Why "Clean, Old Fashioned Hate" is a Dying Rivalry
The final week of the regular season in college football AKA "rivalry week" is always one of the most anticipated weeks of the season. Teams take part in hate-fueled games that oftentimes, can have no implication other than bragging rights until the next year. This is a week that features games like "The Iron Bowl", "The Game", and other iconic matchups that excite fans and players alike.
"Clean, Old Fashioned Hate", the game between Georgia and Georgia Tech was once on this list for most heated rivalries. However, this game has been losing its shine for many years now.
Georgia owns this series 69-39 but has utterly dominated in recent years. The Bulldogs have won 24 of the last 30 games and have not lost by more than 1 score since 2000. In the Kirby Smart era, UGA is 4-1 and has won their matchups by an average of 36 points.
But wins and losses don't always determine the quality of a rivalry. For example, Alabama is 10-5 in their last 15 matchups against Auburn, and Ohio State has won 17 of their last 20 matchups against Michigan. But both of these matchups are considered by many, the best rivalries in college football.
So then, why is Georgia vs Georgia Tech so bland? What once made it so great? And will it ever be a premier rivalry in college football, or are the best days of this rivalry in the rearview? Before that, let's first talk about what once made this rivalry so fun.
The Beginning
After the 2 teams played their first game in 1893, Georgia Tech claimed that Georgia fans harassed and even in some cases attacked Tech fans after a 28-6 Yellow Jacket win. This prompted Tech to create their "Ramblin' Wreck" fight song. Which took a jab at UGA and their fanbase. Thus, the in-state rivalry was born.
Oh, if I had a daughter sir, I’d dress her in white and gold
And put her on the campus, sir, to cheer on the brave and bold
And if I had a son, sir, I’d tell you what he’d do
He would yell “To Hell With georgia” like his daddy used to do
Both teams were originally members of the SEC and would do battle as conference rivals for years. During their time in the SEC, Tech managed to win 5 conference titles which included a National Title in 1952.
Rekindling the Rivalry
While the two teams fought for years in the same conference, Georgia Tech left the SEC in 1964 amid recruiting fairness concerns. A move that seems almost unthinkable in today's era of college football. Both teams still met annually, but it was obvious that the rivalry had lost some of its lust. But then, just a few years after their exit. Tech made an attempt to rejoin the SEC and was denied. Though it cannot be confirmed, Georgia Tech claims that their re-entry was sabotaged by UGA. This reignited the hate that the 2 teams had for each other and the rivalry lived on for years after.
The Turning Point
At the turn of the century, Georgia hired head coach Mark Richt to elevate an average Georgia program. Richt aided the Bulldogs to become a consistent top-25 team and won 13 out of 15 matchups against the Yellow Jackets in his time at Georgia.
While the Georgia program was making strides of improvement, the Georgia Tech program began to slip into mediocrity. Since the year 2000, Georgia Tech has won 10 or more games in a season only twice and will hire their 5th head coach in that time this offseason.
Why it Means Less Now
After reading the annual NCAA financial reports of Georgia as well as Georgia Tech, we found just this past year, Georgia outspent Georgia Tech in athletics by almost $37 Million and we don't even need to look into recruiting numbers. But, this gap has been increasing for years now and will most likely increase even more as the SEC becomes the "super conference" of college football.
So, it's obvious that these 2 teams are not on the same level that they once were and the rivalry has greatly suffered because of it. Georgia has elevated itself by outspending, out-recruiting, and outperforming Tech in virtually every single facet of the game to a level that Georgia Tech can not compete with.
However, the main component of this rivalry's weakness is not the finances or the success of a team. It is something that is immeasurable and frankly, far more concerning. Apathy. Georgia Tech fans just do not seem bothered by losing to Georgia anymore. Their average attendance, University budget, and overall demeanor toward their program show it. Georgia Tech football has all but rolled over and conceited to the University of Georgia that they are in fact "little brother" and have shown they don't feel a burning desire to change that.
Conclusion
Rivalries are fueled by hate. In order for a rivalry to flourish, there must be some form of contempt for one's opponent. Whether it be petty fight songs, stopping your opponent from re-entering your conference (allegedly), or even close matchups with major implications. "Clean, Old Fashioned Hate" has been missing these elements for years and frankly, they most likely won't be back anytime soon. It may be too late to reignite the emotions that once made this rivalry so hate-filled. Even if Georgia Tech pulls off a miracle this Saturday and provides a small spark to the Bulldog fans' hatred of the Yellow Jackets, I'm afraid that it won't be enough to matter in the long run. As the gap between these two programs grows greater each year, the best days of "Clean, Old Fashioned Hate" are seemingly behind us.
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