Georgia Tech's 2011 football schedule is out, and it is significantly more favorable than last year's. The Jackets have seven homes games, including getting to play Clemson, Virginia Tech, North Carolina, and Georgia at home. Tech's toughest road games are at Miami and NC State, and will visit Duke and Virginia as well.
The Jackets open the season with three straight out-of-conference games. The season opener is on Thursday night against Paul Johnson's alma mater, Western Carolina. The Thursday night matchup gives Tech an extra two days of in-season practice which will be beneficial. The second game at Middle Tennessee State sets up to be a good opportunity for a young team to get road experience in a winnable game before the Jackets return home for a chance at revenge against the Kansas Jayhawks.
Tech's toughest stretch is the entire month of October. The Jackets head to NC State, return home to face a surprising Maryland team, and then have two straight road games at Virginia and at Miami. They close out the month at home against rival Clemson.
The game of the year is a Thursday night matchup against Virginia Tech in November. Both teams have bye weeks before the game, and if 2011 is anything like the previous six years, this game will decide the Coastal Division Champions. Remember the last time the Hokies and Jackets battled in a night game at Bobby Dodd?
The full schedules for every ACC team can be found here.
2011 Georgia Tech Football Schedule
September 1 (Thursday), vs. Western Carolina
2010 record: 2-9, 1-7 in the Southern Conference
September 10, at Middle Tennessee State
2010 record: 6-7, 5-3 in the Sun Belt
Last year: Jackets won 42-14 at home
September 17, vs. Kansas
2010 record: 3-9, 1-7 in the Big 12
Last year: Kansas won 28-25 in Lawrence
September 24, vs. North Carolina
2010 record: 8-5, 4-4 ACC
Last year: Tech won 30-24 at UNC
October 1, at NC State
2010 record: 9-4, 5-3 ACC
Last year: NC State won 45-28 at Bobby Dodd
October 8, vs. Maryland
2010 record: 9-4, 5-3 ACC
October 15, at Virgina
2010 record: 4-8, 1-7 ACC
Last year: Jackets won 33-21 at home
October 22, at Miami
2010 record: 7-6, 5-3 ACC
Last year: Hurricanes won 35-10 at Bobby Dodd
October 29, vs. Clemson
2010 record: 6-7, 4-4 ACC
Last year: Tech lost 27-13 at Clemson
November 5, OPEN
November 10 (Thursday), vs. Virginia Tech
2010 record: 11-3, 8-0 ACC
Last year: Virginia Tech won 28-21 at home on Thursday night
November 19, at Duke
2010 record: 3-9, 1-7 ACC
Last year: Tech won 30-20 at home
November 26, vs. Georgia
2010 record: 6-7, 3-5 in the SEC
Last year: Georgia won 42-34 in Athens