Alabama and Georgia Tech had played every season since 1947. However, the 1964 game would mark the end of the series. Relations between the schools had been strained since the 1961 game in Birmingham when Bama's Darwin Holt hit Tech's Chick Granning in the face while blocking on a punt return. Tech Coach Bobby Dodd considered it a dirty hit since Granning relaxed on the play when he saw the receiver behind Holt call for a fair catch. Atlanta sportswriter Furman Bisher accused Bear Bryant of teaching dirty play. As a result, Dodd refused to schedule any more games against Alabama when the current contract ran out. Also, Tech had left the SEC to become an independent following the '63 season.

When the Tide visited Atlanta in 1962, the rowdy Tech students, seated near the visiting bench in cozy Grant Field, threw liquor bottles that nearly hit Bryant. So when Bear arrived at the stadium for the '64 game, he decided to protect himself and have a little fun in the process. He went from locker to locker trying on helmets until he found one large enough to fit him. He walked onto the field wearing the headgear as the fans yelled "Go to hell, Alabama" which, as Bear said later, was the nicest epithet. After walking around the field for a few minutes, he went to the Bama sideline and exchanged the helmet for his famous houndstooth hat. His primary purpose had prob­ably been to lessen the tension for his team before the big game. But he also mocked the bad blood between the schools.

The 1964 game is remarkable for the performance of Bama's backup quarterback. Joe Namath had suffered a knee injury in the fourth game of the season against North Carolina State. The gimpy knee would hamper Namath the rest of his college and pro career.

Steve Sloan replaced Joe William (called "Joe Willie" in the Bama media guide) the rest of that game and in the next four games, all victories to run the Alabama record to 8-0 heading to Atlanta. Dodd's club was 7-1.

Before a record Grant Field crowd of 53,505, Alabama dominated the first quarter and a half but had nothing to show for it. They lost a first-quarter touchdown to a penalty and also failed to score when David Ray missed two field goals.

Sloan was ineffective in the first half. So with less than two minutes left in a score­less game, Namath trotted onto the field and threw two long passes to set up touch­downs for a 14-0 lead at the break.

The Tide got things rolling by recovering a fumble at the 50 with 1:45 left in the half. After two incompletions, Namath passed to David Ray, who cut down the side­lines, gave a wiggle and went by CB Gerry Bussell full steam. Ray caught the ball at the 17 and continued to the one, where Bussell dragged him down. From there, Steve Bowman dived over. Alabama 7 Georgia Tech 0 (1:18)

Alabama showed it was playing for keeps by trying an onsides kick. Ray spun the ball off the side of his foot toward Tech T Tom Ballard, who couldn't control it. Creed Gilmer, the smallest defensive end in major college football, beat the white jerseys to the ball at Tech's 48.

Namath again struck quickly, drilling a pass to Ray Ogden running wide open for 45 yd to the three. Joe then whipped an ill-advised pass into the end zone that Tom­my Bleick couldn't corral with lots of green grass in front of him. Given a reprieve, Namath flipped to Ray for the touchdown. Alabama 14 Georgia Tech 0

That ended what Birmingham News sportswriter Benny Marshall called "the most explosive 80 seconds in all the history of Alabama football."

With two minutes left in the half, Alabama backfield coach Ken Meyer had left the press box to head to the locker room for halftime. When the team came in, he was at the blackboard diagramming plays to break the scoreless tie. He was stunned when the players told him they were ahead.

Sloan returned in the second half to finish the game. The only scoring in the third quarter came on Ray's 22y field goal to increase thelead to 17-0. The march to three points started when Tech went for it on fourth and five at the Bama 30. But QB Jerry Priestley was smashed down on the 37.

In the fourth quarter, Sloan led a 91y, 17-play, clock-eating touchdown expedition. The score came on a strange play. On fourth and goal, Hudson Harris leaped over the top and the ball squirted out to the side. Bowman grabbed the loose ball at the four and leaped into the end zone. Even when Tech made a good play, Bama still scored! Alabama 24 Georgia Tech 0

Tech avoided a shutout with only 21 seconds left to play. After receiving the kickoff, the Yellow Jackets drove 69y in 13 plays that featured the running of Johnny Gre­sham, Giles Smith, and Jeff Davis and some Priestley passes. His 10-yarder to Jack Clark made it first down on the six. Davis ran for three, Gresham for two, and then Priestley, after squirming free from a flock of charging Tidesmen bent on main­taining the shutout, flipped to Smith in the end zone.
FINAL SCORE: ALABAMA 24 GEORGIA TECH 7

Alabama players carried Coach Bryant off the field afterward.

Alabama did not play Georgia Tech again until 1979 when Bobby Dodd was no longer Athletic Director.