Jackets Demolish VMI, 59-7Jackets Demolish VMI, 59-7
Football

Jackets Demolish VMI, 59-7

Georgia Tech moves to 3-1 on the season

Box Score

THE FLATS – Georgia Tech rolled up 572 yards of total offense and scored its most points in nearly six years on Saturday afternoon when the Yellow Jackets routed VMI, 59-7, at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field.

With the win, Georgia Tech moved to 3-1 on the season, good for its best start since 2017. The Jackets scored their most points in a game since a 66-31 win over Louisville, their opponent next week, on Oct. 5, 2018.

After a punt on their opening offensive series, the Yellow Jackets scored on nine of 11 possessions, reaching the end zone on eight of those. Tech made 30 first downs in the game to just five for VMI, setting a program record with the plus-25 first-down margin. Four of the Keydets’ five first downs came on their lone scoring drive of the game in the fourth quarter.

Tech built a 38-0 halftime lead behind quarterback Haynes King, who completed 17-of-22 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns in just one half of action, and extended its lead to 52-0 at the end of three periods before the Keydets were able to get on the scoreboard. The final two quarters of the game were shortened to 10 minutes each due to a halftime agreement between Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key and his VMI counterpart, Danny Rocco.

Backup QBs Zach Pyron and Aaron Philo saw action and combined to go 6-of-10 for 107 yards and one score as the Yellow Jackets accumulated 382 yards through the air. Pyron was also integral in the Jackets’ 38-point first half, as he came on to score on a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs.

Twelve Tech receivers caught passes, led by Eric Singleton, Jr., with five receptions for 102 yards (the second 100-yard game of his young career), Malik Rutherford with four for 50 yards and Chase Lane with two for 54 yards.

Nine players accounted for the Jackets’ 190 yards on the ground, led by true freshman Trelain Maddox, who gained 53 yards and scored a touchdown in his collegiate debut.

Defensively, VMI’s seven points were the fewest scored against Tech since the Yellow Jackets’ 41-0 win over Alcorn State to open the 2018 season. The Keydets (0-3) netted just 12 yards on the ground and 104 overall, averaging 2.2 yards on 47 plays.

Georgia Tech (1-1 in ACC play) returns to Atlantic Coast Conference play next Saturday when it visits No. 19/21 Louisville (2-0, 0-0 ACC) for a pivotal league matchup. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Louisville’s L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN or ESPN2.

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So. WR Eric Singleton caught five passes for 102 yards, good for the second 100-yard game of his young career, in Georgia Tech’s 59-7 rout over VMI. (Danny Karnik photo)

 

 

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

  • Georgia Tech moved to 3-1 on the season, its best start since 2017.
  • Georgia Tech is 2-0 at home for the first time since 2017.
  • The win is Georgia Tech’s fourth in its last five games overall, dating back to last season’s Gasparilla Bowl victory over UCF. It marks the first time that Georgia Tech has had four wins in any five-game stretch since it won four in a row from Oct. 25-Nov. 17, 2018.
  • Georgia Tech moved to 15-1 all-time versus VMI with its sixth-straight win over the Keydets. The Yellow Jackets’ only loss in the series, which dates back to 1914, was a 14-13 defeat on Nov. 11, 1950.
  • Georgia Tech moved to 10-1 under head coach Brent Key in games that followed an in-season loss.
  • Georgia Tech has not lost consecutive games since losses to Virginia and Florida State on Oct. 20 and 29, 2022.
  • After Georgia Tech led 38-0 at halftime, the third and fourth quarters were shortened to 10-minute periods.
  • VMI’s seven points were the fewest allowed by Georgia Tech since a 41-0 win over Alcorn State on Sept. 1, 2018.
  • The 52-point margin of victory was the 10th-largest in Georgia Tech’s modern history (post-1950) and the Yellow Jackets’ largest since a 65-10 win over Tulane on Sept. 12, 2015.
  • Georgia Tech outgained VMI, 572-104, including a 363-35 margin in the first half.
  • Georgia Tech had 30 first downs, compared to five for VMI. The 25 first-down margin was the largest in program history, breaking the previous record of 22 (28-6) versus Texas A&M on Sept. 17, 1966.
  • VMI’s five first downs tied for the second-fewest that Georgia Tech has surrendered in a game in program history and the fewest since Miami (Fla.) had five first downs against the Yellow Jackets on Sept. 26, 1964.
  • Georgia Tech’s 382 passing yards ranks sixth in program history and is the most since the program record of 486 versus Virginia on Nov. 10, 2001.
  • Georgia Tech limited VMI Sr. RB Hunter Rice, a first-team all-Southern Conference selection with 1,633 career rushing yards coming into the game, to just 10 yards on seven carries.
  • Georgia Tech’s 38 first-half points were tied for the 10th-most points in any half in program history and were the most since the Yellow Jackets scored 48 points in the first half vs. Alcorn State on Sept. 3, 2015.
  • Georgia Tech’s 38-0 halftime lead was tied for the sixth-largest halftime lead in program history and was the Yellow Jackets’ largest since it led Alcorn State 48-0 at halftime on Sept. 3, 2015.
  • Georgia Tech’s five touchdowns in the first half were tied for the 10th-most in a half in program history and were the Yellow Jackets’ most since they scored five TDs in the second half vs. Louisville on Oct. 9, 2020.
  • Georgia Tech’s 363 yards of total offense in the first half were the 11th-most in any half in program history and were the Yellow Jackets’ most since they had 364 yards in the second half vs. Tennessee on Sept. 4, 2017.

Individual Notes

  • r-Jr. QB Haynes King passed for 275 yards and three touchdowns in just one half of action (he did not play in the second half). It was the fifth time in King’s 17 games as a Yellow Jacket that he has had at least three touchdown passes.
  • r-So. QB Zach Pyron had a career-high two rushing touchdowns (both from 1 yard out in the first half). He had previously scored one touchdown on the ground in three different games (last: vs. Florida State – Aug. 24).
  • Pyron’s 24-yard touchdown pass to r-Jr. WR Leo Blackburn in the third quarter was the fourth TD pass of Pyron’s career (first since Nov. 12, 2022 vs. Miami (Fla.)) and Blackburn’s second career TD reception (first since Oct. 8, 2022 vs. Duke).
  • Making his collegiate debut, true Fr. RB Trelain Maddox rushed for a game-high 53 yards on nine carries.
  • So. WR Eric Singleton Jr. recorded the second-career 100-yard receiving game with 102 yards on five receptions (prev.: 117 yards vs. North Carolina – Oct. 28, 2023).
  • r-Jr. DB Ahmari Harvey’s forced fumble in the first quarter was the second of his career (prev.: vs. North Carolina – Oct. 28, 2023).
  • Jr. DB Clayton Powell-Lee’s fumble recovery in the first quarter was the fourth of his career (last: vs. Georgia – Nov. 26, 2022).
  • True Fr. LB Tah’j Butler’s team-high five tackles were a career high (prev.: 2 vs. Florida State – Aug. 24).
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Georgia Tech’s defense throttled VMI, surrendering just 104 yards of offense (2.2 yards per play) and five first downs. (Danny Karnik 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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