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Georgia Tech Stuns No. 17 Miami in Wild Finish

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Final Stats Postgame Notes Multimedia Photo Gallery

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Paul Moala forced a fumble that was recovered by Kyle Kennard at Georgia Tech’s 26 yard line with 26 seconds remaining, which let quarterback Haynes King march the Yellow Jackets 74 yards in four plays, capped by a 44-yard touchdown pass to Christian Leary with one second to go that lifted the Jackets to a heart-stopping 23-20 win over No. 17-ranked Miami (Fla.) on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.

With the prospects of an upset seemingly dashed, Moala’s forced fumble and Kennard’s subsequent recovery gave Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-1 ACC) a glimmer of hope as they took over on their own 26 trailing 20-17 with 26 seconds left on the clock. After an incomplete pass on first down, King connected with Malik Rutherford for 30 yards to the Miami 44 with 14 seconds left on the clock. The Yellow Jackets raced to the line and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 10 seconds remaining. On the next play, King rolled out to his right and found a wide open Leary, who had gotten behind the Hurricanes’ secondary. Leary hauled in the pass from King and galloped into the end zone with one second left, giving the Jackets a 23-20 lead.

Rather than risk getting the extra point blocked and returned for two points, Tech took a knee on the PAT attempt. A squib attempt on the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, giving Miami one last play from its own 38 yard line. The Hurricanes completed a pass and made several laterals, but K.J. Wallace eventually forced a fumble that was recovered by Myles Sims to seal the triumph.

Georgia Tech, which trailed 3-0 at halftime and 10-0 late in the third quarter, scored 17 points during a 6:08 stretched that spanned the end of the third and beginning of the fourth period to take a 17-10 lead with 12:11 to go in the ballgame. Rushing touchdowns by King and Jamal Haynes and a field goal by Aidan Birr accounted for the Yellow Jackets’ lightning quick points.

However, Miami would come back to score 10 points of its own in a span of just 3:32 later in the period to retake a 20-17 lead and set up the wild finish.

Georgia Tech’s defense forced five turnovers, which led to a commanding 16-3 advantage in points off turnovers. The Yellow Jackets also held previously unbeaten Miami (4-1, 0-1 ACC) to a season low for points, 18 fewer than its previous low output of the campaign (38 vs. Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 1).

Standing in fifth place in the 14-team Atlantic Coast Conference standings, Georgia Tech enjoys a bye next week and returns to action on Oct. 21 when it hosts Boston College at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Kickoff time will be announced on Monday.

Head coach Brent Key receives a Powerade bath following Georgia Tech’s come-from-behind win over Miami (JC Ruiz photo).

 

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

  • Georgia Tech recovered a fumble on its own 26 yard line with 26 seconds to go in the game, then drove 74 yards in four plays, capped by a 44-yard touchdown pass from r-So. QB Haynes King to Jr. WR Christian Leary with one second left to lift the Yellow Jackets to a heart-stopping 23-20 win over No. 17 Miami (Fla.).
  • With the win, Georgia Tech evened its record at 3-3 overall on the season and moved to 2-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
  • Miami lost for the first time this season to fall to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in ACC play.
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s third-straight road victory over a nationally ranked ACC opponent (prev.: 26-21 at Pitt on Oct. 1, 2022 and 21-17 at No. 13/11 North Carolina on Nov. 19, 2022).
  • Georgia Tech won for the second time in its last three games at Miami. Prior to its 28-21 overtime win over the Hurricanes on Oct. Oct. 19, 2019, Georgia Tech had been 0-5 all-time vs. Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.
  • Georgia Tech evened its all-time record vs. Miami at 14-14, but beat the Hurricanes for just fourth time in the last 14 meetings.
  • Miami’s 20 points were its fewest of the season (prev.: 38 vs. Miami (Ohio) – Sept. 1).
  • Georgia Tech held Miami to three points in the first half. The Hurricanes came into the game averaging 23.8 first-half points per game.
  • Georgia Tech is the first Miami opponent to hold the Hurricanes scoreless in the first quarter of a game this season.
  • Miami’s 453 yards of total offense were its second-lowest total of the season (season low: 451 vs. Texas A&M – Sept. 9).

 

Individual Notes

  • Leary’s touchdown reception was his second at Georgia Tech (prev.: 11 yards vs. Bowling Green last Saturday) and the third of his collegiate career (he also caught an 11-yard touchdown pass as a true freshman for Alabama vs. Arkansas on Nov. 20, 2021).
  • r-Sr. LB Paul Moala forced the fumble that was recovered by DL Kyle Kennard with 26 seconds remaining in the game. The forced fumble was Moala’s first as a Yellow Jacket and the third of his collegiate career (he had one for Idaho in 2022 and one for Notre Dame in 2019).
  • r-Jr. WR Dominick Blaylock’s 34-yard reception in the third quarter was his longest as a Yellow Jacket (prev.: 23 vs. South Carolina State – Sept. 9).
  • Jr. DB LaMiles Brooks’ interception in the second quarter was his first of the season and fourth of his career.
  • r-So. DB Ahmari Harvey’s interception in the third quarter was the first of his career (14th career game).
  • r-Sr. DB Jaylon King’s interception in the fourth quarter was his team-leading third of the season and fifth of his career.
  • King’s 66-yard interception return was the longest by a Yellow Jacket since current Dallas Cowboy Juanyeh Thomas’ 95-yard INT return at Louisville on Oct. 5, 2018.
  • r-Jr. DB K.J. Wallace’s forced fumble on the final play of the game (which was recovered by r-Sr. DB Myles Sims to seal the victory) was his second forced fumble of the season and his career (prev.: at Wake Forest – Sept. 23).
LaMiles Brooks’ interception in the end zone thwarted a Miami scoring threat and was the first of five turnovers forced by Georgia Tech in its 23-20 win at Hard Rock Stadium (JC Ruiz photo).

 

Multimedia

Head Coach Brent Key Postgame Press Conference (Audio)

Coach Key Postgame Press Conference (Video)

Student-Athletes Postgame Press Conference – Myles Sims, Paul Moala, KJ Wallace, Christian Leary and Haynes King (Video)

Brent Key, Haynes King and Christian Leary on ACC Network’s The Huddle

Game Highlights (ACC Digital Network)

Full Final Minute (ACC Digital Network

Condensed Game (ACC Digital Network)

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