The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have indefinitely postponed their home-and-home football series that was scheduled for 2019 and 2020, AL.com has reported.
Alabama and Georgia Tech initially agreed to play in 2013 and 2014, but the series was later pushed back to 2019 in Tuscaloosa and 2020 in Atlanta.
According to a copy of the revised contract, the breaching party must pay the non-breaching party a $500,000 fee. However, this appears to be a mutual cancellation so a fee will not apply.
Alabama and Georgia Tech haven’t met since a 16-6 Yellow Jackets victory in Atlanta in 1984. The Crimson Tide lead the overall series 28-21-3, which dates back to 1902.
The reason for the cancellation is most likely due to the uncertainty over scheduling in the new College Football Playoff era. In addition, the SEC is contemplating moving to a nine-game schedule in the future.
In Georgia Tech’s case, their strength of schedule is already tough, especially in the non-conference. Tech plays in-state rival Georgia each season, and they will also play Notre Dame every few years as part of the Irish’s deal with the ACC.
Georgia Tech also lost a home-and-home series vs. another SEC opponent in May. Citing the “addition of new schools” and the “ever changing schedule,” South Carolina and Georgia Tech mutually agreed to cancel their games planned for 2021 and 2022.
Update (7/29/2013)
FBSchedules.com obtained a copy of a letter from Alabama Director of Athletics Mal Moore to Georgia Tech Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich, which was dated October 15, 2012:
As we discussed and agreed, given the changing landscape of college football and the unpredictability of future conference football scheduling, it seems prudent to postpone the games between our schools to dates that are agreeable to both Georgia Tech and the University of Alabama.
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