Oct. 12, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford and Georgia Tech will meet on the football field on September 4, 2004 in a game that will mark the first meeting for the Bulldogs against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, Samford director of athletics Bob Roller announced today.

The contest will include numerous story lines, led by the fact that Georgia Tech head coach Chan Gailey coached Samford during the 1993 season. Other notes of interest include the fact that Samford's current roster includes 20 players who hail from the state of Georgia, and Tech quarterback coach Patrick Nix was a member of Samford coach Bill Gray's staff during the 2001 season.

"We're extremely excited to have the opportunity to face Georgia Tech next season," head coach Bill Gray said. "They are so well respected on and off the field with their high academic reputation and outstanding football team. It will be a great draw for our fans and the fact that we recruit the Atlanta area heavily. It's a plus for us to play a game in the backyard of so many young men that we recruit."

The Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs have faced each other five times in the past century, but all the contests were when Samford was Howard College. The first meeting was in 1903 and the last was in 1945. Tech has won all five outings.

"This is a huge boost for our football program," Samford director of athletics Bob Roller said. "We have worked hard to schedule a Division I-A game within driving distance for our fans. With a heavy alumni base in the Atlanta area and the short driving distance from Birmingham, we should take a strong contingent of Bulldog fans to Grant Field."

Game time for the September 4 contest has not been determined.