Sept. 22, 2012
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ATLANTA (AP) – Mike James scored untouched on a 25-yard run, moments after Miami stopped Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington on fourth-and-inches on the first possession of overtime, giving the Hurricanes a wild 42-36 win Saturday.
Junior quarterback Stephen Morris passed for 436 yards and rallied the Hurricanes (3-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) from a 36-19 deficit.
Georgia Tech (2-2, 1-2) had come back after trailing 19-0 at the end of the first quarter, with Washington rushing for three touchdowns.
But the Yellow Jackets couldn’t slow down Morris or Miami after that, as the Hurricanes scored the final 23 points. Morris’ 10-yard touchdown pass to James created a 36-all tie with 27 seconds left in regulation. That capped an eight-play, 91-yard march that took just 1:33.
Georgia Tech also lost its season opener in overtime, at Virginia Tech, and has fallen to the Hurricanes four consecutive years after beating Miami four straight times.
After being limited to 39 yards in the first quarter, big plays flipped the momentum in the second quarter for the Yellow Jackets, whose four plays of 70 or more yards in their first three games led the Football Bowl Subdivision.
A 57-yard catch and run by Tech’s Tony Zenon was the key on the Jackets’ 91-yard drive to open the second quarter. Orwin Smith soon swept 8 yards right for Tech’s first score.
On Miami’s next play, Tech linebacker Brandon Watts forced wide receiver Phillip Dorsett to fumble, and fellow linebacker Jabari Hunt-Days recovered at the Tech 43-yard line.
A 37-yard carry by Georgia Tech running back Robbie Godhigh helped set up a 2-yard scoring run by Washington to pull the Yellow Jackets within 19-14.
Minutes later, Jamal Golden’s 56-yard punt return put the Yellow Jackets at Miami’s 23, and they took the lead with a 10-yard run by Washington.
Morris found Dorsett wide open for a 65-yard touchdown pass on the game’s third play, and Dorsett added a 40-yard reception a few minutes later. That led to Jake Wieclaw’s 38-yard field goal and a 10-0 Miami lead.
Matters quickly worsened for the Jackets.
Smith fielded the kickoff about a yard deep in the end zone. He hesitated, then started to bring the ball out, changed his mind and put a hand down on the field side of the goal line to stop himself. After he stepped back and took a knee, officials ruled it a safety since Smith had first advanced the ball across the goal line.
The Hurricanes ran 10 plays after taking the free kick before James’ 1-yard touchdown run and Wieclaw’s extra point gave Miami a 19-0 lead as the first period ended. Morris completed 10 of 14 passes for 153 yards in the quarter.
