American college football season
1990 AFCA National Championship Trophy awarded to Georgia Tech
The 1990 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season . The Jackets posted an undefeated 11–0–1 record. For the season the Yellow Jackets offense scored 379 points while the defense allowed 186 points. Highlights from the season included a nationally televised win over #1 Virginia on the road and a defeat of archrival Georgia for the second consecutive year. Georgia Tech capped off the season by defeating Nebraska , 45–21, in the Florida Citrus Bowl . Head coach Bobby Ross and the Yellow Jackets were awarded a share of the national championship , winning the UPI Poll title by one vote[ 1] over Colorado , who won the AP Poll title.[ 2] The team was selected national champion by the UPI coaches poll , Dunkel , and Sagarin (ELO-Chess) , while co-national champion by both FACT and NCF .[ 3]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 8 12:00 pm NC State JPS W 21–1340,021 [ 4]
September 22 1:00 pm Chattanooga * Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA W 44–932,911 [ 5]
September 29 4:00 pm No. 25 South Carolina * Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA ESPN W 27–646,011 [ 6]
October 6 12:00 pm at Maryland No. 23 JPS W 31–331,941 [ 7]
October 13 12:00 pm No. 15 Clemson No. 18 Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA JPS W 21–1946,066 [ 8]
October 20 1:30 pm at North Carolina No. 11 T 13–1348,000 [ 9]
October 27 12:00 pm Duke No. 16 Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA JPS W 48–3144,061 [ 10]
November 3 2:00 pm at No. 1 Virginia No. 16 CBS W 41–38 49,700 [ 11]
November 10 1:00 pm Virginia Tech * No. 7 Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA W 6–343,011 [ 12]
November 17 1:00 pm at Wake Forest No. 4 W 42–713,493 [ 13]
December 1 12:30 pm at Georgia * No. 2 TBS W 40–2382,122 [ 14]
January 1 1:30 pm vs. No. 19 Nebraska * No. 2 ABC W 45–2172,328 [ 15]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
[ 16] [ 17]
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked ( ) = First-place votes Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final AP — — — — — 23 18 11 16 16 7 4 3 (8) 2 (10) 2 (16) 2 (20) Coaches — — — — — 18 15 11 12 14 7 5 3 (4) 3 (3) 2 (7) 1 (30)
[ 18]
#16 Georgia Tech at #1 Virginia
1
2 3 4 Total
• Yellow Jackets
0
14 21 6
41
Cavaliers
10
18 7 3
38
Scoring summary Q1 8:09 UVA Shawn Moore 1-yard run (McInerney kick)UVA 7–0
3:58 UVA Jake McInerney 27-yard field goal UVA 10–0
Q2 14:50 UVA Jake McInerney 51-yard field goal UVA 13–0
9:43 GT Shawn Jones 23-yard run (Sisson kick) UVA 13–7
6:42 UVA Shawn Moore 1-yard run (Herman Moore pass from Shawn Moore) UVA 21–7
5:22 GT Jerry Gilchrist 43-yard pass from Shawn Jones (Sisson kick) UVA 21–14
0:36 UVA Shawn Moore 6-yard run (McInerney kick) UVA 28–14
Q3 12:47 GT Jerry Gilchrist 12-yard run (Sisson kick) UVA 28–21
4:34 GT Emmett Merchant 26-yard pass from Shawn Jones (Sisson kick) Tied 28–28
3:08 UVA Herman Moore 63-yard pass from Shawn Moore (McInerney kick) UVA 35–28
0:02 GT William Bell 8-yard run (Sisson kick) Tied 35–35
Q4 7:17 GT Scott Sisson 33-yard field goal GT 38–35
2:34 UVA Jake McInerney 22-yard field goal Tied 38–38
0:07 GT Scott Sisson 37-yard field goal GT 41–38
The most notable victory for the Yellow Jackets came on November 3 against #1 ranked Virginia at Scott Stadium . The game was televised nationally by CBS with Jim Nantz handling play-by-play duties. Georgia Tech won 41–38 thanks to a 37-yard field goal by Scott Sisson with seven seconds remaining.[ 19] [ 20] The win vaulted Georgia Tech to the #7 ranking in both major polls.
