Oct. 20, 2012
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ATLANTA (AP) – Tevin Washington ran for two touchdowns and backup quarterback Vad Lee also accounted for two scores, leading Georgia Tech to a 37-17 victory over Boston College in a matchup of struggling Atlantic Coast Conference teams Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets (3-4, 2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak in their first contest since firing defensive coordinator Al Groh. Boston College (1-6, 0-4) lost its fifth in a row and has yet to beat a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent.
Zach Laskey rushed for 101 yards for the Yellow Jackets before going out with a shoulder injury.
Georgia Tech built a 31-3 lead by early in the third quarter. Chase Rettig threw two touchdown passes to make the score a bit more respectable – but not enough to lessen the heat on embattled Boston College coach Frank Spaziani.
After the Yellow Jackets gave up more than 40 points in each of their last three losses – the first such stretch in school history Coach Paul Johnson decided he had seen enough. He promoted Charles Kelly to interim coordinator and ordering a more simplified scheme.
Georgia Tech definitely looked better on defense.
The Yellow Jackets finished with 563 yards and held the ball for more than 43 minutes.
The only sour note for Georgia Tech was a hideous display of kicking. David Scully’s first field goal attempt from 22 yards was blocked, then he hooked one wide left from 28 yards. Johnson switched kickers, and Justin Moore connected on a 32-yarder. But Moore missed a 41-yard try, then yanked an extra point outside of the left upright.
Otherwise, this was total domination by the Yellow Jackets.
Georgia Tech set the tone on its first possession, driving 89 yards in 10 plays before Connor Wujciak got a hand on Scully’s field goal attempt. That only delayed the inevitable.
The Yellow Jackets got it back and quickly drove 90 yards in 13 plays, capped by Washington’s 12-yard touchdown run.
After Boston College went three-and-out, Georgia Tech took it 63 yards in 11 plays. Again, it was Washington capping the drive, powering over for a 1-yard score to make it 14-0.
Washington finished with 17 carries for 82 yards and went over 2,000 yards rushing in his career, joining Joshua Nesbitt as the only players in school history with 2,000 yards rushing and 2,500 yards passing.
The Eagles finally put together some offense after Washington’s second TD, setting up Nate Freese’s 25-yard field goal.
But Georgia Tech took the ensuing kickoff and got right back to work, sparked by Jamal Golden’s 36-yard return. Changing up at quarterback, the Yellow Jackets sent in Lee to spell Washington. The redshirt freshman took advantage of his opportunity, breaking off a 24-yard touchdown run that included a couple of nifty moves right at the goal line.
Boston College went 19 yards the wrong way on its next possession. A shotgun snap sailed far over Rettig’s head, forcing the quarterback to fall on it, and Andre Williams lost 2 more yards on a fumble that was recovered by the Eagles.
After punting it away again, they quickly gave up Lee’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Autry.
Rettig was 19 of 31 for 264 yards, including touchdown passes of 40 yards to Alex Amidon and 12 yards to Chris Pantale. The Eagles closed the margin to 31-17, but their last hope ended on a roughing-the-punter penalty. David Sims tacked on a 7-yard touchdown run for the Yellow Jackets.
