Today's Georgia Tech-Clemson match-up is a bit under the radar, despite being the rematch of last year's ACC Championship. But 20 years ago this battle, featuring two Top 20 teams, was a key game in Georgia Tech's stunning drive to a co-national championship. Here is a recap of the game, played on October 13, 1990, as written in The USA TODAY College Football Encyclopedia:
GEORGIA TECH 21 Clemson 19: Yellow Jackets (5-0) won 9th straight over 2 years, jumping to 14-0 1st Q lead on 2 TD passes by QB Shawn Jones (pictured emerging heroically from some mist). Clemson (5-2) fought back on 4 FGs by K Chris Gardocki, his 44y boot narrowing gap to 14-12 in 4th Q. On following KO, Georgia Tech soph RET artist Kevin Tisdale went 87y to Tigers 13YL to set up TD run by RB T.J. Edwards. Tech staged GLS when LB Calvin Tiggle (19 tackles) made 4th down stop, but later allowed their 1st TD all year when Clemson QB Chance Cameron scored with 3:27 left. Gardocki missed 60y FG try with 1:00 to play.
The Yellow Jackets remained out of the national title picture despite this victory, and then fell to no. 16 overall on October 29 with tie to UNC. Unbelievably, they worked their way up to a shared championship with a great November, including an upset of top-ranked Virginia, and then Citrus Bowl win over Nebraska.
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