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Sept. 19, 2006
Virginia has a quick turnaround as it begins its slate of ACC games with a Thursday night at 7:45 p.m. against Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The game is being televised nationally by ESPN.
This is the first of three consecutive road games for the 1-2 Cavaliers, who have had difficulty moving the ball on offense so far this season. Virginia is averaging 225.0 yards and 12.0 points per game. The defense has played well, especially the last two weeks, and has not given up a touchdown drive of more than 25 yards in nine quarters.
Georgia Tech has won its last two games in convincing fashion after opening the season with a tough 14-10 loss to Notre Dame. The Yellow Jackets are making their 19 appearance on ESPN’s Thursday night package.
Virginia has won the last three meetings between the two schools, including a 30-10 win two years ago in the most recent game played in Atlanta.
Former NFL Head Coaches Meet
This is only match-up in ACC history featuring head coaches who have also been head coaches in the NFL. Virginia’s Al Groh was the New York Jets head coach in 2000, while Georgia Tech’s Chan Gailey guided the Dallas Cowboys to the NFL playoffs in 1998-99 in his two seasons. This is the fifth year in a row the two coaches have met.
For Groh, this is the second time during the young season he has faced a former NFL head coach. Virginia opened the season against Pittsburgh, coached by Dave Wannstedt, an NFL head coach with the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins for 11 years from 1993-2004.
Overall, this is one of nine college games this season pitting former NFL coaches against each other; currently there are 12 former NFL head coaches who are I-A head coaches.
Lou Saban, who coached Maryland in 1966, joins Groh and Gailey as the only coaches who were head coaches in the NFL or AFL before coming to the ACC. Saban coached the Boston Patriots in 1960-61 and Buffalo Bills in 1962-65 before heading to College Park. He returned to the pro ranks as coach of the Denver Broncos in 1967.
Several other ACC head coaches served as head coaches in the NFL after stints in the ACC, including Lou Holtz, John Mackovic, Bobby Ross and Steve Spurrier.
