THE FLATS – Georgia Tech quarterback Jeff Sims and running back Jahmyr Gibbs highlighted strong individual performances with career milestones but it wasn’t enough for the Yellow Jackets in a 26-17 loss to Virginia Tech on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Sims threw for two scores and surpassed 3,000 passing yards for his career, while Sims ran for 113 yards, amassed 161 total yards from scrimmage and went over 2,000 all-purpose yards for his career in the defeat. Sims needed just 16 career games to become the 12th passer in Georgia Tech history with 3,000 career yards while Gibbs needed only 15 games to accumulate 2,000 all-purpose yards. Both are still freshmen eligibility-wise.
After Virginia Tech raced out to a 14-7 first-quarter lead, the Yellow Jackets kept the Hokies out of the end zone for the final three periods. However, VT had three field goal drives of 64 yards or more and also took advantage of a turnover deep in GT territory to kick another field goal to fend off the Jackets.
Georgia Tech (3-5, 2-4 ACC) never led but cut a 20-7 halftime deficit to 23-17 on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Sims to Adonicas Sanders with just five seconds to go in the third quarter. On their next possession, the Jackets were threatening to take their first advantage but came up short on fourth-and-2 from the VT 12 yard line to allow the Hokies to maintain their six-point lead. On its ensuing drive, Virginia Tech marched 85 yards and milked 7:01 off the clock before taking a 26-17 lead on kicker John Parker Romo’s fourth field goal of the game, effectively ending hopes of a Yellow Jacket comeback by extending its advantage to two possessions with just 4:21 to go in the game.
Third and fourth downs played a critical role in the outcome, as Virginia Tech (4-4, 2-2 ACC) converted on 10-of-21 third- and fourth-down attempts, while the Yellow Jackets converted on just 4-of-15. The Hokies outgained Georgia Tech by a 333-170 margin in the first half, but the Jackets held a 196-158 yardage advantage after halftime, despite Virginia Tech possessing the ball for 19:30 after the break. For the game, the Hokies held a 35:48-24:12 advantage in time of possession.
Sims hit Kyric McGowan for a touchdown in the first quarter and Adonicas Sanders for a score in the third and finished with 243 yards of total offense (183 passing, 60 rushing). Sims’ 26-yard touchdown pass to McGowan on a fourth-and-4 play pushed the signal-caller over the 3,000-yard mark for career passing yards.
Gibbs gained his 113 rushing yards on just 11 carries and added 48 receiving yards on four catches (tied for the team lead with Sanders). Gibbs’ 61-yard rush in the third quarter marked the fourth-straight game that he has had a play of at least 61 yards from scrimmage.
Virginia Tech QB Braxton Burmeister was 15-of-25 through the air, passing for a pair of touchdowns. Seven of his completions went to Tre Turner for 187 yards, including a 69-yard catch-and-run for the Hokies’ first score of the game. Malachi Thomas ran 25 times for 103 yards to lead Virginia Tech on the ground.
The Yellow Jackets go back on the road next Saturday for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.. The game will be televised on the ACC’s Regional Sports Network, including Bally Sports South in Georgia.