Howard: 0
Georgia Tech: 35

After coming up just short in a 17-14 loss to the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, Georgia Tech returned to Atlanta to face the Howard Bulldogs in the second week of the 1939 season. Howard (known today as Samford) was able to hold the Yellow Jackets to 7 first half points before Bill Alexander’s team exploded in the second half. The Jackets would score another touchdown in the 3rd quarter and three more in the 4th quarter to cap off the blowout.

Tech’s first score came after the Jackets took over at the Howard 46 yard line. After several plays for little net gain, Robert Ison took an end-around 34 yards for a touchdown, giving Tech a 7-0 lead after the made extra point.

Late in the second quarter, Howard advanced to the Tech 15 after recovering a fumble at their own 49 yard line. They were unable to close out the drive, however, throwing four incomplete passes and turning the ball over on downs to the Yellow Jackets.

Tech would score again on a well balance drive in the third quarter. After returning a punt 15 yards to the Howard 49, Tech would proceed to drive down the field, gaining four first downs, including a pivotal 4th down conversion to advance to the Bulldog 10 yard line. Ison would cap off the drive with a 10 yard run for the touchdown, increasing Tech’s advantage to 14-0.

A 54 yard drive in the fourth quarter would make the score 21-0. Tech intercepted the ball at their own 46 yard line. Two plays later, Johnny Bosch completed a 39 yard pass to Joe Bartlett, advancing Tech to the Howard 8 yard line. Several plays later, Buck Murphy punched the ball in from the 3.

Shortly after, Tech would kick off to the Bulldogs and intercept a Howard pass at their own 45 yard line on the first play of the drive. After Bobby Pair gained nine yards on a reverse, he caught Buck Murphy’s pass at the Bulldog 25 yard line and raced in for the score, increasing the lead, yet again, to 28-0.

The final score came on a 2 play, 39 yard drive, capped off by Bobby Beers’s 17 yard touchdown run.

Howard’s only other attempt at a score came in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs advanced to the Tech 10 yard line after a 15 yard Yellow Jacket penalty and several well executed passes. But the drive stalled just as before, when the Howard offense turned the ball over on downs at the Tech 4 yard line.

Statistics:

Total Yards:
GT – 459
HOW – 94

First Downs:
GT – 19
HOW – 5

Passing (Completions-Attempts-Yards):
GT – 5-15-117
HOW – 7-25-83

Punts (Total-Avg.)
GT – 11-42
HOW – 16-34

References:
Bradberry, Johnny. “Tech Routs Howard With Razzle-Dazzle.” The Atlanta Constitution. 1939 Oct. 15