The Yellow Jackets (7-5) and Vanderbilt (6-6) will face off at 2:30 p.m. at Protective Stadium. The game will be televised live by ESPN.
For the 10th time in school history, Vanderbilt football is headed to a bowl game.
Since the game’s inception in 2006, the Birmingham Bowl has generated over $181 million in economic impact for the Birmingham community. The game has also donated over $490,000 to the Monday Morning Quarterback Club’s charitable arm — Quarterbacking Children’s Health Foundation.
It’s the first trip to the Birmingham Bowl for Georgia Tech, coached by former Alabama assistant Brent Key. Vanderbilt beat Houston in what was then known as the BBVA Compass Bowl at Legion Field in 2014.
The matchup pits Georgia Tech (7-5, 5-3 ACC) and Vanderbilt (6-6, 3-5 SEC) for the 39th time overall, but the first time in the postseason. The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series, 20-15-3, but are 12-0-1 against the Commodores since 1948 and haven’t lost to Vandy since 1941. The Jackets have won six-straight in the series since a 10-10 tie in 1965.
Most recently, Tech and Vandy have squared off four times since 2002, with the Jackets winning 45-3 (2002 in Atlanta), 24-17 in overtime (2003 in Nashville), 56-31 (2009 in Nashville) and 38-7 (2016 in Atlanta).
Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt were conference-mates for 48 years – in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1916-21), Southern Conference (1922-32) and Southeastern Conference (1933-63). Their rivalry spawned a traveling trophy – a cow bell – that has been awarded to the winning team since 1924. Tech has had possession of the bell since its 13-0 win over Vandy in 1948.
Tickets are on sale at www.birminghambowl.com.
