Open search form
calendar shop tickets
Open mobile menu

Tech Drops No. 4 Miami (Fla.), 28-23

Share

Final Stats Postgame Notes Multimedia Photo Gallery

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech kept the nation’s top offense at bay and gashed No. 4 Miami (Fla.)’s defense for 271 yards on the ground to knock the Hurricanes from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 28-23 win on Saturday afternoon at raucous Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field.

Despite throwing just 16 passes in quarterback Haynes King’s first start since sustaining an injury nearly a month ago, Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-3 ACC) raced out to a 21-10 lead and held on to hand Miami (9-1, 5-1 ACC) its first loss of the season for the second-straight year.

King completed all six of his passes, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Malik Rutherford in the second quarter that gave the Yellow Jackets a 14-10 lead that it would never relinquish.

True freshman Aaron Philo split the duties behind center with King and completed five passes for 67 yards, highlighted by a 15-yard touchdown pass to Chase Lane that gave Tech its 21-10 advantage midway through the third quarter. Philo also completed perhaps the biggest pass of the game when he connected with high school teammate Bailey Stockton for a 27-yard gain on a third-and-18 play, which led to a 5-yard touchdown run by King three plays later that stretched the Jackets’ advantage to 28-16 early in the fourth quarter.

Miami cut Tech’s lead to 28-23 with 6:07 to go in the game, then forced the Yellow Jackets to punt on their ensuing possession. However, two plays after the Hurricanes got the ball back, Georgia Tech defensive end Romello Height drilled Ward from behind, stripped the ball from his hands and tackle Jordan van den Berg fell on the loose ball to give the Jackets possession with 1:36 to go in the game.

Three plays later, King completed a short pass on an end-around to Eric Singleton, Jr., who picked up 11 yards on third-and-8 to seal the victory. King knelt down two times to set off a wild, field-storming celebration.

Georgia Tech held the ball for nearly 35 of the game’s 60 minutes and limited the Hurricanes, who were averaging better than 47 points and 550 yards per game, to a season low in points and yards (436).

Tech also held the Hurricanes, who were also ranked No. 1 nationally in third-down conversion percentage (.558) to just 3-of-10 on third downs and 1-of-4 on fourth downs. Each of the fourth-down stops came in Tech territory, as the Jackets stopped the Hurricanes at the Tech 23 in the second quarter, 39 in the third period and 28 in the fourth.

Eight different ball carriers contributed to Georgia Tech’s 271 yards on the ground, led by King, who ran 20 times for 93 yards, and Jamal Haynes, who had 83 yards on just three carries, including a 65-yard gain and a 16-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the game before leaving the contest due to injury on the Jackets’ second possession.

Georgia Tech, which is now bowl-eligible in back-to-back years for the first time since 2013-14, will have a bye for the second time in three weeks next Saturday before returning to action Thursday, Nov. 21, versus NC State at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. The Yellow Jackets’ final home game of the season will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and be televised nationally on ESPN.

Playing through injury, Haynes King ran for 93 yards and a score and completed all six of his passes, including another touchdown, to help lead Georgia Tech to its first win over a top-five opponent in 15 years. (Danny Karnik photo)

 

 

