129TH SEASON • 4 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS • 15 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS • 45 BOWL APPEARANCES • 25 BOWL VICTORIES GEORGIA TECH (2020: 3-7, 3-6 ACC) VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (2020: 0-6, 0-6 MAC) 2021 GEORGIA TECH SCHEDULE/RESULTS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 • 7:30 P.M. ET • ATLANTA, GA. • BOBBY DODD STADIUM • Overall: 0-0 | ACC: 0-0 | Place: N/A • Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0 | Streak: L2 MATCHUP AT A GLANCE Date Opponent Time/Result TV Sept. 4 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 7:30 p.m. ACCN Sept. 11 KENNESAW STATE Noon RSN Sept. 18 at No. 3/2 Clemson* 3:30 p.m. ABC or ESPN GEORGIA TECH vs. NORTHERN ILLINOIS Sept. 25 No. 10/9 N. CAROLINA*^ TBA TBA 0-0 (0-0 ACC) ...............................................................................Record ..............................................................................0-0 (0-0 MAC) Atlanta, Ga. ................................................................................ Location ..................................................................................DeKalb, Ill. Sept. 2 -/RV PITT* TBA TBA 1885.......................................................................................... Founded ......................................................................................... 1895 Sept. 9 at Duke* TBA TBA 35,000..................................................................................... Enrollment .................................................................................... 16,769 Oct. 23 at Virginia* TBA TBA Yellow Jackets, Ramblin’ Wreck ..................................................Nickname .....................................................................................Huskies Oct. 30 -/RV VIRGINIA TECH* TBA TBA Tech Gold and White .....................................................................Colors ........................................................................Cardinal and Black Nov. 6 at No. 14/16 Miami (Fla.)* TBA TBA Atlantic Coast (Coastal Division) .................................................Conference .................................................... Mid-American (West Division) Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field (55,000) ...........Stadium (Capacity) ...........................Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium (23,595) Nov. 13 RV/RV BOSTON COLLEGE* TBA TBA Geoff Collins ............................................................................ Head Coach ...................................................................Thomas Hammock Nov. 20 at No. 9/7 Notre Dame 2:30 p.m. NBC 6-16 (3rd season) ....................................................Head Coach’s Record at School ...................................................5-13 (2nd season) Nov. 27 No. 5 GEORGIA TBA TBA 21-26 (5th season) ....................................................Head Coach’s Overall Record ........................................................................Same All times Eastern; Home games in BOLD CAPS None ...................................................................................National Ranking ...................................................................................None * ACC game Spread Pro-Style .....................................................................Basic Offense ..................................................................................Multiple ^ Mayhem at Mercedes-Benz Stadium 23.9 (14th/95th) .....................................2020 Points Per Game (Conference/National Rank) .....................................24.8 (10th/90th) Ranks for past/current games = AP/Coaches ranks at time of game Ranks for future games = current AP/Coaches rank 190.8 (6th/43rd) ..............................2020 Rushing Yards Per Game (Conference/National Rank) ............................127.0 (10th/99th) 199.1 (13th/93rd) ............................ 2020 Passing Yards Per Game (Conference/National Rank) ..............................240.5 (6th/51st) ON THE AIR 389.9 (10th/71st) ...............................2020 Total Yards Per Game (Conference/National Rank) .................................367.5 (8th/88th) TV: ACC Network 4-2-5 Effort Based ................................................................. Basic Defense .......................................................................................4-3 • Play-by-Play ..............................................Dave O'Brien 36.8 (14th/109th) ........................... 