Georgia Tech accepted a spot Wednesday in the inaugural Seattle Bowl.
The Yellow Jackets (7-4) will meet Stanford (8-2), ranked No. 12 but only fourth in the Pacific-10, at Safeco Field on Dec. 27.
“We wanted to play a quality opponent,” quarterback George Godsey said. “We didn’t want to play a team that squeaked in. They are definitely a team that’s deserving of one of the top bowls.”
Georgia Tech was expected to contend for a top-level bowl. Most starters returned from last year’s 9-3 team, and the Yellow Jackets were ranked 10th at the start of the season.
But they lost to Clemson and Maryland in overtime, then fell to Virginia in the final minute of regulation on a trick play. Any hope of a New Year’s Day bowl ended last weekend with a 31-17 loss to Georgia.
The Gator Bowl gave its Atlantic Coast Conference spot to Florida State, which plays host to the Yellow Jackets on Saturday in the regular-season finale.
The Seattle Bowl guarantees $750,000 to each school, but the Atlantic Coast Conference will boost Georgia Tech’s share to $1.1 million to help handle the cost of a West Coast trip.
“We’re not going to lose money,” Tech athletic director Dave Braine said. “We’re probably not going to make much either.”
Georgia Tech has to pay for 7,500 tickets at $50 apiece, knowing it will not be able to sell the allotment. Braine hopes to take advantage of alumni totaling nearly 1,500 in the Seattle area.
“If we could sell 4,000 tickets, I’d be very happy,” he said. “We’re going to ask our alumni base to help.”
“All I know is the latte from the commercials,” Godsey said. “I don’t even like coffee, but I may have to take one with Ichiro.”
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