Georgia Tech vs Florida State: A Quick Look at the Matchup History Between the Two Programs

History between the Yellow Jackets and the Seminoles before Saturdays game day.

Oct 24, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Lance Austin (17) returns a blocked kick for a game winning touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Georgia Tech defeated Florida State 22-16. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The highly anticipated week 0 matchup of Georgia Tech vs Florida State is almost upon us. For both teams, it will be the first time they have matched up against each other in Ireland.

History Between The Teams

First, let's start with the head-to-head record. Since the first time the two faced off on November 22, 1952, until today, the Seminoles will take a four-game lead into Saturday's game, (15-11-1). Lately, Tech has been seeing more good fortune against the Seminoles, winning two of the last three and four of the last seven.

Georgia Tech won the first three matchups between the two programs (1952, 1955, and 1958) before they tied 14-14 in 1962. Georgia Tech then won the next four games against the Seminole (1963, 1970, 1971, and 1975) and the two programs did not meet again until 1992 and that is when Florida State dominated the series.

Florida State was arguably the team of the decade in the 1990s and they won decisively from 1992-1998. From 2000-2003, the games were closer, but Florida State was still winning. Georgia Tech was able to end Florida State's 12-game winning streak in the series in 2008 and then winning again in 2009. The next two matchups came in the ACC Championship games in 2012 and 2014, two games narrowly won by Florida State. Georgia Tech won the next two matchups in the series, including the famed "Miracle on Techwood Drive" in 2015.

Though Georgia Tech as a program has already participated in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic during the 2016 season when they defeated Boston College 20-17, Coach Brent Key's regime will be going to Dublin for the first time. However, Key made it clear at ACC media day that he's done extensive research and will have his team ready for the noon kick-off. Interestingly enough, Georgia Tech currently has a Dublin Ireland native, punter David Shanahan.

Yesterday when talking with the media, Key talked about facing Florida State in week zero and the challenges of facing a team with so many new starters:

"It's not really from that standpoint. Mike's called offensive plays for a long time. He's, you know, his offense is his offense in regards to what they do. It's different week to week on how they, what personnel groups, what packages, what shifts, motions, different things they use within it. So those things haven't changed. And there's film for many, many years, and you see it's the same type of thing. He believes running football, play action, you know, spreading the field, not only vertically but horizontally, working sideline to side. Had a good season last year, so how he tailor makes it to the quarterback will be, you know, once we come out the gate, we'll really see. But the important thing in your first game is everybody talks about the opponent, the opponent of the opponent. The unknowns are what you can't predict. So it's really about your team, how sound you are with your base, offense, defense, and kicking game, and and how quickly your coaches can make adjustments within the game. Look, if you're waiting until halftime to make adjustments, I mean, the game's over. I mean, you've got to make adjustments fast, so then you have the ability to play for the full four quarters. I mean, I don't know, a believer in, you know, huddling up at halftime and changing things. You're just saying, what, for the last 25 minutes, you've just been getting, you know what I'm saying. I won't go there. So, but no, and then you watch film with individual players from different schools, you know, to see."

Georgia Tech has been able to win two of the last three matchups vs Florida State, but will that continue on Saturday? It will be a big challenge.