Oct. 14, 2017
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SCHEDULE NOTE: The ACC announced late Saturday evening that next Saturday’s homecoming game versus Wake Forest will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) Darrell Langham made another miracle happen, a 28-yard catch on a tipped fourth-down ball keeping desperate Miami’s drive alive and setting up Michael Badgley’s 24-yard field goal with 4 seconds left as the 11th-ranked Hurricanes somehow rallied to stun Georgia Tech 25-24 on Saturday.
Langham – who had the winning catch to beat Florida State in the final seconds last week – pulled off a similar grab to get Miami to the Georgia Tech 15, and Badgley’s chip-shot came four snaps later as the Hurricanes (5-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) stretched their longest winning streak in more than a decade to 10 games.
Travis Homer rushed for 170 yards and had two scores – one rushing, one receiving for Miami, which escaped when Georgia Tech’s five-lateral attempt at a kickoff return was stopped as time expired.
”It was lucky that we got the tip and it landed in his arms,” Miami coach Mark Richt said. ”He’s been Mr. Clutch.”
Lamont Simmons ran a botched onside kick back 42 yards for a touchdown and J.J. Green scored twice for Georgia Tech (3-2, 2-1).
The Hurricanes were driving inside the Georgia Tech 30 with a minute left, then were knocked back 15 yards when Dionte Mullins was called for a chop block and backed Miami up to the 44.
No matter.
For the second straight week, Miami found a way in the waning moments. And it came on a day where Miami looked many times like it was botching it away.
Down 14-3 early, Miami found some life going into halftime. Malik Rosier connected with Homer on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 12 seconds left before intermission to pull the Hurricanes within 14-13.
But a big blunder on the first play of the second half put Miami back in trouble, when Badgley’s onside kick was picked up by Simmons and turned into an easy touchdown that gave the Yellow Jackets breathing room.
Georgia Tech, though, got nothing going offensively in the second half. The Yellow Jackets came into the day averaging 396 yards on the ground – they had 54 in the second half on Saturday.
And Miami had just enough time at the end to stay perfect.
THE TAKEAWAY
Georgia Tech: KirVonte Benson was lost during the game to a lower extremity injury, and limited to 40 yards on seven carries. … The Yellow Jackets were outgained 481-281. … Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson fell to 2-15 against Richt.
Miami: It was Miami’s first time pulling off a double-digit comeback since rallying past Wake Forest in 2013 – they had lost 18 such games in a row. … Linebacker Michael Pinckey left in the first half with a chest injury, and WR Ahmmon Richards didn’t play. … Miami now leads the all-time series between the schools 12-11.
RING OF HONOR
Miami put Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis and Sean Taylor in its ring of honor during a halftime ceremony. Irvin (2007) and Sapp (2013) got in the Pro Football Hall of Fame before they made their school’s ring of honor.
UP NEXT
Georgia Tech: Host Wake Forest on Oct. 21, time TBA
Miami: Host Syracuse on Oct. 21 at 3:30 p.m.
Postgame Notes
Team
- Georgia Tech dropped to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in ACC play while Miami (5-0, 3-0 ACC) took sole possession of first place in the ACC Coastal Division.
- The loss was only Georgia Tech’s second in its last nine games and third in its last 12 contests.
- The win was Miami’s 10th-straight.
- The loss was Georgia Tech’s third-straight overall to Miami and its fifth-straight road loss to the Hurricanes. • Georgia Tech fell to 63-9 under head coach Paul Johnson when leading after three quarters (the Yellow Jackets led 24-16 at the end of the third period).
- Both of Georgia Tech’s losses this season have come by just one point (42-41 in double overtime to No. 25/24 Tennessee on Sept. 4, 25-24 on Saturday to No. 11/10 Miami).
- Jr. DB Lamont Simmons’ 42-yard return of Miami’s onside-kick attempt to open the second half was Georgia Tech’s first kickoff return for a touchdown since J.J. Green returned a kick 96 yards for a score on Oct. 8, 2016 at Pittsburgh.
Individual
- With a season-high 71 rushing yards on just five carries (14.2 avg.), Jr. AB Clinton Lynch became the 47th student-athlete in Georgia Tech history and the 15th in 10 seasons under head coach Paul Johnson to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his career. Lynch finished the game with 1,015 career rushing yards.
- Georgia Tech Sr. AB J.J. Green scored on a five-yard run and a three-yard pass in the first half, marking the second time in two seasons as a Yellow Jacket that Green has scored twice in a game (Oct. 8, 2016 at Pittsburgh – 96-yard kickoff return, 10-yard kickoff return).
- Green’s five-yard touchdown run was the first rushing touchdown by a Georgia Tech A-back since Qua Searcy’s game-winning six-yard run versus Georgia on Nov. 26, 2016.
- Georgia Tech Jr. DB Lamont Simmons scored the first touchdown of his career on a 42-yard kickoff return that followed Miami’s onside-kick attempt to open the second half.
Multimedia
Head Coach Paul Johnson Postgame Press Conference
Georgia Tech IMG Sports Network Audio Highlights
ACC Digital Network Video Highlights
