Georgia Tech takes down Virginia in overtime

ATLANTA — Under the lights of Bobby Dodd Stadium, Georgia Tech’s compelling run through the second half of the season continued with a most unconventional victory.

Tech made use of a safety, a free kick returned for a touchdown, a strong second half from the defense after a miserable first two quarters, a touchdown drive abetted by another special-teams fumble recovery and four field goals from its walk-on freshman kicker – one with 1:04 left in regulation and the last in overtime – to claim a 30-27 overtime win over Virginia Saturday.

After starting the season 1-3, the Jackets won their sixth game out of the past seven and clinched a winning season regardless of bowl result. In the final home game of the season, Tech (7-4, 5-3 ACC) was far from flawless but received game-changing plays from the offense, defense and special teams to beat the Cavaliers for the fifth consecutive time at Grant Field.

It was undoubtedly a satisfying win for the Jackets, who lost in the final minutes to Virginia (7-4, 4-3) last fall in Charlottesville, Va., part of a season in which they repeatedly lost games in which one more play could have made the difference between victory and defeat.

Freshman kicker Wesley Wells, who was coach Paul Johnson’s third option as his placekicker this season, provided the winning points with a 40-yard field goal in the opening possession of overtime. The kick stood up when Tech stopped the Cavaliers on their first three snaps and then kicker Brian Delaney’s try to extend overtime from 35 yards missed wide left.

Wells is now 8-for-8 on field goals this season and 35-for-35 on extra points. He had helped Tech get to overtime with a career-long 48-yard make with 1:04 left in regulation, which gave the Jackets a 27-24 lead. Virginia answered with a 32-yard field goal by Delaney with one second left in the fourth quarter.

Likely few if any other wins in Tech’s 126 seasons of play were reached in the manner of Saturday’s victory. The Jackets scored one touchdown on offense. The rest of the points were provided by a safety, a touchdown scored on the return of the free kick after that safety, two successful point-after conversion and Wells’ four field goals.

The game featured perhaps the most unusual sequence of the season in the first quarter. After punter Pressley Harvin pinned Virginia at the 1-yard line, linebacker Brant Mitchell chased down UVA quarterback Bryce Perkins in the end zone for a safety, Tech’s first since the 2015 Tulane game. The score cut Virginia’s lead to 7-5.

On the ensuing free kick, Juanyeh Thomas fielded Lester Coleman’s punt at the Tech 23-yard line, then rocketed through Virginia’s cover team for a 77-yard touchdown return to give the Jackets the lead at 11-7. Johnson then sent the offense onto the field for a two-point conversion try, which was successful when quarterback TaQuon Marshall ran it in for a 13-7 advantage.

Tech’s only offensive touchdown of the game was scored under similarly unusual circumstances.

Down 21-16 and having trouble moving the ball in the second half, the Jackets got a big break with a little more than five minutes left in the third quarter. Tech punted away from its 22-yard line after a three-and-out, but Harvin’s kick deflected off Virginia’s Darrius Bratton, a fumble that was recovered by Tech’s Victor Alexander at the Virginia 41.

Tech recovered fumbled punts in wins over Virginia Tech and Miami.

With new life, the Jackets plugged their way into the end zone, an 11-play, 41-yard touchdown drive in which the Jackets ran on all 11 plays and the longest gain was six yards. B-back Jerry Howard’s three-yard run on an option pitch followed by a two-point conversion score from A-back Clinton Lynch lifted the Jackets into a 24-21 lead with 12:30 to play in the fourth quarter.

Tech will play its final regular-season game Saturday against No. 5 Georgia in Athens.

This story was written by Ken Sugiura for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. 

Cox Media Group