The Last Time We Met the Utes: 2005 Emerald Nuts Bowl
by BirdGT on Dec 12, 2011 8:00 AM EST
in Georgia Tech Football
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PrintGeorgia Tech received its invitation to play in the Emerald Nuts Bowl on December 4th, 2005. In case you forgot, Tech's last offensive play of the 2005 regular season was Damarius Bilbo running a post instead of a curl and Reggie Ball darting a ball straight into Tim Jennings' awaiting arms with 1:11 left to play. Tech dropped the last regular season game of 2005 to Georgia 14-7. Needless to say, there was not a lot of excitement going into bowl season.
Tech fans, upon hearing the match up, thought that Utah would be an easy Tulsa or Syracuse-esque walk in the park. The Utes, in fact, had already dropped a game to UNC in Chapel Hill while Tech handled the Heels in the same season giving Tech fans more optimism. Chan Gailey was a little more cautious, if not prophetic:
"They've got a good football team,...In four of their five losses, they were ahead at some point. They could have easily won nine or 10 games. They're a very strong football team. They lost some players from last year, but they're still a strong football team...They're a lot more wide open offensively than anybody we've played. They use a lot of weapons, motion, different personnel groupings."While Tech was laden with seniors and veteran starters, Utah had a huge question mark at quarterback. Brian Johnson (the guy who would lead them to a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama) was out with a knee injury and his backup Brett Ratliff had to make his second career start against Tech's vaunted defense. Prior to this game, Jon Tenuta's Tech defenses had never lost to a starting quarterback with less than 3 starts.
The game was played on December 29th, 2005 in front of 25,742 fans. And I'm pretty sure those 25,742 were not prepared for the fireworks show Utah put on. In the opening possession Utah marched down the field on a 76 yard drive culminated by a 14 yard touchdown pass from Ratliff to Travis LaTendresse. LaTendresse ended the game with 214 yards receiving and 4 touchdown passes. His quarterback had 30 completions for 381 total yards while Georgia Tech's woeful offense only produced 10 points total and 385 yards of total offense.
The average Utah scoring drive only took two minutes and five seconds against the most unmotivated Georgia Tech defense since 2002's UGA game. Jon Tenuta's defense at Tech would go on to only allow four teams out of the seventy seven different offenses faced from 2002-2007 to score more points than Utah did on that day in 2005. BlockU cited this game as one of the top 10 games of the decade for the Utah program and the best line from their recap came from Kyle Whittingham:
"We had so many guys making plays today, it was unbelievable. Georgia Tech was a quality football team, and not only did we beat them, we dominated them."
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Thanks for reminding me...
NOT. >_< Yeah I forgot about that UGA game.. yet another bitterly disappointing close crushing loss vs. them. The team and fanbase were so demoralized afterwards and it definitely showed. The team didn’t show up at all for the bowl game and laid a big fat egg. And the field (some baseball stadium) was so effing slick but Utah obviously didn’t have any problems with their footing for some reason. It was a total FAIL.
by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 12, 2011 10:15 AM EST reply actions
That season was one of the lowest moments for me as a Tech fan ever
I don’t know that I recall Tech under performing quite like they did that year. This was when I began to wonder about Chan Gailey. We had the horses but never quite delivered.
As I said in comments on an earlier post, it seemed like Tech was running in slow motion compared to Utah that day.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 12, 2011 10:23 AM EST reply actions
You obviously weren't around for the B*** L**** era
or the early years of the Bill Curry regime. But yeah it sucked. Tech fans were in love with Tenuta but it was always feast or famine with his defense. Either he got you or you got him.. not much in between. And yeah the Chanster never set me on fire.. when you go o-fer vs. UGA you deserve to get canned. Can you imagine UGA’s coach going o-fer vs. Tech and keeping his job?
by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 12, 2011 10:47 AM EST up reply actions
Yes, I was around for that time . . .
The first coach you mentioned was just plain incompetent. My hopes never got high because there was never any promise with those teams.
Bill Curry at least delivered wins over Georgia whenever he had a material advantage. Gailey could not beat Georgia even when he had them over matched.
As for UGA going o-fer-Tech and the coach keeping his job, you are right. Donnan did not have to get beat too many times by Tech before the townspeople with the pitchforks rose up and stormed the castle.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 12, 2011 10:58 AM EST up reply actions
Yeah I thought you were.
Actually BL inherited some talent but he sucked, obviously. I never liked him from the start but I never thought he would flop as badly as he did. I still have the Sting newspaper introducing him and his comments how great Tech was going to be… like winning more NCs and stuff. BAHAHA!
by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 12, 2011 1:07 PM EST reply actions
I was scared of the hire also
but I kept thinking maybe they knew something I didn’t and he was a diamond in the rough since he had exceeded expectations at East Carolina. Is he still coaching? I never heard about him after he left.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 12, 2011 3:03 PM EST up reply actions
Ugh I always fail to hit the "reply" link.
