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Thanksgiving 1995
Posted on 11/23/23 at 5:47 pm
Posted on 11/23/23 at 5:47 pm
Thanksgiving Day 1995
The Dawgs played Tech on Thanksgiving Day in 1995. Olympics construction seemed to be going on all around Grant Field. Ray Goff was officially fired, but still coached the game. Bobo out for the season. Brian Smith, back up QB out for the season. Hines Ward was now our QB after starting the season as a receiver and then to running back. Ward was playing with a cracked wrist bone. Kirby Smart played special teams including kick returner. Due to injuries, including Robert Edwards, we had started 6 different RBs. We also had numerous injuries on defense and were a depleted team with a lame duck coach playing against a decent Tech team.
The first half saw UGA turn the ball over and commit holding penalty after holding penalty killing every chance at a drive.
Tech goes up 14-0 and misses a chip shot FG to end the half. UGA was able to get 8 first downs and held the ball for more time in the half but penalties killed every drive.
Tech knew UGA had no other answer at QB and took some vicious shots at him. They were flagged for one that would have been targeting in today’s football well after he threw a pass. For a moment, it looked like Ward was out, but then Ward jumped up like a shot of adrenaline went through him and he continued to grind on.
The Dawgs first possession of the 3rd quarter resulted in a TD with some great passes by Ward to Hunter and Daniel’s . Freshman Torin Kirtsey slashed his way to some nice runs and capped the drive with a TD run from about 10 yards out. It started to feel like the Dawgs’ time of possession was starting to wear down Tech’s Defense.
Tech responded with a long grinding drive of their own and kicked a FG after nearly scoring a pass TD on 3rd down.
Down 10 the Dawgs open up the offense and let Ward roll out and run and pass. Ward drives the Dawgs down the field and the drive is finished with a Kirtsey run for a TD. Dawgs go for 2 and get it with a great pass to Brice Hunter followed by yet another Tech cheap shot. This one called. 17-15 Tech
Dawgs stop Techs next drive but Tech booms a punt and we are 90 yards away with under 8 minutes left. Dawgs slowly drive down the field with short passes and slashing runs by Kirtsey while converting 3rd down after 3rd down. It seems after every pass, Tech takes shots at Ward, but he keeps getting up. The drive stalls just short of a first down at the 20. 90 seconds left. Parkman kicks an ugly kick, but it somehow knuckleballs through. Dawgs up 18-17. With a 16 play 75 yard drive that ate over 6 minutes.
First down, Daniel’s gets a sack. Second down, Kirby Smart in his first action other than special team breaks up a long pass down the middle. Then a short pass out of bounds and then an incompletion. Dawgs Win.
Goff is carried off the field by his team. Dawgs are bowl eligible. Hines Ward cements his legend as a tough and fierce competitor. Tech cements their legend as the kind of team that will cheap shot your last QB in hopes of taking him out.
This was UGA football 1995. This is also another reason why we shall always hate Tech.
The Dawgs played Tech on Thanksgiving Day in 1995. Olympics construction seemed to be going on all around Grant Field. Ray Goff was officially fired, but still coached the game. Bobo out for the season. Brian Smith, back up QB out for the season. Hines Ward was now our QB after starting the season as a receiver and then to running back. Ward was playing with a cracked wrist bone. Kirby Smart played special teams including kick returner. Due to injuries, including Robert Edwards, we had started 6 different RBs. We also had numerous injuries on defense and were a depleted team with a lame duck coach playing against a decent Tech team.
The first half saw UGA turn the ball over and commit holding penalty after holding penalty killing every chance at a drive.
Tech goes up 14-0 and misses a chip shot FG to end the half. UGA was able to get 8 first downs and held the ball for more time in the half but penalties killed every drive.
Tech knew UGA had no other answer at QB and took some vicious shots at him. They were flagged for one that would have been targeting in today’s football well after he threw a pass. For a moment, it looked like Ward was out, but then Ward jumped up like a shot of adrenaline went through him and he continued to grind on.
The Dawgs first possession of the 3rd quarter resulted in a TD with some great passes by Ward to Hunter and Daniel’s . Freshman Torin Kirtsey slashed his way to some nice runs and capped the drive with a TD run from about 10 yards out. It started to feel like the Dawgs’ time of possession was starting to wear down Tech’s Defense.
Tech responded with a long grinding drive of their own and kicked a FG after nearly scoring a pass TD on 3rd down.
Down 10 the Dawgs open up the offense and let Ward roll out and run and pass. Ward drives the Dawgs down the field and the drive is finished with a Kirtsey run for a TD. Dawgs go for 2 and get it with a great pass to Brice Hunter followed by yet another Tech cheap shot. This one called. 17-15 Tech
Dawgs stop Techs next drive but Tech booms a punt and we are 90 yards away with under 8 minutes left. Dawgs slowly drive down the field with short passes and slashing runs by Kirtsey while converting 3rd down after 3rd down. It seems after every pass, Tech takes shots at Ward, but he keeps getting up. The drive stalls just short of a first down at the 20. 90 seconds left. Parkman kicks an ugly kick, but it somehow knuckleballs through. Dawgs up 18-17. With a 16 play 75 yard drive that ate over 6 minutes.
First down, Daniel’s gets a sack. Second down, Kirby Smart in his first action other than special team breaks up a long pass down the middle. Then a short pass out of bounds and then an incompletion. Dawgs Win.
Goff is carried off the field by his team. Dawgs are bowl eligible. Hines Ward cements his legend as a tough and fierce competitor. Tech cements their legend as the kind of team that will cheap shot your last QB in hopes of taking him out.
