ATLANTA — On a sweltering afternoon, Georgia Tech were haunted by ghosts of 2017, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Ahead by 10 points early in the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets were unable to protect the advantage in a 49-38 loss to South Florida on Saturday.
Tech (1-1) generated more than 600 yards of offense, but surrendered three fourth-quarter touchdown drives to USF after taking a 38-28 lead with 14:15 to play in the fourth quarter. It was an unpleasant reminder of the 2017 season, when the Jackets lost four games in which they held two-score leads en route to a 5-6 record.
USF (2-0) benefited from two kickoff returns for touchdowns on consecutive returns in the first quarter by Terrence Horne, tying an NCAA record for most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a game.
In a game played with temperatures in the high 80s with high humidity, Tech received a standout performance from backup quarterback Tobias Oliver, who came in for starter TaQuon Marshall after he left the game in the third quarter with a toe injury. Oliver, a redshirt freshman, finished that drive with a touchdown and led touchdown drives on the next two possessions as well, with the Jackets running on every play of all three possessions.
Marshall returned to convert a third-and-9 with a pass to A-back Clinton Lynch, but the drive ended with a fumble by A-back Qua Searcy on the USF 19.
Down 38-35, USF drove 88 yards in 10 plays, finishing the drive with a 19-yard run by quarterback Blake Barnett, to take a 42-38 lead. The Bulls never faced a third down in the possession.
On the ensuing possession, Marshall was intercepted on a third-and-20 play from the Tech 32-yard line when he was hit as he threw. The Bulls then put the game away by driving 18 yards for the final 49-38 advantage.
It was a frustrating result for Tech, which devoted much of its offseason to finding ways to ensure that this fate would not befall them again.
Tech lost B-back KirVonte Benson in the first half with a lower-body injury. The Jackets also had two players disqualified for targeting: safety Tariq Carpenter and linebacker David Curry. As Curry’s penalty occurred in the second half, he will miss the first half of Tech’s game next week, its season opener at Pittsburgh.
This story was written by Ken Sugiura for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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