I would play Ohio State every single day of the year and we'd win half the time. Would that make us a powerhouse in your mind?
Tech holds the all time win record over Florida head to head, and by a big margin. Now if you want to say "but today..." then I would argue "how do you define "today" or any period.
A few years ago USC absolutely stunk. Not that long ago, Florida absolutely stunk.
In my opinion, powerhouses are not determined by a season or even a season of seasons but by remaining competitive over a very long haul. Tech is in the Top 25% of all football teams and that makes them a powerhouse.
Add in that football recruits may look to the very top of Division 1 (and I know well right now about college recruiting), the vast vast majority of kid don't get to play for a TOP 25 team in D1 ball. When you add in all the Div 1AA, Div 2 and Div 3 footbal teams, Tech stands out as a powerhouse.
Why as a Tech fan someone would cut their own team short still amazes me. Stop buying what the SEC media is selling.