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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Georgia Tech pushed Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division leader Virginia to the brink but dropped a hard-fought 33-28 decision to the Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon at Scott Stadium.
Thanks to two touchdown passes and a scoring run by quarterback James Graham, Georgia Tech led 7-0, 14-7 and 21-17 in a back-and-forth first half. Virginia pulled ahead 33-21 early in the fourth quarter but the Yellow Jackets pulled within 33-28 on an 8-yard touchdown run by Jordan Mason with 5:30 to go in the ballgame. However, UVA was able to run out the clock to hold on for the five-point win, its smallest margin of victory in five games this season at home, where the Cavaliers are 5-0.
Graham had a career day for the Yellow Jackets, completing 15-of-22 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns (a 59-yarder to true freshman Ahmarean Brown and a 25-yarder to sophomore Malachi Carter). The 229 passing yards were a career high for the redshirt freshman, while his 15 completions and two touchdown passes matched career bests.
Mason added 94 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Junior linebacker David Curry and sophomore defensive back Juanyeh Thomas led an undermanned Georgia Tech defense with nine tackles apiece. The Yellow Jackets were playing without four defensive student-athletes that have started multiple games this season — junior defensive lineman Antwan Owens, junior defensive lineman Chris Martin, sophomore defensive back Kaleb Oliver and junior linebacker Bruce Jordan-Swilling.
Georgia Tech returns home for its final three games of the season, beginning with next Saturday’s ACC Coastal showdown versus Virginia Tech. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium (tickets).
Jack DeFoor (78), Ahmarean Brown (10) and Jordan Mason (27) celebrate Brown’s 59-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive of Saturday’s battle at Virginia.
Postgame Notes
Team
- Georgia Tech set season highs for points (28) and yards (372) in regulation (prev.: 21 and 354 at Miami, Oct. 19).
- Georgia Tech also set season highs for points in a first quarter with 14 (prev.: 14 at Miami, Oct. 19) and in a first half with 21 (prev.: 21 at Miami). The 14 and 21 points were the Yellow Jackets’ most offensive points in an opening quarter and half this season (its first TD at Miami came on a fumble recovery).
- Georgia Tech also set season highs for yards in a first quarter with 132 (prev.: 111 at Temple, Sept. 28) and in a first half with 263 (prev.: 168 at Duke, Oct. 12).
- Georgia Tech’s 59-yard touchdown pass from r-Fr. QB James Graham to Fr. WR Ahmarean Brown on the first series of the game was the Yellow Jackets’ longest play of the season (prev.: 54-yard pass from So. QB Tobias Oliver to Jr. RB Jerry Howard Jr., Aug. 29 at Clemson).
- Georgia Tech played without four student-athletes on defense that have made multiple starts on defense this season – DL Antwan Owens (seven starts), DL Chris Martin (6), DB Kaleb Oliver (5) and LB Bruce Jordan-Swilling (2).
- The margin of victory (five points) was Virginia’s smallest this season at home, where it is 5-0.
Individual Notes
- Georgia Tech Fr. WR Ahmarean Brown’s 59-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was his fifth touchdown catch of the season, which are the most touchdown receptions by a Georgia Tech freshman (true or redshirt) since Calvin Johnson had seven as a true freshman in 2004.
- The 59-yard touchdown catch was the longest reception of Brown’s career (prev.: 51 vs. Pitt, last Saturday).
- Georgia Tech r-Fr. QB James Graham threw for a career-high 229 yards (prev.: 206 at Duke, Oct. 12). His 229 passing yards were the most by a Yellow Jacket since Justin Thomas threw for 264 yards against Duke on Oct. 29, 2016. It was also the most passing yards in a road game by a Yellow Jacket since Thomas threw for 251 yards at Virginia on Oct. 31, 2015.
- Graham matched a career-high with 15 completed passes (prev.: 15 at Duke, Oct. 12), which is tied for the most completions by a Yellow Jacket in a game since Taylor Bennett completed 22 passes at Maryland on Oct. 6, 2007.
- Graham’s two touchdown passes give him eight for the season, which are the most TD passes by a Georgia Tech freshman since Reggie Ball threw for 10 touchdowns as a true freshman in 2003.
- The 59-yard touchdown pass to Brown was the longest pass of Graham’s career (prev.: 51 vs. Pitt, last Saturday).
- Tobias Oliver set career highs with four receptions (prev.: 2 at Miami, Oct. 19) and 57 receiving yards (prev.: 11 at Miami).
- TE Tyler Davis had 54 receiving yards, his most since transferring to Georgia Tech prior to this season (prev.: 29 at Duke, Oct. 12).
- R-Fr. DL Jordan Domineck had a career-high seven tackles (prev.: 4 at USF, Sept. 8, 2018).
- R-Fr. DB Myles Sims had a career-high four tackles (prev.: 2 vs. North Carolina, Oct. 5).
- DE Sylvain Youndjouen made his first-career start.
Malachi Carter hauls in an acrobatic 25-yard touchdown catch that gave Georgia Tech a 21-17 lead late in the second quarter on Saturday at Virginia.
Multimedia
Fox Sports South Highlights (Video)
James Graham impressed @GeorgiaTechFB's coaching staff last week. @KelsWingert explains why: pic.twitter.com/UTXaZQLQws
— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) November 9, 2019
SPEEEED ⏩@Ahmarean2 flies to the endzone for @GeorgiaTechFB. pic.twitter.com/nPPp5OXC4Y
— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) November 9, 2019
Good company for @Ahmarean2 👇 pic.twitter.com/KJSi59uCBb
— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) November 9, 2019
Malachi Carter with the HANDS. 😳@GeorgiaTechFB // #404theCULTURE pic.twitter.com/3QyJiOSKhh
— FOX Sports South (@FOXSportsSouth) November 9, 2019
ACC Digital Network Highlights (Video)
Georgia Tech Sports Network from Learfield IMG College Highlights (Audio)
TOUCHDOWN JACKETS!!! @Grahm_4 ➡️ @Ahmarean2 for the 59 yard @GeorgiaTechFB 🙌#404theCULTURE https://t.co/J9eNh5mkEY
— Learfield IMG College Audio (@IMGAudio) November 9, 2019
Head Coach Geoff Collins Postgame Press Conference (Audio)
