HATE WEEK: Top 10 Greatest COFH Games #6

Today, the first half of our countdown closes with an examination of this game from a magical season for the Yellow Jackets: 1990.

Background

This was a special year for the Yellow Jackets, as you all know. After beginning the season unranked in every major poll out there, Bobby Ross and his Yellow Jackets stormed to dominance.

They came out on fire and won each of their first five games, moving up to number seven in the AP poll, before stumbling into a tie with UNC (thanks btw for beating F$U) and falling to 16.

Following that game, Tech had their date with destiny. It was the game against UVA, the consensus number one team in the country at the time.

After being down 14 points at halftime, Tech roared back and won the game on a 38-yard field goal from Scott Sisson with just seven seconds left.

Tech was 9-0-1 going into the game against georgie in their quest for the National Championship.

How was uga fairing? Not so well. They lost some pretty ugly games, including one to Florida 38-7 and were 4-6-0 coming into the game.

The Game

The dwags came into the Dec. 1 game as 13-point underdogs. They jumped out to a 9-0 lead, and then the Yellow Jackets showed up to play.

Early in the second quarter, after the dwags jumped out to their lead, Tech started a drive at midfield and scored in nine plays, capped by William Bell's touchdown run.

On Tech's next drive, they crushed any remaining hope uga had of upsetting Tech. They went 74 yards in just two plays and scored on a Shawn Jones-to-Bobby Rodriguez touchdown from 48 yards out. Tech went for two and scored, making the score 15-9.

Tech got the ball back very soon after, and scored on a six-play, 59-yard drive, capped by a 21-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Emmitt Merchant. Tech went for two again and succeeded again, making the score 23-9.

uga would score another field goal on the last play of the first half, but in their first drive of the second half, they coughed up the ball at midfield and gave it right back to Jones and the Tech offense.

Jones completed five straight passes and gave James MacKendree his lone reception of the year, a seven-yard touchdown reception to make the score 30-12.

Only a couple minutes of gametime later, and the score was 37-12 after Tech's offense moved 50 yards in two plays.

After that, uga finally got another touchdown to make it 37-20, but this game was already virtually over. Both teams added another field goal and the final was 40-23.

Tech absolutely dominated this game from nearly every point of view. Shawn Jones and William Bell were the stars of the game for the Yellow Jackets.

Jones finished the day 15-20 with 225 yards and four touchdowns. Bell finished with 24 carries for 128 yards (5.3 yards/rush).

The Aftermath

What happened in the weeks following was pretty miserable for Tech. Going into the bowl season, Colorado was ranked above Tech in every poll.

In addition to that, Colorado was also rated as having a stronger strength of schedule, giving voters more of a reason to vote for them.

And then came the bowls.

*WARNING NSFW CONTENT*

Colorado played Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl that year. It was a grueling defensive battle between the two. With only 35 seconds left in the game, Notre Dame was down 9-3 and was ready to return a punt from the Buffaloes.

Raghib Ismail took the punt and returned it 91 yards for a touchdown. But wait....

The phenomenal return by Ismail was called back after a holding call. Colorado won in ridiculous fashion and was named the AP number one team after the game.

*END OF NSFW CONTENT*

Tech played Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl that year. The Jackets jumped out to a 21-0 lead over the Huskers on the way to a monstrous 45-21 victory.

The UPI poll came out later in the day than the AP poll. In the UPI poll, Tech edged out the Buffaloes by a one-point margin, giving them their first national championship since 1952.