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

  • Georgia Tech moved to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. No. 4 Miami (Fla.) suffered its first loss of the season, falling to 9-1 overall (5-1 ACC).
  • With its sixth win of the season, Georgia Tech clinched bowl eligibility. The Yellow Jackets are bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2013 and 2014.
  • With a 4-3 ACC record, Georgia Tech is guaranteed to finish .500 or better in conference play for the third-straight season and 26th time in the last 30 seasons.
  • Georgia Tech moved to 6-1 against nationally ranked ACC opponents under head coach Brent Key (interim head coach – final eight games of 2022; full-time head coach – 2023-pres.).
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s first over a top-five opponent since a 28-23 win over No. 4 Virginia Tech on Oct. 17, 2009, snapping a 13-game losing streak against top-five teams.
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s ninth in 66 all-time matchups against top-five opponents (9-55-2).
  • Georgia Tech moved to 15-14 all-time against Miami. The Yellow Jackets are one of only two ACC programs that have played Miami at least 15 times and are .500 or better against the Hurricanes, joining North Carolina (14-11).
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s second-straight against Miami and its fourth in the last six matchups with the Hurricanes.
  • Georgia Tech moved to 4-0 this season at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, which extends its longest winning streak at Bobby Dodd since it won eight-straight on The Flats from 2016-17.
  • Georgia Tech snapped a modest two-game skid with the win. The Yellow Jackets remain one of only four ACC teams that has not had a three-game losing streak since the beginning of the 2022 season (joining Clemson, Duke and NC State).
  • Georgia Tech’s 271 rushing yards were the most that Miami, which had the nation’s No. 8-ranked rushing defense coming in (95.2 ypg), has allowed this season (prev.: 206 vs. Virginia Tech – Sept. 27).
  • Georgia Tech attempted just 16 passes, but completed 11, including two touchdowns.
  • Georgia Tech held Miami’s offense, which was ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring (47.4 ppg) and total offense (556.9 ypg) to 23 points and 436 yards.
  • Georgia Tech’s 17-play, 75-yard, 10-minute-and-45-second touchdown drive spanning the first and second quarters was the second-longest scoring drive in terms of time elapsed in program history (record: 10:47 TD drive at Virginia – Oct. 24, 2009).
  • The 17-play scoring drive was also Georgia Tech’s longest this season in terms of plays (prev.: 16-play FG drive at Louisville – Sept. 21). The Yellow Jackets’ previous long TD drives of the season were 14 plays (Aug. 24 vs. Florida State and Oct. 5 vs. Duke).
  • Attendance of 47,538 was the largest for an ACC game at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field since 48,217 attended a 27-21 win over Miami on Nov. 10, 2018, a victory that clinched bowl eligibility for the 6-4 Jackets.

 

Individual Notes

  • Georgia Tech r-Jr. RB Jamal Haynes ran for 81 yards on two carries on the opening series of the game (65-yard run and a 16-yard touchdown run) but left the game due to injury after the first play of the Yellow Jackets’ second possession. He finished with three runs for 83 yards (27.7 avg.).
  • After missing the previous two games due to injury, r-Jr. QB Haynes King returned to the starting lineup and split time with Fr. QB Aaron Philo. King completed 6-of-6 passes for 32 yards and one touchdown and ran 20 times for 93 yards and one touchdown.
  • King (5 yds. to r-Jr. WR Malik Rutherford) and Philo (15 yds. to r-Sr. WR Chase Lane) both threw touchdown passes.
  • r-Jr. DB Omar Daniels had a career-high eight tackles (prev.: 5 at Syracuse – Sept. 7), including a tackle for loss and also had a pass break-up.
  • r-So. LB J. Lightsey had a career-high six tackles (prev.: 3 vs. Notre Dame – Oct. 19).
Jordan van den Berg (99) pounces on a fumble forced by Romello Height with less than two minutes to go in the ballgame that helped seal the Jackets’ 28-23 win over the No. 4-ranked Hurricanes. (Danny Karnik photo)

 

Multimedia

Head Coach Brent Key Postgame Press Conference (Video)

Head Coach Brent Key Postgame Press Conference (Audio)

Student-Athletes Postgame Press Conference (Video)

 

ACC Digital Network Highlights

 

ACC Digital Network Condensed Game

ACC Digital Network Full Game Replay

Around Social Media

 

2024 GEORGIA TECH FOOTBALL TICKETS

Single-Game Tickets

Single-game tickets for Georgia Tech’s final remaining home game at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field in 2024 –  Nov. 21 vs. NC State – are still available and can be purchased by clicking HERE.

Full Steam Ahead

Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.

For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and at www.ramblinwreck.com.

RELATED HEADLINES
Football VIDEO: Cinematic Recap - Football vs. NC State

The Home Finale: Tech Tops NC State in 30-20 Thriller

VIDEO: Cinematic Recap - Football vs. NC State
Football Jackets Cap Perfect Season at Bobby Dodd with 30-29 Thriller

Philo's 18-yard TD run with :22 remaining lifts Tech to 30-29 win over NC State in home finale

Jackets Cap Perfect Season at Bobby Dodd with 30-29 Thriller
Football PHOTOS: Football vs. NC State

Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field - Danny Karnik, Eldon Lindsay and Michael Nance photos

PHOTOS: Football vs. NC State
Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Legends Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Partner of Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets