Program Profile: Georgia Institute of Technology

Since 1892 (ACC)
Colors: Black and Gold
Mascot: Yellow Jackets

Now here’s a team I can get behind. So old it remembers the days of 110 yard TD runs, uncontroversial for a major player, and just some fun things going on. You’re talking about a team that beat someone 222-0 in a game where neither team gained a first down (it was against Cumberland in 1916, but whatever). What other team could restore a Model A Ford, call it a “Ramblin’ Wreck”, and use it as a mascot? They blow a steam whistle after touchdowns, the student section is called the “Swarm”, and they sing a beer commercial (“Here Comes the King”) between the third and fourth quarters. Does it get any better?

Um, yeah. They also play football. They’re a consistent 7-5 or so, peaking at 9-5 in 2006. They also have “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” for the University of Georgia. The winner of the yearly match-up wins the Governor’s Cup, but most importantly, bragging rights. This is a rivalry so hot they can’t even agree how many times it’s been played. 101 according to Tech, 99 according to UGA. Personally, I’d trust the engineers. They tend to better at math than the liberal arts folks.

This is one of those schools that has two fight songs. “Up With the White and Gold” is the official fight song, but “Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech” is equally acceptable. The mascot/color story is a little convoluted. Way back when, the Tech students decided to go en masse to the Auburn/Georgia game to root for Auburn. Classy. They wanted to be distinguished from everyone else, so they all wore White and Gold to the game. And it stuck. So they derived their mascot Buzz the Yellow Jacket from the colors. However, if you put the Ramblin’ Wreck on your exam, points will not be deducted.