Georgia
Former FSU Football Heisman Winner Chris Weinke Discusses Season Opener Between ‘Noles and Georgia Tech
Of the three national championship seasons that Florida State has to its name, the 1999-2000 season was arguably the most successful. The team was the first and is now just one of three teams in the history of college football to have held the No. 1 ranking in the preseason and final AP Poll. Along with the national title, that season saw quarterback Chris Weinke win the Heisman Trophy.
In his time in the Garnet and Gold, Weinke completed 650 of 1,107 pass attempts for 9,839 yards and 79 touchdowns, which were all school records. In 2001, Weinke was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Weinke’s professional career ended in 2007, however today he is the quarterbacks coach/ co-offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech.
READ MORE: Defending Conference Champion Florida State Tops ACC Preseason Poll
With the 2024 season quickly approaching for both teams as they once again meet on the gridiron, this time to start the season, Weinke shared his thoughts on not only coaching against his former team but doing so on an international stage.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m not going to sit here and say it’s not exciting for me, right? That’s my alma mater. I’m proud of where I went to school. I’m proud of where I graduated from but I am coaching at Georgia Tech, okay? And that’s the first challenge on our schedule this year. Happens to be on a big stage, which we like,” Weinke said according to Georgia Tech on SI.
“I haven’t necessarily thought a bunch about it yet as we continue to get closer and start honing in and game planning for those guys and locking in on them. I think the juices will be flowing. And I think the most important thing is it’s an exciting opportunity for our kids, right? You’re playing against a team that had a lot of success last year Their roster has changed a little bit. Our roster changed a little bit, not necessarily on our side of the ball. Okay, we’ve had a few pieces, but our focus right now is to be the best that we can be each and every day. And when our mindset changes to start to focus on them, I think it’ll get ramped up around here,” Weinke continued.
The last time the two teams faced each other was in 2022 when the Yellow Jackets came to Tallahassee. That victory was the first of a 19-game win streak for the Seminoles that spanned over two seasons.
The conference foes are set to meet in the 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic on August 24th in Dublin, Ireland. FSU is 15-11-1 against Georgia Tech all-time.
READ MORE: Former FSU Football Star Chirps Michigan Wolverines’ Rookie During Rams Training Camp
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They were designed to hold a drink, but cups produced in Rome, Georgia, have become one of the FIFA Men’s World Cup’s most unexpected souvenirs.
Inside the Top Cup plant in Rome, millions of cups were created to celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event.
“We made 10 million over 70 different graphics for the World Cup,” said Rome native and Top Cup General Manager Zach Dixon.
The plant in north Georgia produces up to 750,000 cups a day.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup … but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Top Cup CEO David Cuthbert.
Fans have been taking them home from matches. Some have even been listed for sale online.
“We’ve always been really proud of the cup… but the World Cup has obviously taken it to another level,” said Cuthbert.
Dixon said they begin the process with massive coils of aluminum, each weighing about 30,000 pounds. The metal is stamped, stretched, washed, and moved down the line.
The plant produces about 1,100 cups every minute.
Ricardo Marques, the senior vice president of marketing for Michelob ULTRA, said that there have been venue-specific, match-specific, and Finals-specific stadium cups for the World Cup. There are also three separate red, white, and blue designs available for fans at bars and restaurants around the U.S.
“We’ve seen an incredible response to the collection. Together, these commemorative cups give fans a unique keepsake and a lasting reminder of an unforgettable FIFA World Cup experience and the moments that brought millions of people together through the world’s game,” Marques said.
Cuthbert said his company has seen how the World Cup has done wonders for metro Atlanta businesses.
“Our team in Rome, Georgia takes tremendous pride in helping bring this fan experience to life for one of the world’s biggest sporting events,” he said.
So when soccer fans celebrate the surprise victory or mourn their last-minute loss, they’re doing so with a little piece of Georgia.
Athlon Sports projected the best SEC games for each week of the 2026 regular season.
The conference features some of the most compelling matchups in all of college football, from opening weekend through rivalry week. The selections emphasize games anticipated to have the biggest impact on the SEC championship race and College Football Playoff picture.
Florida’s annual clash with Georgia was tabbed as one of the SEC’s premier fixtures. The game has grown in national significance since it began in 1904, continuing as a battle of blue-blood programs that routinely produces iconic results. The game temporarily moves to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta during the Jacksonville stadium renovations.
The Jon Sumrall era carries with it an increasing sense of belief — many experts see the Gators as a dark-horse CFB playoff contender. Regardless of its final win-loss record, UF will play a part in shaping the season’s narrative as they face several post-season favorites in Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma.
Noted in the article is the SEC’s depth and newly implemented nine-game conference schedule. Georgia, Texas, Alabama and LSU appear multiple times on this list, with Georgia facing Alabama in Week 6 and Ole Miss in Week 10 while LSU hosts Clemson in Week 1 and will see Texas in Week 11 take on Alabama.
Many contenders from the SEC face multiple nationally relevant foes over the course of the season.
Athlon Sports’ Best game for every week of the 2026 season
- Week 1: Clemson at LSU (Sept. 5)
- Week 2: Ohio State at Texas (Sept. 12)
- Week 3: LSU at Ole Miss (Sept. 19)
- Week 4: Oklahoma at Georgia (Sept. 26)
- Week 5: Auburn at Tennessee (Oct. 3)
- Week 6: Georgia at Alabama (Oct. 10)
- Week 7: Alabama at Tennessee (Oct. 17)
- Week 8: Ole Miss at Texas (Oct. 24)
- Week 9: Florida vs. Georgia (Atlanta) (Oct. 31)
- Week 10: Georgia at Ole Miss (Nov. 7)
- Week 11: Texas at LSU (Nov. 14)
- Week 12: Texas A&M at Oklahoma (Nov. 21)
- Week 13: Texas at Texas A&M (Friday) (Nov. 27)
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