Help me respond to my co-worker

[mm42]

I have no link and this is from memory. I was at Tech in 1990.

I know for a fact that GT and the ACC had an out with the Citrus Bowl. It required the team (GT in this case) be ranked in the top 2 with a possible #1 vs. #2 game when the bowl invitations went out.

I believe the bowl invitations went out the week before the Georgia game, and GT was ranked #3, and could not be selected for the Orange Bowl due to the contractual obligations with the ACC.

The deadline for the Citrus escape clause was the first Monday in November, several weeks before the Georgia game.

You had to be ranked #4 or higher in that poll to get out of the Citrus. Tech was #5 that week.

The Orange Bowl was not a possibility in any case, as they had already invited Notre Dame the week before.

We could have gotten the Sugar Bowl if we had made the escape clause. However, it's not clear that playing Tennessee would have been a bigger deal than playing Nebraska. Nebraska had been ranked #1 earlier in the year and was the Big 8 runner-up. Tennessee was never ranked that highly, and was actually the SEC runner-up, but SEC champ Florida was on probation and couldn't attend the Sugar.

Tech had good support in the polls in the South, compared to other areas of the country, so clobbering Nebraska was probably better for poll finish than beating Tennessee. Beating a Big Ten or PAC-10 team would have been best, as our poll support was worst in those regions. (One Big Ten sportwriter had GT #16 in his final post-bowl ballot.)

 

[GiveEmHellJackets]

The deadline for the Citrus escape clause was the first Monday in November, several weeks before the Georgia game.

You had to be ranked #4 or higher in that poll to get out of the Citrus. Tech was #5 that week.

The Orange Bowl was not a possibility in any case, as they had already invited Notre Dame the week before.

We could have gotten the Sugar Bowl if we had made the escape clause. However, it's not clear that playing Tennessee would have been a bigger deal than playing Nebraska. Nebraska had been ranked #1 earlier in the year and was the Big 8 runner-up. Tennessee was never ranked that highly, and was actually the SEC runner-up, but SEC champ Florida was on probation and couldn't attend the Sugar.

Tech had good support in the polls in the South, compared to other areas of the country, so clobbering Nebraska was probably better for poll finish than beating Tennessee. Beating a Big Ten or PAC-10 team would have been best, as our poll support was worst in those regions. (One Big Ten sportwriter had GT #16 in his final post-bowl ballot.)

And we ony won the UPI poll by one point. One point.

It's funny, but it still pisses me off. We won the National Championship, but it still gives me bitter feelings not to win it outright, mainly because of the following:

(1) We were the ONLY undefeated team.

(2) Colorado had a FIFTH DOWN but for which they'd have had another loss.

(3) We beat the CRAP out of Nebraska, whereas Colorado barely beat ND.

(4) Rocket Ismail's punt return for TD was called back on a phantom clipping penalty.

Oh well. At least we won a NC. Glad that we don't have a NC drought of 28 freakin years like certain other teams in the state of Georgia.

 

[mm42]

And we ony won the UPI poll by one point. One point.

Fortunately, Dr. Tom Osborne (only coach who faced us and Colorado) put us #1.

(1) We were the ONLY undefeated team.

(2) Colorado had a FIFTH DOWN but for which they'd have had another loss.

(3) We beat the CRAP out of Nebraska, whereas Colorado barely beat ND.

(4) Rocket Ismail's punt return for TD was called back on a phantom clipping penalty.

(5) Colorado didn't score the winning TD against Stanford either. Guy never crossed the goal line.

(6) The ACC was the strongest conference according to Sagarin ratings.

(7) The ACC had the best bowl record, 3-1-1.

(8) Clemson beat the Big Ten co-champs Illinois (the team that beat Colorado) 30-0. UVa, playing with a crippled QB, led Tennessee (the team that tied Colorado) most of the game and lost by 1 point late in the 4th quarter. GT beat 6 bowl teams and 8 teams with winning records.

 

[GiveEmHellJackets]

Fortunately, Dr. Tom Osborne (only coach who faced us and Colorado) put us #1.

(5) Colorado didn't score the winning TD against Stanford either. Guy never crossed the goal line.

(6) The ACC was the strongest conference according to Sagarin ratings.

(7) The ACC had the best bowl record, 3-1-1.

(8) Clemson beat the Big Ten co-champs Illinois (the team that beat Colorado) 30-0. UVa, playing with a crippled QB, led Tennessee (the team that tied Colorado) most of the game and lost by 1 point late in the 4th quarter. GT beat 6 bowl teams and 8 teams with winning records.

Good points. And by that I mean: Thanks for making me even MORE bitter and angry. I'm just glad I'll never know or have to deal with how angry I would be if we finished #2 in both polls. And by THAT I mean: I'm glad I'm not an Auburn fan and had to deal with not one but TWO perfect seasons since 1990 with nothing to show for it.