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Defense Shines, But Jackets Fall at VT

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Final Stats Postgame Notes Multimedia Photo Gallery

BLACKSBURG, Va. – Georgia Tech outgained Virginia Tech by a whopping 356-233 margin, but managed just two field goals in a 21-6 loss to the Hokies on Saturday at Lane Stadium.

Playing without starting quarterback Haynes King, who missed his second-straight game due to injury, Georgia Tech (5-4, 3-3 ACC) kicked field goals on two of its first four possessions, but was held off the board the rest of the way.

Defensively, Tech played perhaps its best game of the season. The Yellow Jackets limited Virginia Tech (5-3, 3-1 ACC) to 233 yards, 124 below the Hokies’ season average, and nearly 100 below their previous low output of the year (330 vs. Rutgers on Sept. 21). The 233 yards were the fewest that the Jackets surrendered to an NCAA Division I FBS opponent in nearly a decade, dating back to holding Clemson to 190 yards in a 28-6 win on Nov. 15, 2014.

It was also the fewest yards that the Jackets have allowed away from home since it held USC to 205 in the 2012 Sun Bowl (a 21-7 GT win) and the fewest they’ve surrendered in a true road game since they allowed just 198 yards in a 34-9 win at Virginia on Oct. 24, 2009.

Georgia Tech also held Virginia Tech – the Atlantic Coast Conference’s top rushing team coming in at 209.3 yards per game – to just 99 yards on the ground. VT running back Bhayshul Tuten, who was the nation’s leading rusher with 871 yards coming into the game, managed just 79 yards.

Tech racked up a season-high 11 tackles for loss, including two-and-a-half from senior defensive end Sylvain Yondjouen. Defensive end Romello Height chipped in with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble for the Yellow Jackets’ defense, which was playing without its leading tackler, linebacker Kyle Efford, who also missed a second-straight game due to injury.

However, the Jackets’ offense could not take advantage of the defensive effort, as they were held without a touchdown for the first time since a 42-0 loss to Ole Miss on Sept. 17, 2022.

A bright spot for the Yellow Jackets offensively was true freshman quarterback Aaron Philo, who threw for 184 yards in a little more than a quarter of work after entering the contest late in third period. In the first significant action of his career, Philo gave the offense a spark, leading the Jackets to 211 total yards in five series and driving them into Virginia Tech territory three times before each of the possessions stalled out as Tech tried to rally from a 15-point deficit.

Sophomore WR Eric Singleton, Jr. had a game-high 90 receiving yards on five catches while junior wideout Malik Rutherford led all players with six receptions.

Georgia Tech, which combined with last Saturday’s 31-13 loss to No. 12/11 Notre Dame has lost consecutive games for the first time in two years, also saw its four-game winning streak at Virginia Tech snapped. The Yellow Jackets fell just one win short of becoming only the second visiting program to ever record five-straight victories at VT’s Lane Stadium but remain one of only two teams to win as many a four in a row at the formidable venue (joining Clemson, who won five-consecutive games at Lane Stadium from 1977-95).

The Yellow Jackets have their second open week of the season before returning to action on Saturday, Nov. 9 against currently undefeated No. 6/5-ranked Miami (Fla.) at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Kickoff time, which is currently TBA, could be announced by the ACC and its television partners as soon as Monday, Oct. 28.

Defensive ends Sylvain Yondjouen (32) and Romello Height (9) and combined for two sacks, four TFL, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and two pass breakups on Saturday at Virginia Tech. (Keith Lucas photo)

 

 

