Yellow Jackets Race Past Virginia, 45-17Yellow Jackets Race Past Virginia, 45-17
Football

Yellow Jackets Race Past Virginia, 45-17

Jackets record consecutive wins for first time this season and pocket third road win

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the second-straight week, Georgia Tech totaled more than 500 yards of offense, including 300-plus on the ground, as the Yellow Jackets cruised to a 45-17 win at Virginia on Saturday afternoon.

Combined with last Saturday’s 46-42 victory over No. 17 North Carolina, Georgia Tech (5-4, 4-2 ACC) snapped a season-long string of alternating losses and wins and moved above .500 for the first time after the first game of a season since 2018. The Yellow Jackets also clinched a .500 record or better in Atlantic Coast Conference play for the second year in a row and 25th time in the last 29 seasons. It was the Jackets’ fifth-straight ACC road win, dating back to last season.

Unlike last Saturday’s barnburner versus UNC, Georgia Tech seized control of Saturday’s game at UVA early and never looked back. After the Cavaliers took an early 7-0 lead, the Yellow Jackets scored the game’s next 24 points and took a commanding 24-10 advantage into the locker room at halftime. The Jackets kept their foot on the pedal after the break, scoring the first 14 points of the second half to extend their lead to 38-10 before the teams exchanged touchdowns midway through the fourth quarter to close out the scoring.

A week after amassing 635 total yards and 348 yards on the ground against UNC, the Jackets finished with 514 total yards, including 305 on the ground, in Saturday’s win. It marked the first time since 2018 that the Jackets have recorded 500-plus yards of total offense and 300-plus rushing yards in consecutive games.

Quarterback Haynes King once again led the way for Tech offensively, finishing with 291 yards of total offense (208 on 23-of-30 passing and 83 on just seven rushes) and three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing).

Jamal Haynes led three Yellow Jackets with 75 or more rushing yards, racking up a career-high 119 yards on 17 carries (7.0 avg.). Dontae Smith added 78 yards on the ground and a pair of scores.

True freshman wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. led with five receptions and 80 receiving yards. His 58-yard touchdown catch early in the second half was his sixth of the season, which pulled him within one touchdown reception of the Georgia Tech freshman record of seven, currently held by Ahmarean Brown (2019) and Calvin Johnson (2004).

Defensively, senior safety Jaylon King stuffed the stat sheet with seven tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups, while redshirt freshman linebacker Kyle Efford recorded a team- and career-high 10 tackles.

Behind Jaylon King’s two takeaways, a first-quarter interception by senior cornerback Myles Sims and Tech’s offense not turning the ball over at all, the Jackets owned a plus-three turnover margin.

Georgia Tech returns to action next Saturday at Clemson. Game time and television arrangements will be announced on Sunday.

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Haynes King completed 23-of-30 passing attempts for 208 yards and owned two rushing touchdowns in the win. (Keith Lucas photo).

 

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

  • Georgia Tech moved to 5-4 on the season and 4-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
  • Virginia fell to 2-7 overall (1-4 ACC).
  • The win snapped Georgia Tech’s season-long streak of alternating losses and wins, and gives the Yellow Jackets consecutive wins for the first time since victories over No. 24 Pitt (26-21) and Duke (23-20 in OT on Oct. 1 and 8, 2022.
  • With the win, Georgia Tech is guaranteed to finish .500 or better in ACC play for the second-straight season and 25th time in the last 29 seasons.
  • With at least three games still to play, Georgia Tech has already matched its best win total in the last five seasons (Tech finished 5-7 last season).
  • Georgia Tech is over .500 later than one game into a season for the first time since it finished 7-6 in 2018.
  • Georgia Tech snapped a three-game overall losing streak versus Virginia and a four-game skid at UVA’s Scott Stadium.
  • The win was Georgia Tech’s first at Virginia since 2013 and only its third victory in 16 games at Scott Stadium since the Yellow Jackets’ historic 41-38 triumph over top-ranked Virginia in 1990. The Jackets moved to 5-14-1 all-time at UVA.
  • The 28-point margin of victory was Georgia Tech’s largest in an ACC game since a 66-31 win at Louisville on Oct. 5, 2018.
  • Georgia Tech finished with 514 yards of total offense, one week after amassing 635 total yards in last Saturday’s 46-42 win over No. 17 North Carolina. It marks the first time that Tech has totaled 500 yards of offense in consecutive games since it totaled 532 and 554 yards vs. Bowling Green and at Louisville on Sept. 29 and Oct. 5, 2018.
  • Georgia Tech rushed for 305 yards as a team, one week after rushing for 348 in last Saturday’s win over No. 17 North Carolina. It marks the first time that Tech has rushed for 300 yards in consecutive games since rushing for 465 and 461 yards at Virginia Tech and North Carolina on Oct. 25 and Nov. 3, 2018, respectively.
  • Prior to rushing for 300 yards in each of the last two games, Georgia Tech only had one 300-yard rushing game in its previous 57 contests (377 yds. vs. Duke – Nov. 28, 2020).
  • Georgia Tech has rushed for at least 200 yards in three-consecutive games (248 vs. Boston College – Oct. 21; 348 vs. North Carolina – last Saturday; 305 at Virginia – today), which marks the first time that the Yellow Jackets have rushed for 200 yards in three-straight games since Nov. 3-17, 2018 (461 at North Carolina – Nov. 3; 230 vs. Miami – Nov. 10; 268 vs. Virginia – Nov. 17).
  • Georgia Tech had 10 different players with a reception, which matches a season high (prev.: 10 at No. 17 Ole Miss – Sept. 23).
  • Georgia Tech forced three turnovers and moved to 4-0 on the season when forcing multiple turnovers in a game.

 

Individual Notes

  • r-So. RB Jamal Haynes’ had a career-night 119 rushing yards (prev.: 113 vs. South Carolina State – Sept. 9). It was the second 100-yard rushing game of the season and his career.
  • Fr. WR Eric Singleton Jr.’s 58-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was his sixth of the season, which is the third-most ever by a true freshman at Georgia Tech, just one shy of the Tech freshman record of seven, currently shared by Ahmarean Brown (2019) and Calvin Johnson (2004).
  • r-So. QB Haynes King’s became the first Georgia Tech QB with multiple rushing touchdowns in a game (2 and 34 yards, both in the second quarter) since Jeff Sims ran for three scores vs. North Carolina on Sept. 25, 2021.
  • r-Sr. DB Myles Sims’ interception in the first quarter was his first of the season and second of his career (prev.: Sept. 10, 2022 vs. Western Carolina).
  • r-Jr. DB Kenan Johnson’s forced fumble in the second quarter was his second of the season (prev.: Sept. 1 vs. Louisville and third of his career. r-Sr. DB Jaylon King’s recovery of the forced fumble was his second fumble recovery of the season (prev.: 9/23 at Wake Forest) and third of his career.
  • Jaylon King’s fourth quarter interception was his team-leading third of the season and the fourth of his career.
  • r-Fr. LB Kyle Efford’s 10 tackles were a career high (prev.: 7 vs. South Carolina – Sept. 9).
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Georgia Tech forced three turnovers – including this forced fumble by Kenan Johnson (10) and recovery by Jaylon King (14) – and moved to 4-0 on the season when forcing multiple turnovers in a game. (Keith Lucas photo).

 

Multimedia

Head Coach Brent Key Postgame Press Conference (Audio)

Coach Key Postgame Press Conference (Video)

Student-Athletes Postgame Press Conference (Video)

Radio Highlights (Georgia Tech Sports Network from Legends Sports)

Game Highlights (ACC Digital Network)

Condensed Game (ACC Digital Network)

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