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Jackets add 'Bama, BYU to schedule;AD says games will ensure 'quality nonconference' foes.
Georgia Tech will play Alabama in football 2019 and 2020 and Brigham Young in 2012, '13, '14, and '17.
The Yellow Jackets will host the Cougars in 2012 and 2014, and will travel to Provo, Utah, in 2013 and 2017. The series with Alabama was supposed to be played in 2013 and '14, but both schools agreed to postpone it. The new years were announced on Monday.
"The addition of Brigham Young to our future football schedules helps ensure that Georgia Tech will continue to play quality nonconference opponents," athletic director Dan Radakovich said in a statement.
The Yellow Jackets have played the Cougars twice, defeating them 28-19 at home in 2002 and losing 24-13 in 2003 in Provo.
Brigham Young was once one of the powers in college football, winning the AP and UPI national championships in 1984 after going undefeated. It has produced Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Ty Detmer (1990), as well as Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Steve Young and Jim McMahon.
Most recently, it has finished in the AP's Top 25 five times since 2001. It also won the Mountain West Conference title three times in that same span.
The decision to add BYU adds some heft to Tech's even-year home schedule. In odd-numbered years (2009, 2011) Tech hosted or hosts Clemson, Virginia Tech and Georgia, which practically ensures sellouts at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The even-year home schedule, like this year's or 2012, features conference home games against teams that don't travel as well: Virginia, Duke and Miami.
The BYU addition also means the 2013 schedule will be challenging, featuring home games against Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Georgia, and road games at Miami and BYU. Plus, there's a nonconference opponent that hasn't been scheduled.
Smith ready
Tackle Phil Smith is excited to get another crack at Clemson. With friends and family watching, Smith, a native of Tampa where the Yellow Jackets defeated the Tigers for the ACC championship last year, sustained a fractured ankle just a few plays into the game. He wasn't able to resume practice until August.
He returned and started the season's first five games before another ankle injury sustained against Virginia prevented him from playing in last week's win against Middle Tennessee State.
Though he said the ankle's still a little tender, his quickness and movement are fine. He needs to be 100 percent because he likely will face Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers, who is second the nation with nine sacks.
"The dude is just a monster," said Smith, who estimated he was matched up against him eight times last season and didn't give up a sack in two pass plays. "He's NFL-caliber for sure. It's going to be fun playing against him."
Coach Paul Johnson said he wants to see improvement from the line in all facets, but noted he could say the same about the rest of the offense as well as the defense.
Etc.
Defensive end Jason Peters (undisclosed sprain) didn't practice Monday and Johnson said he won't practice today. Wide receiver Quentin Sims (undisclosed) didn't practice, but Johnson said he should be fine. Johnson said he doesn't think freshman defensive lineman Denzel McCoy (undisclosed) will play this season. ... Johnson said he doesn't have a favorite road stadium, but noted that Clemson should be fun because, "they seem to fill their stadium up no matter who they play." Tech didn't sell out its first four home games this season.
Tech's future opponents
With the addition of Brigham Young and Alabama to Georgia Tech's football schedule, here are the upcoming games:
2011
ACC home: Clemson, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
ACC away: N.C. State, Virginia, Miami, Duke
Nonconference home: Kansas, Western Carolina, Georgia
Nonconference away: Middle Tennessee State
2012
ACC home: Boston College, Virginia, Duke, Miami
ACC away: Maryland, Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
Nonconference home:
Brigham Young, Southeastern Louisiana, Middle Tennessee State
Nonconference away: Georgia
2013
ACC home: Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
ACC away: Boston College, Virginia, Duke, Miami
Nonconference home: Elon, Georgia
Nonconference away: Brigham Young, Opponent TBD
2014
ACC home: Wake Forest, Virginia, Duke, Miami
ACC away: Clemson, Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
Nonconference home: Brigham Young, Wofford
Nonconference away: Tulane, Georgia
2015
ACC home: Clemson, N.C. State, North Carolina, Virginia Tech
ACC away: Wake Forest, Virginia, Duke, Miami
Nonconference home: Georgia Southern, Tulane, Georgia
Nonconference away: Syracuse
Other non-conference games beyond 2015
2016: Syracuse, Vanderbilt, at Georgia
2017: Georgia, at Mississippi, at Brigham Young
2018: Tulane, Mississippi, at Georgia
2019: Georgia, at Tulane, at Alabama
2020: Alabama, at Georgia