But yeah, most recently he was an assistant at Notre Dame under Charlie Weis when he was head coach.. first maybe as a secondary/DB coach (?) then he moved to some admin sounding position like “director of football operations” later. Last I saw he retired/left ND with health problems, if I recall correctly.
by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 12, 2011 10:02 PM EST up reply actions
It's easy in hindsight to say
“I knew he wouldn’t work out” and stuff like that, of course. But I had a really bad first impression when I saw him and heard him talk.. like he was just too smooth/slick and image conscious like a salesman. Slick Rick Neuweasel also gave me the same kind of gut reaction and I was so glad he didn’t become our coach. Like I said though, I never thought he would FAIL as spectacularly as he did.. unfortunately for us.
by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 12, 2011 10:10 PM EST up reply actions
I remember watching that one...
from the stands and the field was pretty muddy due to all the rain. However, Utah came ready to play and in hit some Yellow Jackets like they have never been hit before. I remember their free safety Eric Weddle laid the wood to Calvin Johnson and I don’t believe he caught more than 1 pass the entire game. I recall that Calvin might have even been taken out of the game after that particular lick. BTW, Eric Weddle was the defensive MVP of the game and it helped him become a 3rd round draft choice of the San Diego Chargers where he has been starting for them ever since.
It was obvious that GT had no interest in playing the game, and as the score became worse CCG had no answers and it was pathitic watching Utah kicking butt all over the field on both sides of the football. The only benefit was that I got double AT points for purchasing a couple of tickets and my friend and I had a nice dinner after the butt kicking GT received.
I don’t expect anything close to that with CPJ at the helm for this Sun Bowl game with Utah.
It looked your team would rather be anywhere else
Our team had good streaks that year, but this game was the only one we really dominated.
All my GA relatives said Tech just did not want to be there and I would have to agree.
I certainly don’t expect a repeat performance on any level. Except the winning part of course.
What is best in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women. - Conan the Barbarian
Yeah we definitely took a shot in the nuts
in the Nut Bowl from you. :) And I hope you’re wrong about the last part. haha
by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 12, 2011 10:15 PM EST up reply actions
When a team doesn't want to be in a bowl game there is not much a coach can do
In 1971 Tech played in the Peach Bowl after a disappointing season. Coach Bud Carson accepted the invitation against Mississippi as a way to pad his season record and start momentum for the following season. The players did not want to be there. In the first half Tech gave up over 40 points to Ole Miss. I attended that game and remembered on one play in particular a Tech defensive back had an interception in the end zone but ended up inadvertently handing the ball to a Mississippi receiver for a touchdown.
Tech’s defense did hold the Old Miss to 3 points in the second half while scoring points and moving the ball on offense but the damage was done. Coach Carson could never figure out why Tech’s vaunted defense just laid down in that game. He did not last long after that.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 12, 2011 4:38 PM EST reply actions
That game came back to me while watching the game against Air Force.
As bad as the 2005 game against Utah was, and it was bad, these other two games are kind of the Zenith for me in terms of watching a team lie down.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 12, 2011 4:40 PM EST up reply actions
You've been watching GT a lot longer than I have. :)
by The Bamboo Shaft on Dec 12, 2011 11:02 PM EST up reply actions
I started watching through the bars of my baby crib
which is all the more astounding when one discovers that my parents were both UGA fans.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 13, 2011 8:37 AM EST up reply actions
2004 (win) 2007 (loss)
Humanitarian- NOBODY wanted to be there either time. El Paso is a dream compared to the Blue field from Hell.
You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!
by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 13, 2011 12:06 AM EST up reply actions
And compared to Shreveport....
The Church of Paul Johnson - There's not much to it outside of whooping ass and giving haters the finger. To HELL With georgie!
I talked to a player
and he said he felt marginally screwed out of the chick-fil-a bowl. I subscribe to (i think it was) Bird’s theory about wanting to be there = win, and this doesn’t bode well for our chances.
BUT, I’m a bowl game pessimist since GT hasn’t won one since I started paying attention to cfb.
(note: above statement, beginning with “BUT,” to read in this manner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1P0yfq2wDvU#t=00m48s )
Paul Johnson: not giving a crap about what you have to say since 1987.
I don't know why Tech would ever want to play in the Chick-fil-a bowl.
It does not constitute having an “on the road” adventure and besides that Tech never wins that game.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 12, 2011 10:33 PM EST up reply actions
But most importantly,
FREE CHIK FIL A!
The Church of Paul Johnson - There's not much to it outside of whooping ass and giving haters the finger. To HELL With georgie!
You can tell someone is young
when he calls if the “Chik-Fil-A” Bowl.
Best Bowl
1972 Liberty. We beat Iowa State 31-30. Watched with my Dad. Eddie MacAshan/ Fulcher controversy.
http://www.mmbolding.com/bowls/Liberty_1972.htm
You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!
by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 13, 2011 12:14 AM EST reply actions
Wow! Thanks for bringing that bowl back
Do you remember some little Tech player (around 5’6") who was on the kick coverage team whose job it was to fly down the middle of the filed and pressure the ball carrier out from behind the wedge? It worked except on one kick off when Iowa State returned it for a touchdown.
That was a remarkable game for so many reasons. One of the most exciting games I ever watched.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 13, 2011 8:41 AM EST up reply actions
Don't recall player
but player but sounds like a small Rhino’esque spark plug.
You'd do it for Randolph Scott!
RANDOLPH SCOTT!
by DressHerInWhiteAndGold on Dec 13, 2011 9:25 AM EST up reply actions
He was tiny, had a slight build, not bulky.
These are the kinds of things I wish I could go back and view today. So many images burned themselves in my consciousness but I would love to see how I would react to them today seeing them again.
by Atlanta's original team on Dec 13, 2011 11:37 AM EST up reply actions
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