Virginia Tech at #7 Georgia Tech
1
2 3 4 Total
Hokies
0
0 0 3
3
• Yellow Jackets
0
0 0 6
6
Date: November 10Location: Bobby Dodd Stadium , Atlanta, Georgia Game start: 1:00 PM EST Elapsed time: 2:40Game attendance: 43,011Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C), Cold, overcast, damp, Wind NW 15–25 mph (24–40 km/h) mphReferee: Courtney Mauzy
Scoring summary Q4 8:16 VT M. Thomas 22-yard field goal VT 3–0
5:09 GT Scott Sisson 33-yard field goal Tied 3–3
0:08 GT Sisson 38-yard field goal GT 6–3
[ 21]
Vs. Nebraska (Citrus Bowl)[ edit ]
#19 Nebraska vs #2 Georgia Tech
1
2 3 4 Total
Cornhuskers
0
14 7 0
21
• Yellow Jackets
7
17 7 14
45
Scoring summary Q1 11:45 GT Stefen Scotton 2-yard run (Scott Sisson kick) GT 7–0
Q2 12:23 GT Emmett Merchant 22-yard pass from Shawn Jones (Sisson kick) GT 14–0
7:50 GT William Bell 2-yard pass from Jones (Sisson kick) GT 21–0
6:21 NEB Johnny Mitchell 30-yard pass from Tom Haase (Gregg Barrios kick) GT 21–7
5:07 NEB Derek Brown 50-yard run (Barrios kick) GT 21–14
1:50 GT Sisson 37-yard field goal GT 24–14
Q3 5:33 GT Jones 1-yard run (Sisson kick) GT 31–14
0:30 NEB William Washington 21-yard pass from Haase (Barrios kick) GT 31–21
Q4 9:43 GT Bell 6-yard run (Sisson kick) GT 38–21
7:43 GT Bell 57-yard run (Sisson kick) GT 45–21
[ 22] [ 23] [ 24] [ 25]
Plaque at Georgia Tech honoring their National Championship season
1990 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
RB
36
William Bell
So
C
59
Billy Chubbs
Jr
TE
17
Tom Covington
Jr
WR
8
Jerry Gilchrist
Sr
OT
66
Darryl Jenkins
Sr
QB
10
Shawn Jones
So
G
65
Jim Lavin
Sr
WR
25
Greg Lester
Jr
WR
12
Emmett Merchant
Jr
C
60
Veryl Miller
Sr
OT
70
Mike Mooney
Jr
WR
3
Bobby Rodriguez
So
FB
40
Stefen Scotton
Sr
G
62
Joe Siffri
Sr
RB
21
Kevin Tisdel
So
Defense
Special teams
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Roster
Team players drafted into the NFL [ edit ]
Source.[ 26]
^ Stone, Gene (January 3, 1991). "Tech Scores Split Decision, is Voted No. 1 by Coaches" . Gadsden Times . Retrieved September 1, 2011 .
^ Clarke, Michael (September 16, 2005) Football Program Builds on Strong History . The Technique . Retrieved September 1, 2011.
^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF) . The National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 114. Retrieved December 7, 2018 .
^ "Yellow Jackets drain Wolfpack" . The Charlotte Observer . September 9, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "UTC a breather for Tech this time" . The Macon Telegraph & News . September 23, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tech defense renders USC helpless 27–6" . The State . September 30, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Yellow Jackets blast Terrapins" . The Greenville News . October 7, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Kick return dashes hopes of Clemson" . The State . October 14, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Carolina, Tech in 13–13 deadlock" . Statesville Record and Landmark . October 21, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Yellow Jackets beat Duke 48–31" . The Palm Beach Post . October 28, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Ga. Tech ends Cavs' reign at the top" . The Daily News Leader . November 4, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Ga. Tech sinks Va. Tech on field goal" . The Charlotte Observer . November 11, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Ga. Tech clinches ACC title" . The Roanoke Times & World-News . November 18, 1990. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Yellow Jackets shake Georgia, stay unbeaten heading into Citrus" . The State . December 2, 1990. Retrieved November 12, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "NU can't avoid head-on wreck, leaving Tech a heck of a claim" . Omaha World-Herald . January 2, 1991. Retrieved February 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ 1990 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results . College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
^ 1990 Final Stats Archived November 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine . Georgia Tech Official Athletic Site. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
^ "College Football; Ga. Tech Outlasts Clemson" . The New York Times . October 14, 1990. Retrieved September 3, 2019 .
^ "The Brawl For It All" . Georgia Tech Athletic Association. September 21, 2007. Archived from the original on November 28, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2009 .
^ "NO. 1: GA. TECH ENDS VIRGINIA'S DREAM" . Sun-Sentinel . November 4, 1990. Retrieved September 3, 2019 .
^ "Unbeaten Georgia Tech Rips Wake Forest, 42-7" . Los Angeles Times . November 18, 1990. Retrieved September 3, 2019 .
^ "Georgia Tech 45, Nebraska 21" . UPI . January 1, 1991. Retrieved September 2, 2019 .
^ "GEORGIA TECH, JONES RIP NEBRASKA" . Chicago Tribune . January 2, 1991. Retrieved September 2, 2019 .
^ "CITRUS ROUT HAS GA. TECH STILL UNBEATEN" . The Washington Post . January 2, 1991. Retrieved September 2, 2019 .
^ "Georgia Tech Coasts to Finish Without a Loss" . The New York Times . January 2, 1991. Retrieved September 2, 2019 .
^ 1991 NFL Draft Archived December 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine . Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
1936–1949 1950s 1960s
1960 : Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF ) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
1961 : Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
1962 : USC
1963 : Texas
1964 : Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
1965 : Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
1966 : Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
1967 : USC
1968 : Ohio State
1969 : Texas
1970s 1980–1991
National championships in bold