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

  • Georgia Tech fell to 5-4 overall and 3-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, while Virginia Tech moved to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in ACC play.
  • Georgia Tech has lost back-to-back games for the first time since Oct. 20 and 29, 2022, when it dropped consecutive decisions at Florida State (41-16) and vs. Virginia (16-9).
  • Saturday’s loss snapped Georgia Tech’s streak of 11-consecutive wins in games following a defeat.
  • Georgia Tech fell to 11-2 in games that follow a defeat under head coach Brent Key.
  • The loss snapped Georgia Tech’s four-game winning streak at Virginia Tech (2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022). The Yellow Jackets remain one of only two visiting teams that have won four-straight games at VT’s Lane Stadium since it opened in 1965 (joining Clemson, who won five in a row at VT from 1977-95.)
  • Georgia Tech fell to 8-12 all-time against Virginia Tech, including a 4-5 record at VT.
  • Georgia Tech outgained Virginia Tech by a 356-233 margin.
  • Virginia Tech’s 233 yards were more than 124 below the Hokies’ season average (357.4) and 87 fewer than their previous low output of the year (320 vs. Rutgers – Sept. 21).
  • The 233 yards were the fewest that Georgia Tech has allowed against an NCAA Division I FBS opponent since holding Clemson to 190 in a 28-6 win on Nov. 15, 2014.
  • The 233 yards were the fewest that Georgia Tech has allowed away from home since it held USC to 205 in the 2012 Sun Bowl (a 21-7 Georgia Tech win on Dec. 31, 2012).
  • The 233 yards were the fewest that Georgia Tech has allowed in a true road game since it held Virginia to 198 in a 34-9 win on Oct. 24, 2009.
  • Georgia Tech’s defense limited Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten, the nation’s No. 7-leading rusher with 871 yards on the season coming in to Saturday’s game, to just 78 yards on 17 carries, 46 yards below his season average of 124.4 rushing yards per game.
  • Georgia Tech’s 11 tackles for loss were a season high (prev.: 10 vs. VMI – Sept. 14) and its most since it had 12 at North Carolina on Nov. 19, 2022.
  • Georgia Tech’s block of a Virginia Tech field goal attempt in the third quarter was the Yellow Jackets’ fifth blocked kick of the season, which moves them into a tie with Florida State for the most blocked kicks in the nation this season.
  • The blocked kick was Georgia Tech’s 12th in 30 games since Key took over as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach in 2022. The Yellow Jackets’ 12 blocked kicks since Oct. 1, 2022 (their first game under Key) are the most in the nation during that span.
  • Georgia Tech has blocked 36 kicks since the beginning of the 2013 season, which is tied with Army West Point for most in the nation during that span.
  • Georgia Tech’s six points were fewest in a game since a 42-0 loss to Ole Miss on Sept. 17, 2022 (which was also the Yellow Jackets’ last game without a touchdown).
  • Georgia Tech was once again playing without starting QB Haynes King and starting LB Kyle Efford, its leading tackler, who both missed their second-straight game due to injury.

Individual Notes

  • RT Jordan Williams made his 49th-career start, which is the most ever by a Georgia Tech offensive lineman, breaking the previous record of 48, which was held by current Georgia Tech Sports Network radio analyst Andrew Gardner (48 – 2005-08).
  • r-Jr. WR Malik Rutherford (six rec., 53 yds.) caught a pass for the 24th-straight game, which moved him to a tie with Jerry Mays (24 – 1986-89) and Dez White (24 – 1997-99) for the seventh-longest streak of consecutive games with a reception in Georgia Tech history.
  • DL Zeek Biggers’ field goal block in the third quarter was his second blocked kick of the season (prev.: FG at Syracuse – Sept. 7) and fourth of his career (prior to 2024: FG at Ole Miss – Sept. 16, 2023 and FG vs. Virginia – Oct. 20, 2022).
  • True Fr. QB Aaron Philo saw the first significant action of his career when he entered the game in the third quarter. In less than a half of play, he threw for 184 yards.
  • WR Eric Singleton, Jr. caught four passes for 90 yards, his second-highest yardage total of the season (season high: 102 vs. VMI – Sept. 14) and fourth-highest of his career (career high: 117 vs. North Carolina – Oct. 28, 2023).
In the first significant action of his career, true freshman Aaron Philo threw for 184 yards in just over a quarter of work. (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 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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