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THE FLATS – Jeff Sims threw for 238 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Georgia Tech, but Pittsburgh kept the ball for 37:39 on Thursday night to outlast the Yellow Jackets, 34-20, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Despite Pitt’s 318 yards on the ground and 513 yards of total offense, Georgia Tech remained within striking distance throughout thanks to a herculean effort by its defense in the red zone. Pitt scored a touchdown on just one of its six trips inside the Yellow Jackets’ 20 yard line.
Pitt (6-5, 5-5 ACC) outgained Georgia Tech (3-7, 3-6 ACC) by a 305-128 margin in the first half, but led just 16-7 at the break thanks to the Yellow Jackets limiting the Panthers to just three field goals on four red-zone opportunities. The Panthers extended the lead to 23-7 early in the third quarter but behind Sims, the Jackets went on to hold a 220-208 yardage advantage in the second half.
The Jackets’ red-zone defense allowed Sims to heat up in the second half, when he threw for 128 of his 238 yards and both touchdowns, including an 18-yard scoring strike to Dylan Deveney that pulled the Jackets within a score at 26-20 with 6:01 remaining. But, with Georgia Tech selling out defensively in an attempt to get the ball back trailing by just one score, Pitt running back Vincent Davis capped an outstanding night with a 38-yard touchdown run that extended the Panthers lead to 34-20.
The Yellow Jackets proceeded to march 66 yards to the Pitt 9 on their next possession and were on the verge of making things interesting in the final minute, but a pair of throws from backup quarterback Jordan Yates to senior wideout Jalen Camp fell incomplete in the end zone and the Jackets didn’t get the benefit of a pass interference call to extend the drive.
Camp finished with a career-high 97 receiving yards on a career-high-tying five receptions, including a 21-yard touchdown catch from Sims. Jamious Griffin ran for 43 yards and Jordan Mason added 41 for the Yellow Jackets, who totaled 348 yards of offense against the ACC’s third-ranked defense.
Pitt’s Davis ran for 247 yards on 25 carries as the Panthers ran 87 plays en route to its 15:42 advantage in possession time.
Georgia Tech concludes its regular season on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Miami (Fla.). Kickoff time and television arrangements for the regular-season finale will be announced on Sunday.
Playing in his final home game as a Yellow Jacket, senior linebacker David Curry amassed a season-high 14 tackles against Pitt (photo: Danny Karnik).
Team
- The loss was Georgia Tech’s first in a night game at Bobby Dodd Stadium since a 26-7 loss to Clemson on Sept. 22, 2016.
- Thursday’s game concluded a stretch of three games in 13 days for Georgia Tech. Prior to the three-games-in-13-days stretch, Georgia Tech went 28 days between games.
- Pitt scored one touchdown on six trips into the red zone. The five times holding its opponent without a touchdown in the red zone was a season high for Georgia Tech (prev.: 3 vs. Notre Dame, Oct. 31).
- After not turning the ball over last Saturday at NC State, Georgia Tech had three turnovers on Thursday.
Individual Notes
- Georgia Tech Sr. WR Jalen Camp set a career high with 97 receiving yards (prev. 71 vs. The Citadel, Sept. 14, 2019) and matched a career high with five receptions (prev. 5 at Florida State, Sept. 12).
- Georgia Tech So. WR Peje’ Harris set career highs with four receptions (prev.: 2 – twice) and 48 receiving yards (prev.: 38 vs. UCF, Sept. 19).
- Georgia Tech So. TE Dylan Deveney’s 18-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was the first of his career.
- For the third-straight game, Georgia Tech Sr. LB David Curry had double-digit tackles and led the team in stops with 14.
- Fourth-year Jr. WR Josh Blancato, who was among the student-athletes honored during Georgia Tech’s pregame Senior Day ceremony, made his first-career start.
- Georgia Tech Sr. RB Jerry Howard Jr. made his first start of the season.
Senior Jalen Camp’s 97 receiving yards were a career high (photo: Danny Karnik).
Multimedia
Coach Collins Postgame Press Conference
Student-Athletes Postgame Press Conference
ACC Digital Network Highlights (Video)
ACC Digital Network Condensed Game (Video)
Around Social Media
𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 👊
Seniors, we love you and appreciate the blood, sweat and tears you've invested in our program. Your impact will be felt by the next generation of Yellow Jackets.#4the404 💛 pic.twitter.com/ENrWo5CYWQ
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) December 10, 2020
This Jalen Camp route for @GeorgiaTechFB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/m0KZUSoeRM
— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) December 11, 2020
Atlanta is Sims City.@GeorgiaTechFB // @ACCFootball pic.twitter.com/mFiGBIUY2S
— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) December 11, 2020
Sims ➡️ Camp@GeorgiaTechFB // @ACCFootball pic.twitter.com/TlMfbJQzXr
— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) December 11, 2020
