Clean, Old Fashioned hate should matter, it’s up to one side to get it there

Georgia Tech running back Nathan Cottrell (31) is lifted up by tight end Tyler Cooksey during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Miami, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

BY DAN MATHEWS
680 THE FAN, ATLANTA – Georgia Tech needs to start living up to what they could be as a program. 

For the longest time, Tech won games and yet didn’t do it in the style that people liked watching. The offense wasn’t like other teams and the coach wasn’t outgoing. 

Now, they have a head coach who has more enthusiasm than anyone in the state about their school. The wins still need to come. 

The recruiting has gotten much better, in terms of the program getting players to say yes to them, who normally passed on their offers in the past. Again, the wins need to come. 

The one win that needs to come for Tech, is at the end of the season against Georgia. I don’t blame Bulldog fans for having fatigue in this matchup. They’re 16-3 against the Yellow Jackets since 2001. 

We’ve seen this non-conference rivalry fatigue in the past. Texas-Texas A&M anyone? The Longhorns dominated that series in recent years and won the final game between the two in 2011. They celebrated and told the Aggies to kick rocks on their way towards the SEC. 

Now, it’s the Aggies who seem to be the ones trying to make the Longhorns jealous. They’ve got the SEC money, facilities have improved even more and the future has never seemed so bright for them. Honestly, they want to make Texas envious of their success. 

Step one for Tech in 2021, make the game against Georgia more competitive. 38-7, 45-21 and 52-7 in the last three meetings isn’t doing that. 

Step two: The Jackets must be in position to play in a bowl game. Year one went as expected and they had their stumbles. Year two was tough, because honestly there was no chance for them to have the true second year of development under Geoff Collins. Spring practice was halted, summer workouts were also not what they have been and fall camp wasn’t what it should be in non-pandemic years. 

In the grand scheme of things, Tech still could have been better in 2020. They lost some games that honestly they shouldn’t have lost. This needs to be fewer, further between for 2021. They even need to win a game or two in this coming season, that they aren’t favored to take. 

As far as the rivalry with Georgia goes, start changing the narrative ASAP. If you keep losing in the fashion you are, then the Bulldogs should look elsewhere for a non-conference rival. You don’t owe it to Tech, in order to keep the rivalry going. They’ve got to pull their side too. UGA is in position to play for the College Football Playoff and Tech isn’t right now. Look out for yourself first and foremost. 

The rivalry isn’t dead. But, one side of the relationship needs to pull more weight to make it work.

DAN MATHEWS

Chuck Oliver Show – Anchor/Fill-In Host 
WCNN-AM 680 The Fan, also on FM at 93.7

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