October 31, 2020

No. 4 Notre Dame Tops Jackets

Final Stats (.pdf) | Final Stats (.html) | Postgame Notes | Multimedia | Photo Gallery

THE FLATS – True freshman Jahmyr Gibbs totaled 110 yards from scrimmage and junior Zamari Walton scored on the longest fumble return in Georgia Tech history, the Yellow Jackets could not hold off No. 4 Notre Dame in a 31-13 to the Fighting Irish on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

With Notre Dame (6-0, 5-0 ACC) up 7-0 early in the second quarter and driving to take a two-score lead, Georgia Tech defensive back Juanyeh Thomas stripped ND running back Kyren Williams to force a fumble that was picked up by Walton and returned 93 yards for a touchdown to knot the score at, 7-7. Wearing Tech’s throwback uniforms commemorating the Yellow Jackets’ “Black Watch” defense of the mid-1980s, Walton’s 93-yard fumble return broke the previous school record of 90 yards, set by Kofi Smith against Wake Forest in 1998.

Georgia Tech (2-5, 2-4 ACC) trailed 17-7 at halftime, but the Jackets came out firing with a big play, a 39-yard pass from Jeff Sims to Jalen Camp that moved the Jackets within striking distance of pulling within one score. However, one play later, Tech fumbled and the Irish recovered to squelch the Yellow Jackets’ scoring opportunity. ND went on two score on each of its next two possessions to take a commanding 31-7 lead.

The Jackets cut the deficit to 31-13 on a 1-yard touchdown run by Jordan Mason early in fourth quarter and recovered the ensuing onside kick. A 15-yard pass from Sims to Gibbs on the first play of the next series moved Tech back into Notre Dame territory, but the drive stalled and the scoring ended.

Gibbs finished with 61 yards on 14 carries, and added a team-high five catches for 49 yards. Sims completed 15 of his 26 passes for 150 yards, and Camp added three catches for 64 yards.

Quez Jackson led Georgia Tech’s defensive effort with 11 total tackles.

Georgia Tech heads into its second bye week of the season, and returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 14 to face Pittsburgh at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Game time and broadcast information will be announced on Monday.

Zamari Walton’s school-record 93-yard fumble return for a touchdown pulled Georgia Tech even with Notre Dame in the second quarter

Team Notes

Georgia Tech enters its second bye week of the season at 2-5 overall and 2-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
4/4 Notre Dame moved to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in ACC play.
Georgia Tech fell to 0-3 this season against top 15-ranked opponents. The Yellow Jackets are 2-2 against all other opponents.
Georgia Tech fell to 6-29-1 all-time against Notre Dame.
Georgia Tech’s 93-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Jr. CB Zamari Walton in the second quarter was the longest fumble return in school history (prev.: 90 by Kofi Smith vs. Wake Forest – Nov. 21, 1998).
The fumble return for a touchdown was Georgia Tech’s first since DL Ja’Quon Griffin recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown at Miami (Fla.) on Oct. 19 of last season.
For the second-straight week, Georgia Tech recovered an onside kick (fourth quarter).

Individual Notes

RB Jahmyr Gibbs had 61 rushing yards, marking the fifth time in six career games that he had at least 60 rushing yards.
Gibbs also caught 5 passes for 49 yards, giving him 110 all-purpose yards. He has topped 90 all-purpose yards in all six games of his career and has 100 or more all-purpose yards in 5-of-6 games.
WR Jalen Camp’s 64 receiving yards were a season high (prev.: 59 vs. Clemson, Oct. 17), his most ever against a Power Five conference opponent (prev.: 59 vs. Clemson, Oct. 17) and his third-most in any game overall (career high: 71 vs. The Citadel, Sept. 14, 2019).
LB Quez Jackson had a career high 11 tackles (prev. 9 – four times, last at Boston College – last Saturday)
DB Zamari Walton’s fumble recovery that he returned 93 yards for a touchdown was the first fumble recovery of his career.
DB Juanyeh Thomas’ forced fumble on Walton’s fumble recovery was his first of the season and second of his career.