2020 Points Allowed Per Game (Conference/National Rank) ...........................38.7 (10th/119th) • Analyst ...................................................Tim Hasselbeck 189.2 (12th/43rd) .....................2020 Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game (Conference/National Rank) .......................173.5 (7th/74th) • Sideline Reporter .......................................Kelsey Riggs 270.1 (14th/111th) ...................2020 Passing Yards Allowed Per Game (Conference/National Rank) .......................245.3 (8th/80th) • Online: ESPN app, WatchESPN.com 459.3 (14th/109th) ..................... 2020 Total Yards Allowed Per Game (Conference/National Rank) ..........................418.8 (6th/74th) RADIO: Georgia Tech Sports Network L, 34-20 vs. Pitt (Dec. 10, 2020)................................................ Last Game .............................L, 41-22 at Eastern Michigan (Dec. 12, 2020) • Play-by-Play ............................................ Andy Demetra TOP STORYLINES TALE OF THE TAPE • Analyst ...................................................... Sean Bedford • Georgia Tech football opens its highly anticipated 2021 season on Saturday night Average heights and weights of players listed Above The Line • Sideline Reporter ...................................... Wiley Ballard when it hosts Northern Illinois at Bobby Dodd Stadium. (Georgia Tech)/on the depth chart (Northern Illinois): • In Atlanta: XTRA 106.3 FM/1230 AM • Across Georgia: Visit RamblinWreck.com for station affiliate list • Entering its third season under head coach Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech returns Georgia Tech Northern Illinois 6-5, 313 ......................Offensive Line ......................6-5, 310 • Mobile Apps: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets app, XTRA 106.3 FM app one of the nation's most-experienced teams. According to a formula developed by • TuneIn: XTRA 106.3 FM ESPN, the Yellow Jackets rank No. 2 in the ACC and No. 13 nationally in total return- 6-4, 250 ......................... Tight Ends .........................6-3, 249 • Online: RamblinWreck.com, xtra1063.com ing production at 83%. Based on the same ESPN formula, the Jackets return 84% 6-1, 208 ..........Offensive Backs (QB and RB) .........6-1, 205 of total offensive production (21st nationally) and 82% of their defensive production 6-1, 191 ..........................Receivers .........................6-0, 190 GEORGIA TECH’S LAST GAME (23rd nationally) from a year ago. 6-3, 269 ......................Defensive Line .....................6-2, 269 vs. Pitt ................................................................ L, 34-20 6-2, 221 ........................Linebackers .......................6-1, 219 Date ....................................................................Dec. 10 • Statistically, Georgia Tech returns 96% of its passing yards, 98% of its rushing 6-2, 197 .................... Defensive Backs....................6-0, 185 yards, 69% of its receiving yards, 85% of its scoring, 75% of its tackles, 70% of Location ....................... Atlanta, Ga. (Bobby Dodd Stadium) its tackles for loss, 74% of its sacks, 100% of its interceptions and 83% of its total Total Offense ............................................................ 348 TOP RETURNING PERFORMERS AT A GLANCE takeaways from last year. Rushing ............................................................. 98 2020 PASSING COMP. ATT. INT. YDS. TD Passing ............................................................ 250 • The Jackets bring back seven players that started at least half of the games on Georgia Tech offense in 2020 and 10 players that started at least half of the games on defense. Jeff Sims 141 257 13 1,881 13 Turnovers ............................................................ 3 Northern Illinois Total Defense ........................................................... 513 Rodney Thompson 1 2 0 34 0 • Georgia Tech is 89-35-4 (.711) all-time in season openers, including last year's Rushing ........................................................... 317 thrilling 16-13 triumph at Florida State, and 96-26-4 (.778) all-time in home open- Passing ............................................................ 196 ers (the Yellow Jackets didn’t play any home games in 1897 and 1898). 2020 RUSHING ATT. YDS. AVG. TD Georgia Tech Takeaways .......................................................... 1 • Georgia Tech has won eight-straight Saturday night games at Bobby Dodd Sta- Jeff Sims 120 492 4.1 6 Passing Leader dium, dating back to a 31-17 win over No. 6 Clemson in 2011. The Jackets haven't Northern Illinois Harrison Waylee 107 491 4.3 1 Jeff Sims .............................17-31-2, 238 yds., 2 TD lost at home on a Saturday night since 2009. Receiving Leaders • Saturday is Georgia Tech’s annual WhiteOut game. The tradition began with a na- 2020 RECEIVING NO. YDS. AVG. TD Jalen Camp ................................5 rec., 97 yds., 1 TD Georgia Tech tionally televised primetime win over Miami (Fla.) in 2008. The Yellow Jackets have Jahmyr Gibbs 24 303 12.6 3 Peje Harris ..........................................4 rec., 48 yds. won five of