Georgia Tech Football Best Moments 1999 Gator Bowl
The Georgia Yellow Jackets returned to Jacksonville after three decades to face Notre Dame in the 1999 Gator Bowl, after a very successful 9-2 regular season. In front of over 70,000 fans, the Irish donned green uniforms for the first time in 4 years, hoping to have luck on their side.
This didn’t work well as Notre Dame’s defense allowed five long touchdown drives and 436 yards against Georgia Tech. In his homecoming, Dez White, along with Joe Hamilton, had great performances in an unexpected shootout.
Joe Burns would throw a touchdown pass to Joe Hamilton to start off the scoring for GT, though Autry Denson responded with a touchdown run. But the Yellow Jackets scored 14 unanswered points in the second quarter, with a touchdown run and a Mike Sheridan touchdown catch from Hamilton, as they held a 21–7 halftime lead.
The Irish responded with two rushing touchdowns from Jarious Jackson and Denson, but they still trailed 21–20 due to a blocked extra point. Dez White made the lead 8 with his touchdown catch from Hamilton to make it 28–20 as the third quarter ended.
Notre Dame tied the game with an Autry Denson touchdown run and the successful conversion pass from Jackson. Georgia Tech then took the lead for the final time with a Dez White touchdown pass from Hamilton.
Trailing by 35-28, the Irish got the ball twice in the final three minutes. Neither series produced a yard, and Nate Stimson, who finished with two and a half sacks, ended the final drive by forcing a fumble that was recovered by defensive end Jesse Tarplin.
Dez White and Joe Hamilton would end up winning Co-MVPs as Georgia Tech got its first 10-win season since 1990 and a final ranking of number 9 in the AP poll. One of the brighter spots in Georgia Tech football history and moment worth remembering as we enter a long off-season.
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Final Score January 1, 1999: Georgia Tech 35, Notre Dame 28