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Tech Dumps Duke in OT for Homecoming Win

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Final Stats Postgame Notes Multimedia Photo Gallery

THE FLATS – Gavin Stewart drilled a 37-yard field goal on Georgia Tech’s first overtime possession and the Yellow Jackets’ defense forced Duke to try a 52-yarder on the ensuing series, which the Blue Devils missed to lift Tech to a heart-stopping 23-20 victory on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

With its first back-to-back victories since 2018 in hand, Georgia Tech evened its record at 3-3 on the season, improved to 2-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference play and stands alone in second place in the ACC Coastal Division, only a half-game behind first-place North Carolina (2-0).

Stewart’s 37-yard game-winner capped a 3-for-3 day for the sophomore from Savannah, Ga., who moved to 7-for-7 on field goal attempts since becoming the Yellow Jackets’ top placekicker prior to last week’s victory at No. 24 Pitt. In addition to the clutch make in overtime, Stewart was successful on a 22-yard attempt on Tech’s opening possession of the game and made a 23-yarder early in the final period to give the Jackets a 20-6 lead.

In between, quarterback Jeff Sims threw a pair of touchdown passes, hitting Nate McCollum for an 18-yard score in the second quarter to give the Jackets a 10-0 lead, and connecting with Leo Blackburn for 37 yards on Tech’s first second-half drive to stretch the advantage to 17-3.

Charlie Ham’s field goals of 45 yards in the second period and 28 yards in the third were all the scoring Duke (4-2, 1-1 ACC)  could muster until Sahmir Hagans found an opening down the right sideline to score on an 81-yard punt return, giving the Blue Devils life at 20-13 with 5:55 remaining in the game.

Neither team was able to gain a first down the next time they had the ball before Duke took over at its own 20 with 2:41 remaining. With no timeouts left but aided by three penalties called on Tech, the Blue Devils drove the necessary 80 yards, and scored their first offensive touchdown of the game with eight seconds left in regulation on Riley Leonard’s two-yard pass to Nicky Dalmolin to send the game to overtime knotted at 20-20.

With the ball first in overtime, Tech gained five yards before Stewart made the would-be game-winning field goal. Thanks to stout defense from the Yellow Jackets and an offensive pass interference penalty, Duke went backwards on its overtime possession and Ham’s 52-yard attempt was wide left, setting off a raucous celebration on the field and in stands, where a boisterous homecoming crowd stayed until the very end to see alumnus Brent Key move to 2-0 as Georgia Tech’s interim head coach.

Tech’s defense held Duke to its lowest points and yardage totals of the season while outgaining the Blue Devils, 412-278.

Sims led the Yellow Jackets offensively, completing 23-of-34 for 227 yards and two TDs through the air and adding season-high 95 rushing yards on 17 carries. McCollum set career highs with eight receptions for 101 yards, while Hassan Hall gained 70 yards on 17 rushing attempts.

After a bye next Saturday, Georgia Tech returns to action on Thursday, Oct. 20 when they host Virginia for a nationally televised ACC tilt. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Tickets are available and can be purchased online by clicking HERE.

WR Leo Blackburn (1 – above) hauled in three catches for 49 yards and a touchdown in his collegiate debut, helping power the Yellow Jackets to a 23-20 overtime win over Duke. (photo: Georgia Tech Athletics/Danny Karnik)

 

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

  • With the win, Georgia Tech evened its record at 3-3 on the season and moved to 2-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
  • Georgia Tech is alone in second place in the ACC Coastal Division standings, behind only first-place North Carolina (2-0 ACC).
  • Paired with last Saturday’s 26-21 win at No. 24 Pitt, Georgia Tech has won consecutive games for the first time since back-to-back wins over Miami (27-21) and Virginia (30-27 in OT) on Nov. 10 and 17, 2018.
  • Georgia Tech defeated Duke for the third-straight season, which is its longest winning streak in the series since the Yellow Jackets won 10-straight games against the Blue Devils from 2004-13.
  • Georgia Tech moved to 54-35-1 all-time against Duke.
  • Georgia Tech snapped a string of three-straight homecoming losses (2018, 2019 and 2021 – there was no homecoming game in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic).
  • Georgia Tech moved to 54-18-1 all-time in Tech homecoming games.
  • Duke’s 20 points was a season low (prev.: 27 at Kansas – Sept. 24) and 15 below its season average of 35.0/game coming in to Saturday’s game.
  • Duke’s 278 yards of total offense were also a season low (prev.: 377 vs. Virginia – last Saturday) and 166.2 below its average of 444.2/game coming in to Saturday’s game.
  • Georgia Tech moved to 8-9 all-time in overtime games.
  • Georgia Tech has won two-straight and four of its last six OT games.
  • The overtime contest was Georgia Tech’s first since a 28-21 overtime win at Miami (Fla.) on Oct. 19, 2019.
  • The overtime game was the first in 90 all-time meetings between Georgia Tech and Duke.

Individual Notes

  • Georgia Tech interim head coach Brent Key became only the third Tech head coach in the last 55 years to win his first two games, joining Chan Gailey (2002) and Paul Johnson (2009). Prior to Gailey and Johnson, the last Tech head coach to win his first two games was Bud Carson in 1967.
  • r-Fr. WR Leo Blackburn made his collegiate debut after missing the entire 2021 season and the first five games of the 2022 season due to injury. He caught three passes for 49 yards including a 37-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter that gave Georgia Tech a 17-3 lead.
  • WR Nate McCollum set career highs for receptions (8) and receiving yards (101), topping his previous career bests of six receptions (twice – last at UCF – Sept. 24) and 55 yards (vs. Clemson – Sept. 5).
  • The 100-yard receiving game was the first of McCollum’s career and the first by a Yellow Jacket since RB Jahmyr Gibbs had 125 receiving yards vs. Pitt on Oct. 2 of last season. McCollum is the first Georgia Tech wide receiver with 100 receiving yards in a game since Adonicas Sanders had 105 receiving yards at NC State on Dec. 5, 2020.
  • With field goals of 22, 23 and 37 yards, So. PK Gavin Stewart became only the third Georgia Tech kicker since 2000 to make his first seven field goal attempts of a season, joining Wesley Wells (made his first nine attempts in 2018) and Scott Blair (nine in 2010).
  • DB Clayton Powell-Lee became the first true freshman to start a game for Georgia Tech this season, making the start at free safety. He recorded 8 tackles in his first-career start.
  • WR Ryan King set career highs with three receptions (prev.: 1 (twice) last vs. Ole Miss – Sept. 17) and 29 receiving yards (prev.: 9 vs. Ole Miss – Sept. 17).
  • r-Fr. WR James BlackStrain made his first-career start.
LB Ayinde Eley (2 – above) led all White and Gold defenders on Saturday with nine tackles and a half -sack to help Georgia Tech fend off Duke, 23-20, in an overtime thriller at Bobby Dodd Stadium. (photo: Georgia Tech Athletics/Danny Karnik)

 

Multimedia

Coach Key Postgame Press Conference (Video)

Coach Key Postgame Press Conference (Audio)

Student-Athletes Postgame Press Conference

Game Highlights (ACC Digital Network)

Condensed Game (ACC Digital Network)

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