Georgia Tech gets another Thursday game, this time on the road
Playing a Thursday night game has become a tradition for Georgia Tech’s program. It will happen again this fall, but it it will take place away from Bobby Dodd Stadium.
A nationally televised Thursday night game Oct. 12 at Miami highlights Georgia Tech’s conference schedule, which was released by the ACC on Tuesday. It will mark the program’s 33rd appearance on the ESPN Thursday night package. No team in college football has played or hosted more Thursday games.
Miami and Georgia Tech are both likely to be among the contenders in the ACC’s Coastal Division. The Hurricanes, led by former Georgia head coach Mark Richt, beat the Yellow Jackets 35-21 at Bobby Dodd Stadium in 2016.
Paul Johnson’s Yellow Jackets did get a scheduling break as they do not play on the Saturday prior to their appearance Thursday night. The Yellow Jackets hosted Clemson in a Thursday night game in 2016 after playing five days earlier and lost badly.
Coming off a 9-4 season and a victory over Kentucky in the TaxSlayer Bowl, the Yellow Jackets will have four home conference games: Pittsburgh on Sept. 23, North Carolina on Sept. 30, Wake Forest on Oct. 21 and Virginia Tech on Nov. 11.
Georgia Tech’s other road conference games include trips to defending national champion Clemson on Oct. 28, Virginia on Nov. 4 and Duke on Nov. 18. Three of the final four conference games will be played on the road.
Wake Forest, which competes in the Atlantic Division, and Georgia Tech have not played since 2010. The Demon Deacons have not played in Atlanta since 2009. The Yellow Jackets lead that series 22-8 and have won the last two meetings.
The Yellow Jackets will open the season Sept. 4 against Tennessee in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Previously announced were home non-conference games against Jacksonville State on Sept. 9 and Georgia on Nov. 25. The Yellow Jackets play at Central Florida on Sept. 16.
The home schedule is particularly challenging. All seven games that will be played at Bobby Dodd Stadium are against teams that played in bowl games. Three of the five road games are against teams that went to a bowl game.
Georgia Tech 2017 football schedule
Sept. 4 vs. Tennessee (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Sept. 9 vs. Jacksonville State
Sept. 16 at Central Florida
Sept. 23 vs. Pittsburgh*
Sept. 30 vs. North Carolina*
Oct. 12 at Miami*
Oct. 21 vs. Wake Forest*
Oct. 28 at Clemson*
Nov. 4 at Virginia*
Nov. 11 vs. Virginia Tech*
Nov. 18 at Duke*
Nov. 25 vs. Georgia
*ACC games
This story was originally published January 24, 2017 at 3:23 PM with the headline "Georgia Tech gets another Thursday game, this time on the road."