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Haynes' Last-Minute Gallop Lifts Tech Over UNC

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Final Stats Postgame Notes Multimedia Photo Gallery

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Jamal Haynes’ game-winning 68-yard touchdown run with just 16 seconds left on the clock lifted Georgia Tech to a thrilling 41-34 win over North Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Kenan Stadium.

Georgia Tech (5-2, 3-2 ACC), which led 34-24 with less than four minutes to go, saw North Carolina (3-4, 0-3 ACC) score 10 points in a 2:43 span to tie the game at 34-apiece on a 26-yard field goal with 44 seconds remaining.

On the second play of the Yellow Jackets’ ensuing possession, Haynes burst through a hole and left a line of Tar Heels in his wake on the way to Tech improbably regaining a 41-34 lead with 16 seconds to go.

UNC’s Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete as time expired to seal the Jackets’ win,

Georgia Tech amassed a whopping 505 yards of total offense, including 371 on the ground, and averaged 7.1 yards per play and 7.7 yards per rush in the win. However, it was hindered by untimely penalties (seven for 59 yards overall) and special teams miscues (including a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown by UNC) that helped the Tar Heels stay in the game until the end.

Haynes’ game-winning 68-yard touchdown gallop capped a career-best 170-yard rushing day on 19 carries (8.9 avg.) for the junior. He was joined in the 100-yard rushing club by quarterback Haynes King, who ran for 107 yards on just 11 carries (9.7 avg.). Both Haynes and King scored twice on the ground. Chad Alexander chipped in with 61 yards on 10 rushes, including his first-career score.

Seeing the most significant action of his young career, true freshman tight end Luke Harpring led the Yellow Jackets with 36 receiving yards on two catches.

Linebacker Kyle Efford led Tech defensively with 10 tackles, while linebacker Trenilyas Tatum and defensive back Syeed Gibbs each forced a fumble for the Jackets.

Georgia Tech returns to action next Saturday when it hosts nationally ranked Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN.

Jamal Haynes bursts past the UNC defense for his game-winning 68-yard touchdown run. (Keith Lucas photo)

 

 

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

  • Georgia Tech moved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
  • North Carolina fell to 3-4 overall (0-3 ACC).
  • Georgia Tech’s 5-2 record is its best through seven games since it started 5-2 in 2014.
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s first true road win of the season (1-2).
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s fourth-straight and sixth in its last seven games versus North Carolina.
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s third-straight at UNC’s Kenan Stadium.
  • Georgia Tech moved to 34-22-3 all-time versus North Carolina.
  • Georgia Tech’s 371 rushing yards were a season high (prev.: 245 vs. Duke – last Saturday).
  • Georgia Tech’s 371 rushing yards were its most since it ran for 377 vs. Duke on Nov. 28, 2020.
  • Georgia Tech had two 100-yard rushers (RB Jamal Haynes – 170 and QB Haynes King – 107) for the first time since QB Jeff Sims and current San Francisco 49ers RB Jordan Mason had 108 and 105, respectively, vs. Duke on Nov. 28, 2020.
  • Georgia Tech’s field goal block in the second quarter was its fourth of the season (tied for first nationally) and its 11th in 28 games since Brent Key’s first game as interim head coach on Oct. 1, 2022 (the most in the nation during that span).
  • Georgia Tech had a season-high two takeaways (prev.: 1 – three times).
  • Georgia Tech, which did not commit a turnover, moved to 3-0 this season and 10-3 under Key when it wins the turnover battle.
  • Georgia Tech’s three sacks defensively matched a season high (prev.: 3 vs. VMI – Sept. 14).
  • North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton (137 yards), who entered the game ranked No. 4 nationally with 764 rushing yards, became the first player to run for 100 yards against Georgia Tech this season (prev. high: 83 by Syracuse’s LeQuint Allen – Sept. 7).
  • North Carolina’s punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter was the first allowed by Georgia Tech since Nov. 5, 2022 (at Virginia Tech).

Individual Notes

  • r-Jr. RB Jamal Haynes rushed for a career-high 170 yards, including the game-winning 68-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds to go in the game.
  • Haynes’ 170 rushing yards shattered his previous career of 128, set last Saturday vs. Duke and in the 2023 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs. UCF (Dec. 22, 2023).
  • Haynes’ 100-yard rushing game was his second of the season (prev.: 128 vs. Duke – last Saturday) and sixth of his career.
  • Haynes has rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games for the second time in his career (prev.: 119 at Virginia – Nov. 4, 2023 and 104 at Clemson – Nov. 11, 2023).
  • r-Jr. QB Haynes King’s 107 rushing yards were a season high (prev.: 67 at Syracuse – Sept. 7).
  • The 100-yard rushing game was King’s second at Georgia Tech (prev. 150 vs. Boston College – Oct. 21, 2023).
  • r-So. DB Syeed Gibbs’ sack and forced fumble in the first quarter were both his firsts at Georgia Tech.
  • r-Jr. DL Jordan van den Berg’s recovery of Gibbs’ forced fumble was his first at Georgia Tech.
  • So. RB Chad Alexander’s 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the first of his career.
  • Jr. DB Rodney Shelley’s field goal block in the second quarter was his first of the season and second of his career (prev.: at Clemson – Nov. 11, 2023).
  • Sr. LB Trenilyas Tatum’s forced fumble in the fourth quarter was his first of the season and second of his career (prev.: vs. Virginia – Oct. 20, 2022).
  • r-Jr. DB Ahmari Harvey’s recovery of Tatum’s force fumble was his first of the season and second of his career (prev.: vs. Virginia – Oct. 20, 2022).
  • r-Jr. WR Malik Rutherford caught a pass for the 23rd-consecutive game, the ninth-longest streak in Georgia Tech history.
  • Fr. TE Luke Harpring, who had one reception for 7 yards coming into the game, caught two passes for a team-high 36 yards.
In addition to Jamal Haynes’ 170 yards, quarterback Haynes King also had 107 yards on the ground for the Yellow Jackets. (Keith Lucas 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

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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.

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