last victory in the rivalry came in 1941 with a 14–7 win in Nashville. Vanderbilt remained the only untied and unbeaten team in the SEC, with SEC Player of the Year Jack Jenkins scoring two touchdowns. Georgia Tech scored with a minute left in the game. [42]

1951: Tech wins by a point in the mud

With just over a minute left and undefeated Georgia Tech up 8–0, Vanderbilt quarterback Bill Wade threw a touchdown pass to Ted Kirkland. Vanderbilt tried an onside kick, but was unsuccessful, and lost 8–7. [43]

1952: National Champions run away with the game in final quarter

The 1952 Georgia Tech team were to be national champions and played Vanderbilt for its homecoming. Vanderbilt was coming off its first win of the season, over a strong Florida team. The first quarter was scoreless, and the score at the half was 6 to 0. After a Vanderbilt fumble, it was 13 to 0, and in the fourth quarter Tech ran away with the game 30 to 0. [44]

2003: Tech beats Vandy in overtime

Georgia Tech beat Vanderbilt in overtime. Jay Cutler led Vanderbilt in rushing. [45]

Game results

[46]

Georgia Tech victoriesVanderbilt victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing team
1 November 19, 1892 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 20 Georgia Tech 10
2 November 17, 1906 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 37 Georgia Tech 6
3 November 16, 1907 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 54 Georgia Tech 0
4 November 12, 1910 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 23 Georgia Tech 0
5 November 3, 1917 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 83 Vanderbilt 0
6 October 18, 1919 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 20 Vanderbilt 0
7 October 16, 1920 Nashville, TN Georgia Tech 44 Vanderbilt 0
8 November 15, 1924 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 3 Georgia Tech 0
9 November 7, 1925 Nashville, TN Georgia Tech 7 Vanderbilt 0
10 November 6, 1926 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 13 Georgia Tech 7
11 November 6, 1927 Nashville, TN Tie0Tie0
12 November 10, 1928 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 19 Vanderbilt 7
13 November 9, 1929 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 23 Georgia Tech 7
14 November 8, 1930 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 6 Georgia Tech 0
15 October 31, 1931 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 49 Georgia Tech 7
16 October 29, 1932 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 12 Georgia Tech 0
17 November 4, 1933 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 9 Georgia Tech 6
18 October 6, 1934 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 27 Georgia Tech 12
19 November 2, 1935 Atlanta, GA Vanderbilt 14 Georgia Tech 13
20 October 24, 1936 Nashville, TN Tie0Tie0
No.DateLocationWinning teamLosing team
21 October 30, 1937 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 14 #7 Vanderbilt 0
22 October 29, 1938 Nashville, TN Vanderbilt 13 Georgia Tech 7
23 October 21, 1939 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 14 Vanderbilt 6
24 October 19, 1940 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 19 Vanderbilt 0
25 October 18, 1941 Nashville, TN #18 Vanderbilt 14 Georgia Tech 7
26 September 25, 1948 Nashville, TN Georgia Tech 13 Vanderbilt 0
27 September 24, 1949 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 12 Vanderbilt 7
28 October 27, 1951 Nashville, TN #3 Georgia Tech 8 Vanderbilt 7
29 October 25, 1952 Atlanta, GA #5 Georgia Tech 30 Vanderbilt 0
30 October 31, 1953 Nashville, TN #8 Georgia Tech 43 Vanderbilt 0
31 September 19, 1964 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 14 Vanderbilt 2
32 September 18, 1965 Nashville, TN Tie10Tie10
33 September 24, 1966 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 42 Vanderbilt 0
34 September 23, 1967 Nashville, TN Georgia Tech 17 Vanderbilt 10
35 August 31, 2002 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 45 Vanderbilt 3
36 September 27, 2003 Nashville, TN Georgia Tech 24 Vanderbilt 17
37 October 31, 2009 Nashville, TN #11 Georgia Tech 56 Vanderbilt 31
38 September 17, 2016 Atlanta, GA Georgia Tech 38 Vanderbilt 7
Series: Georgia Tech leads 20–15–3 [1]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Hall of Fame coach Mike Donahue was hired at Auburn. Every season from 1904 until 1923, with the exception of 1909, one of either Vanderbilt, Tech, or Auburn claims a Southern championship. Auburn and Georgia Tech are also rivals.
  2. ^ In 1911, Innis Brown rated the 1906 team as the best the South ever had. [13]

References

  1. ^ a b "Winsipedia – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Vanderbilt Commodores football series history". Winsipedia.
  2. ^ a b "Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech will renew forgotten cowbell rivalry". September 16, 2016.
  3. ^ "Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech will battle for the Gold Cowbell". Vandy247.
  4. ^ "Mehre Afraid of Florida, best in Four Years Play". Nashville Banner. November 3, 1933. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ Scott, Richard (2008). SEC Football: 75 Years of Pride and Passion. p.24
  6. ^ George Allen (February 2009). How to Scout Football. Martino. p. 3. ISBN  9781578987290.
  7. ^ "Georgia Tech Claims S.I.A.A. Championship". The Tennessean. November 26, 1915. p. 8. Retrieved September 23, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  8. ^ "College Football News, Videos, Scores, Teams, Standings, Stats". FOX Sports.
  9. ^ Sparks, Adam. "Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech to play for long-lost cowbell trophy". The Tennessean.
  10. ^ "Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt are playing for a Cowbell trophy". September 16, 2016.
  11. ^ a b c "Inside The Chart: The Cowbell". Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. September 15, 2016.
  12. ^ Grantland Rice (November 24, 1937). "Two of Year's Outstanding Games in South This Week". Lincoln Evening Journal. p. 12. Retrieved May 13, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  13. ^ "Brown Calls Vanderbilt '06 Best Eleven South Ever Had". Atlanta Constitution. February 19, 1911. p. 52. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  14. ^ Alex Lynn (November 18, 1906). "Brown's Toe and the Wet Cave Score". Atlanta Constitution. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ^ Vanderbilt University (1908). Vanderbilt University Quarterly. Vol. 8. p. 50.
  16. ^ Grantland Rice (November 17, 1907). "Tech Beaten Down". The Tennessean. p. 9. Retrieved April 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  17. ^ Grantland Rice (October 30, 1910). "Morrison's Brilliant Ninety-Yard Dash The Main Factor In Mississippi's 9–2 Defeat". The Tennessean. p. 8. Retrieved May 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  18. ^ "Vandy Outlucked Them". The Houston Post. October 30, 1910. p. 19. Retrieved May 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  19. ^ Vanderbilt University 1910, p. 305
  20. ^ "Ray Morrison Licks Jackets". The Atlanta Constitution. November 13, 1910. p. 2. Retrieved May 10, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  21. ^ Edwin Pope (1956). Football's Greatest Coaches. p. 344.
  22. ^ McCarty, Bernie (February 1988). "Georgia Tech's 1917 backfield, better than the Four Horsemen: Part 1" (PDF). College Football Historical Society Newsletter. 1 (3): 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016.
  23. ^ "Vanderbilt Completely Overwhelmed" (PDF). The Technique. November 6, 1917. p. 4.
  24. ^ "Georgia Tech Swamps Vanderbilt, 20 to 0". The Washington Post. October 19, 1919. p. 23. Retrieved May 13, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  25. ^ Vanderbilt Football 2014 Fact Book Archived August 19, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, pp. 125, 137, 142, 151 (2014). Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  26. ^ "Hek Wakefield Funeral Today". The Tennessean. November 20, 1962. p. 34. Retrieved July 7, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  27. ^ "Strategy of Commodores Defeats Tech". Atlanta Constitution. November 16, 1924.
  28. ^ Georgia Tech Alumnus. Atlanta. December 1924. p. 79.{{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( link)
  29. ^ Russell, Fred, and Maxwell Edward Benson. Fifty Years of Vanderbilt Football. Nashville, Tennessee, 1938, p. 42-43
  30. ^ W. A. Alexander (1926). "Forty-Five Yards for Georgia Tech" (PDF). Kansas City Star.
  31. ^ Woodruff 1928, p. 165
  32. ^ "VANDERBILT BEATS TENNESSEE, 20 TO 3; Spears and Hendrix Star in Hard-Fought Contest on Nashville Gridion". The New York Times. November 14, 1926.
  33. ^ Mark Purcell (November 1988). "Spears and Vandy excitement in 1927" (PDF). College Football Historical Society. 2 (1). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  34. ^ "Hopes of Vandy in South Circuit Wrecked Today". The Waco News-Tribune. November 11, 1928. p. 6. Retrieved March 1, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  35. ^ "Tornado Takes Places As Grid King of South". The Anniston Star. November 11, 1928. p. 11. Retrieved May 1, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  36. ^ "Georgia Tech 11 Whips Vanderbilt". The Oregon Statesman. November 11, 1928. p. 9. Retrieved March 1, 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  37. ^ "VU plays first night game in 1933". Vanderbilt University Athletics – Official Athletics Website. October 22, 2008.
  38. ^ Traughber, Bill (2011). Vanderbilt Football: Tales of Commodore Gridiron History. The History Press. p. 34. ISBN  978-1-60949-423-0.
  39. ^ "Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine Vol. 12, No. 02 1933". Issuu. December 20, 2013.
  40. ^ "VANDERBILT ON TOP, 9–6.; Halts Georgia Tech as Wroton Tallies In Closing Minutes". The New York Times. November 5, 1933.
  41. ^ "VANDERBILT HALTS GEORGIA TECH, 14–13; Geny Intercepts Pass to Dash 67 Yards and Tie Count in the Final Quarter. KONEMAN GOES 57 YARDS Gives Engineers Early Lead, but Commodores Retaliate With Drive From Their Goal". The New York Times. November 3, 1935.
  42. ^ Escar Thompson (October 19, 1941). "Vanderbilt Remains Unbeaten". The Jackson Sun. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ "1951-10-27 – Georgia Tech at Vanderbilt | Georgia Tech Ticket Stubs".
  44. ^ "1952-10-25 – Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt | Georgia Tech Ticket Stubs".
  45. ^ "Vanderbilt Falls In Overtime to Georgia Tech". Vanderbilt University Athletics – Official Athletics Website. September 27, 2003.
  46. ^ "Georgia Tech vs Vanderbilt Series History – College Football Database". atr.cfrc.com.