TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Despite being led to 240 yards of offense in the second half by Fr. QB Zach Pyron, Georgia Tech football wasn’t able to overcome a slow start in its 41-16 loss at Florida State on Saturday afternoon.
The Yellow Jackets (3-5, 2-3 ACC) were held to just 24 yards in the first half, but adjusted at halftime to produce the 240 yards, which included 181 yards through the air and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) from Pyron.
Pyron completed 18-of-28 passes for 198 yards without an interception to go along with his 32-yard touchdown pass to E.J. Jenkins and an 8-yard touchdown run. Jenkins led the Yellow Jackets with a season-high 66 receiving yards, while Hassan Hall led Tech with 45 yards on the ground.
Despite the slow offensive start, Tech kept it close early, thanks in large part to forcing a pair of turnovers, including a fumble recovery by Charlie Thomas that he returned 71 yards to set up a Gavin Stewart field goal, which gave the Jackets an early 3-0 lead.
Defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee and linebacker Ayinde Eley led the way defensively with 14 and 11 tackles, respectively, while defensive back K.J. Wallace and Thomas notched nine stops apiece.
Georgia Tech remains on the road when it travels to Virginia Tech on Saturday, Nov. 5. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the ACC’s Regional Sports Network (which includes Bally Sports South in Georgia).
Georgia Tech’s defensive recovered two fumbles in the first half, including one from Noah Collins (43 – above). (photo: Georgia Tech Football)
Postgame Notes
Team Notes
- Georgia Tech dropped to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
- The loss snapped Georgia Tech’s two-game overall winning streak versus Florida State, its two-game winning streak at FSU’s Doak Campbell Stadium and its four-game regular-season winning streak against the Seminoles. The Yellow Jackets hadn’t lost to FSU since the 2014 ACC Championship Game and hadn’t lost to the Seminoles in the regular season or at Doak Campbell Stadium since 2003.
- Georgia Tech fell to 13-15-1 all-time against Florida State.
- Georgia Tech recovered an onside kick to open the second half. The Yellow Jackets have successfully recovered six-straight onside kick attempts, dating back to 2020.
- Georgia Tech played without starting QB Jeff Sims. r-So. Zach Gibson started the game and played the first two series before giving way to Fr. Zach Pyron, who was behind center for the rest of the game.
- After registering just 24 total yards in the first half, Pyron led Georgia Tech’s offense to 240 yards in the second half.
Individual Notes
- Making his collegiate debut, Georgia Tech Fr. QB Zach Pyron completed 18-of-28 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown, while also running for a touchdown.
- Pyron’s first collegiate touchdown pass was a 32-yard strike to r-Sr. WR E.J. Jenkins on the first series of the second half.
- Pyron scored his first collegiate touchdown on an 8-yard run in the fourth quarter.
- Jenkins’ touchdown reception was his team-best third of the season.
- Jenkins’ 66 total receiving yards was a season high (prev.: 54 at Pitt – Oct. 2) and his three receptions matched a season high (prev.: vs. Clemson – Sept. 5).
- Sr. LB Charlie Thomas’ 71-yard fumble return in the first quarter was the third-longest fumble return in Georgia Tech history, behind only Zamari Walton’s 93-yard return for a touchdown vs. Notre Dame on Oct. 31, 2020 and Kofi Smith’s 90-yard return for a touchdown vs. Wake Forest on Nov. 21, 1998.
- The fumble recovery was Thomas’ team-high-tying second of the season (r-Sr. LB Ayinde Eley also has two FR this season).
- Thomas’ return is the only fumble return longer than 40 yards in Georgia Tech history that didn’t go for a touchdown.
- So. PK Gavin Stewart’s 38-yard field goal in the first quarter was his ninth-consecutive made field goal this season, which is tied for the most made field goals to start a season by a Georgia Tech kicker since 2000 (prev.: Wesley Wells – 2018; Scott Blair – 2010).
- R-Fr. DL Jason Moore’s forced fumble in the second quarter was the first of his career.
- So. DL Noah Collins’ recovery of Moore’s forced fumble was the first FR of his career.
- Fr. DB Clayton Powell-Lee’s 14 tackles were a career high (prev.: 8 vs. Duke – Oct. 8) and tied for the most by a Georgia Tech player this season (prev.: Eley at Pitt – Oct. 2).
- Sr. WR Malachi Carter matched Georgia Tech’s all-time record by playing in the 54th game of his career, tying the school record also held by Jamal Golden (2011-15), Jemea Thomas (2009, ’11-13), T.J. Barnes (2009-12) and Rod Sweeting (2009-12).
Fr. QB Zach Pyron led Georgia Tech to 240 yards of total offense in the second half while throwing for one touchdown and running for another in his collegiate debut on Saturday at Florida State. (photo: Stephen Jensen)
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)
Around Social Media
Toe meets leather in 15 minutes. #GTvsFSU pic.twitter.com/rYIwL4LiIn
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 29, 2022
CHARLIE THOMAS FUMBLE RECOVERY ‼️ pic.twitter.com/aZMJau91eg
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 29, 2022
.@gavinpstewart11 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦 from 3️⃣8️⃣ pic.twitter.com/4TLACcne0p
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 29, 2022
71-yard return is the 3rd-longest in @GeorgiaTechFB history.#GTvsFSU#TogetherWeSwarm https://t.co/t7hjEFFN2S
— Mike Flynn (@MFlynnGT) October 29, 2022
.@JayMo59 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 the fumble 💪 pic.twitter.com/lXmCqE5CBF
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 29, 2022
𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 🙌@zach_pyron_05 🎯 @AllDayEJ pic.twitter.com/OhkmzWFcuT
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 29, 2022
First-career TD pass for @zach_pyron_05.
Team-best third TD reception of the season for @AllDayEJ.#GTvsFSU#TogetherWeSwarm https://t.co/WXgyjXwnjO— Mike Flynn (@MFlynnGT) October 29, 2022
Recover the onside kick ✔️
Find the endzone ✔️@GeorgiaTechFB | #ACCFootball📺 @accnetwork pic.twitter.com/oDsXPfCttX
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) October 29, 2022
#️⃣1️⃣ for @zach_pyron_05 🎯 pic.twitter.com/D08c8AFd8U
— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) October 29, 2022
Competitive Drive Initiative
In a unified endeavor, Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Foundation, Georgia Tech athletics and the Alexander-Tharpe Fund have come together to accelerate funding for student-athlete scholarships with the launch of the Competitive Drive Initiative. The initiative kicks off with the Accelerate GT Match Program, where any new gift to the A-T Fund’s Athletic Scholarship Fund made through Dec. 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Georgia Tech Foundation, up to $2.5 million. Should Accelerate GT reach its $2.5 million fundraising goal, the matching gift would result in a $5 million impact for Georgia Tech athletics. To learn more and to contribute online, visit atfund.org/accelerate.
