Check out the newly released Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic official hype video
https://twitter.com/CFAPeachBowl/status/900410191166025728
About this year’s matchup:
- Tennessee and Georgia Tech have met 43 times, with the Volunteers holding a 24-17-2 series lead over the Yellow Jackets. One-time SEC rivals, this year’s meeting will mark the first between the programs in 30 years. In the most recent 1987 matchup, Tennessee defeated Georgia Tech 29-15 in Knoxville.
- It will be Tennessee’s second appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, the first a 2012 win over N.C. State. Georgia Tech will be making its first appearance in the game.
- This year’s clash between the storied rivals will be the second college game to be played in the new state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium and will be the 10th ACC vs. SEC matchup in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. The SEC currently holds a 7-1 advantage over the ACC in those games.
- The Yellow Jackets carry a three-game winning streak against SEC opponents, including triumphs over Georgia and Kentucky to close the ‘16 campaign. The ACC won 10 of the 14 games played between the two Power 5 conferences last season, including a 4-1 mark in the postseason.
- The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, with its Monday-night slot, marks the third time in the last four years that Tennessee will open the season on a non-Saturday. The Vols are 12-11-1 all-time on Monday night, last playing a regular season game on Monday when they opened the 2008 season at UCLA.
- The Tennessee-Georgia Tech game will pay tribute to legendary coach Bobby Dodd and The Dodd Trophy coach of the year award in his name. Dodd played at Tennessee (1928-1930) and coached at Georgia Tech (1931-1966), leading the Yellow Jackets to the program’s 1952 National Championship.
About the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game:
Created in 2008 by Peach Bowl, Inc., the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is the preeminent bowl-style, neutral-site game featuring two elite football programs and has been nationally televised on the first Saturday of the college football season since its inception. The game has hosted teams with national rankings of No. 1, 2, 5 (twice), 6, 7, 9, 14, 16, 18 (twice), 19, 22, 24 (twice) and 25 (twice). The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game boasts an average attendance of 67,645, has been watched on television by 47.4 million viewers, and has distributed $51.9 million in total team payouts. Since its inception in 2008, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game has featured seven national coaches of the year, 19 players who were recipients of national awards during their collegiate careers and a total of 48 first-round NFL Draft picks. For more information, visit WWW.CHICK-FIL-AKICKOFFGAME.COM.
