Georgia Tech has canceled their 2014 and 2017 football games against BYU, FBSchedules.com has verified through documents obtained from the Georgia Tech Athletic Association.
Georgia Tech and BYU were scheduled to play in Atlanta on Oct. 11, 2014 and in Provo on Oct. 14, 2017 as part of a four-game, home-and-home contract signed in October 2010.
The two schools will still play the first half of the agreement which begins on Oct. 27, 2012 at Georgia Tech. The series will now conclude on Oct. 12, 2013 at BYU.
In a letter to BYU athletics director Tom Holmoe, Georgia Tech Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich wrote:
I write to inform you of our desire to cancel two future football contests between BYU and Georgia Tech in years 2014 and 2017, respectively. Due to conference re-alignment and the addition of conference games for Georgia Tech, our non-conference scheduling opportunities have lessened and we have other commitments in these years. Please understand that Georgia Tech is still excited about our association with BYU for the two games we have scheduled in 2012 and 2013.
Please accept this letter as our intent to cancel and void the football contract originally dated October 8, 2010. Pursuant to Article 12 in the contract, we are informing you of our interest to cancel prior to August 1, 2012. At this time, we are not interested in pursuing other football scheduling opportunities in future years.
Georgia Tech will not have to pay a $1 million penalty to BYU as a result of canceling the two games, per Article 12 in the contract:
Either party failing to comply with the conditions of this agreement, either by cancellation or failure to appear, shall pay a cancellation fee in the amount of $1,000,000, unless such cancellation shall be by mutual written consent of both parties or such cancellation occurs prior to August 1, 2012 in which case this agreement shall be null and void (emphasis added).
Interestingly, the initial contract did not contain the date exclusion. It was likely added when Georgia Tech learned that the ACC was planning to expand.
With Pittsburgh and Syracuse set to join the ACC, likely in 2013, the ACC will move to a nine-game conference schedule. That means each ACC team will only play three non-conference games per season.
Georgia Tech had four games scheduled for 2014: BYU, Wofford, at Georgia and at Tulane. Obviously, they couldn’t cancel in-state rival Georgia and they wanted to keep their home “buy” game against Wofford. That left BYU and Tulane as candidates for cancellation.
In 2017, the Yellow Jackets now have games scheduled at Ole Miss and home against Georgia. The game against BYU in 2017 will likely be replaced with an FCS or lower-level FBS game at home.
Note: The possible cancellation of these two games was initially reported in March by the AJC.
Football Schedules:
Why?
Because of the possible 9 game conference schedule. Now that the ACC has decided not to go with an 8 game schedule, GT should reconsider.
I would have canceled the Tulane game and manned up and played the tougher team
Here comes the “scared to play” comments from BYU fans
“Obviously, they couldn’t cancel in-state rival Georgia and they wanted to keep their home ‘buy’ game against Wofford.” Don’t you mean “bye”?
LOL!
I see what you did there :)
Date clause likely added when GT moved 2012 game date to help BYU get WSU series done.
GT was in a tough spot, they now have 9 conference games against the likes of fsu, clemson, vt, etc, they also play Georgia every year so does not give much opportunity to play mid-majors in home and home games. GT playing BYU if they win there suppose to win if they lose it is how did you lose to those guys? Who wants to go to Provo and deal with the racist taunts and no beer? lol
no beer i get, but have you actually heard racist taunts? or are you making a taunt of your own?
Um, “mid major” is a lame basketball term.
BYU fans like playing in Atlanta against a storied program. Plus, it is fun to get new teams out to BYU. GT has some tough games, but so does everyone else. Now that GT doesn’t have 9 conference games, they should unvoid the contract and play. IT will be fun.
“Mid-major?”
Sorry kid, BYU hasn’t been “mid-major” (a lame basketball term) in over 50 years. In fact, BYU has won more games than all but 5 teams in the last 40 years.
I hope that with the ACC using the 8 conference game schedule, that they will reconsider BYU in the future.
Their a rambling wreck from Georga Tech, and scared to play BYU.
Too scared, too scared, too scared, too scared, too scared to play BYU.
Their playing mighty Wofford! And Tulane will have to do.
Cause their afraid that they will lose to the Cougars from BYU.
Go back to Provo you Mormon
BYU is mad because independence = fail
BYU better realize their place in college football. You are not a power and nobody cares what you did in the 80’s anymore. You should have moved to the Big East when offered, now you’re just another Mid Major – HAHA
Hmmmmm, each team has a ‘place in college football’? That’s the old BCS talk…. and the BCS screwed up college football (weaker OOC schedules, bigger money discrepancies, breaking up traditional rivalries…).
I’d like to see what college you support…. and then I can guess ‘what place’ they should be. I have a good idea, and I’m laughing about it.
Quite frankly we offer no racial slurs or comments, everyone assumes they know byu and they don’t, its fine gt cancelled who cares, its not like gt is a powerhouse itself, so o on your way…oh and by the way is the real reason maybe the race is what gt is cancelling for…aka mormon. Anyone can play the stupid race bs, just grow up and live with it byu really doesn’t care you cancelled and gt can’t win west of the mississippi anyway.
The ACC has decided to keep an 8 game conference schedule…. they should reinstate BYU into their future–although last week’s beatdown might have them reconsider a reconsidering.
GT vs BYU please.
BYU better realize their place in college football. You are not a power and nobody cares what you did in the 80′s anymore. You should have moved to the Big East when offered, now you’re just another Mid Major.
Haha. Looks like this mid major team rocked your world in your stadium. You will get crushed in Provo as we were a terrible team this year offensively. There is no where for us to go but up in that department and our defense pretty much remains the same. Good luck!
Over the last 8 years (years with Bronco as coach), BYU has more wins than all but 10 teams…. and has been ranked in 6 of those years.
It is true that BYU had something unique in the 80s (changed college football), but the teams of the 90s and 2000s have generally been better than 75% of the college football landscape.
(Yup, mid-major isn’t even a football term. So, who is your team? That little college on the hill? Or GT? Either way, you seem more like a hater than a real fan of college football).