This was UGA football 1995. This is also another reason why we shall always hate Tech.
This post was edited on 11/23/23 at 5:50 pm
5
Posted on 11/23/23 at 7:33 pm to Peter Buck
Hines Ward has always been my favorite Dawg. But there are so many of them now. It’s kind of unbelievable
Posted on 11/23/23 at 7:44 pm to Peter Buck
The Sanks fumble… George fricking Godsey… Joe Hamilton kicked our arse. There’s plenty of hate in my blood for these fa ags.
This post was edited on 11/23/23 at 7:45 pm
Posted on 11/23/23 at 8:14 pm to Peter Buck
quote:
we shall always hate Tech
The under-40 crowd just doesn't understand.
Posted on 11/23/23 at 8:34 pm to New Money
quote:
The under-40 crowd just doesn't understand.
That, and fans from different areas of Georgia have different perspectives. For us in South Georgia, beating UF is paramount. For those in West Georgia, I know Auburn is sort of a bigger deal.
UF and AU may be down, but they don't stay down. Tech has fell out of favor as a threat, and the kids may never learn to respect the rivalry.
Posted on 11/23/23 at 8:47 pm to Cheer
quote:
That, and fans from different areas of Georgia have different perspectives. For us in South Georgia, beating UF is paramount. For those in West Georgia, I know Auburn is sort of a bigger deal.
I lived in Valdosta, and I have AU grads in the family.
The youngsters just don't remember what it was like when it was a competitive series.
Posted on 11/23/23 at 8:59 pm to Cheer
quote:
fans from different areas of Georgia have different perspectives. For us in South Georgia, beating UF is paramount. For those in West Georgia, I know Auburn is sort of a bigger deal.
I think this is why I’ve always had such hatred for Tennessee. Growing up in NEGA, I always saw more Tennessee fans than any other non-UGA team.
Very few Florida people, minus the bandwagoners in the Urban Meyer years.
Posted on 11/23/23 at 9:47 pm to Peter Buck
Great recap. I've been watching some old games/videos of the Dawgs and have been having a great time.
I found a copy of the 1995 Thanksgiving Day game on Youtube. Great stuff.
I found a copy of the 1995 Thanksgiving Day game on Youtube. Great stuff.
Posted on 11/23/23 at 10:06 pm to New Money
quote:
lived in Valdosta
Yeah, I'm in Lake Park.
Posted on 11/23/23 at 10:19 pm to Cheer
quote:
lived in Valdosta
Yeah, I'm in Lake Park.
I lived in Valdosta in the 90s when both FSU and Florida were good. There was much, more of a visible FSU presence in the area then.
Posted on 11/23/23 at 10:32 pm to Peter Buck
Frickin' hate tech.
Posted on 11/24/23 at 9:22 am to New Money
quote:
I lived in Valdosta in the 90s when both FSU and Florida were good. There was much, more of a visible FSU presence in the area then.
And, suddenly, around 2002, all those FSU sidewalk fans miraculously became Bulldog fans (again, because a lot of those queers had been UGA fans prior to Goff).
I was at a Valdosta Bulldog Club event around '05 or so, where a dude was arguing some point. Out of nowhere, a dude told him to "shut the frick up" and show everyone the tattoo on his shoulder. Dude got livid. Turns out, he had a tattoo of Osceola on his left shoulder....lulz!
Gator fans are still Gator fans, around here. FSU fans are much rarer, these days.
Posted on 11/24/23 at 9:23 am to BranchDawg
quote:
I think this is why I’ve always had such hatred for Tennessee. Growing up in NEGA, I always saw more Tennessee fans than any other non-UGA team.
To be fair, Tennessee fans are the worst fans on the planet, and I say this having experienced the night game down in Jacksonville, which was some of the craziest shite I've ever experienced.
Posted on 11/24/23 at 3:54 pm to Cheer
quote:
I say this having experienced the night game down in Jacksonville, which was some of the craziest shite I've ever experienced.
I’ve heard stories
Posted on 11/24/23 at 4:07 pm to BranchDawg
quote:
I’ve heard stories
"Never Again" was (probably) the verbiage used by the schools and City of Jacksonville after CBS (or whomever) asked for another Prime Time matchup between these two rivals.
From 330 PM on, there were all kinds of altercations, which are usually mitigated by people being in the stadium. By the time we headed to the stadium, it was like a warzone around the parking lots. You think people are intoxicated in Jacksonville for a 330 game? Yeah...give them a few more hours to power drink.
Posted on 11/24/23 at 4:08 pm to Cheer
Also, my friends and I had to send the women folk up ahead of us to keep them from having shite thrown on them as we made our way out of the stadium into the parking lot. It's always raucous after these games, but this was a new level.
Posted on 11/24/23 at 5:06 pm to ugasickem
quote:
Hines Ward has always been my favorite Dawg. But there are so many of them now. It’s kind of unbelievable
Yep Hines gets my vote too.
If bowl statistics had counted in 1995 then Hines would have had 1000 career yards receiving, rushing, throwing, returning. As far as anyone knew he’d be the only member of the 4x1000 club.
Posted on 11/24/23 at 5:15 pm to miledawg
quote:
If bowl statistics had counted in 1995 then Hines would have had 1000 career yards receiving, rushing, throwing, returning. As far as anyone knew he’d be the only member of the 4x1000 club.
That Peach Bowl summed up everything about Ray Goff’s tenure here. Incan still remember the stadium announcer saying bowl games would have overtime for the first time ever. Then Tiki Barber happened.
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