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Georgia Tech Football Top 50 Best Moments, #45: “The Goose Is Loose”

By Reeves Guyton

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45. The Goose Is Loose/ 2000 Season

November 25, 2000: Georgia Tech 27, Georgia 15

Even after an amazing 51-48 win against Georgia, a final ranking of 20 and an 8-4 season in 1999, the 2000 Georgia Tech football team wasn’t expected to be as good. Tech’s best Quarterback in history had left for the NFL and the unproven George Godsey would have to take over. The team wildly exceeded expectations and was even better than the 1999 year that saw Joe Hamilton take a trove of awards home such as Davey O’Brien Award winner, Runner-up to the 1999 Heisman Trophy, and 1st Team All-America Quarterback.

31 Oct 1998: Joe Hamilton #14 of the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets steps back after the snap during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at NFL Stadium/Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Georgia Tech defeated Maryland 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport
31 Oct 1998: Joe Hamilton #14 of the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets steps back after the snap during the game against the Maryland Terrapins at NFL Stadium/Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Georgia Tech defeated Maryland 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport /

Georgia Tech came out and got off to a rocky 2-2 start even though Tech had outscored opponents by 19 points. Then Tech and Godsey turned the season around. They would go on to win 3 straight games by averaging over 46 points and outscoring opponents by 81 points. Their biggest test of the season would come when they travelled to Death Valley to face the 5th ranked Clemson Tigers in front of 80,000+ people. The game was a 5-point game going into the 4th quarter and continued to be one until the end. With the score at 28-24 Clemson, 1:52 left in the game, and the stadium roaring, the new QB and Tech would have to go 80 yards to win the game. Godsey would take Tech’s high powered offense down to the 16.

It was 2nd and 10 and with 80,000 cheering for the defense, Godsey dropped back and hit Kerry Watkins on the seam route in the back of the end zone. It was a wonderful pass and was one of the biggest moments of the 2000 season. The biggest moment though came around at the end of the season.

Tech came into the Georgia game at 8-2 and on a 6 game winning streak while Georgia came in at 7-3. The game would be played at Sanford Stadium in front of a near-sellout crowd of over 85,000 fans. The Jackets would get the ball first and within two minutes, the play George Godsey is known for would happen.

It was 1st & 10 on the Georgia 33 and it looked like Georgia Tech was going to go in for the score. Godsey took the snap, faked the handoff, and went untouched on a 33-yard scamper into the end zone.

Georgia Tech dominated after that as they eventually would win the game handily 27-15 for their third straight victory against Georgia.

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