Georgia Tech Football: Big Takeaways From Georgia Tech's Crushing Defeat to Bitter Rival Georgia In 8 OT

Georgia Tech dominated their rival Georgia through three quarters but couldn't quite finish the job

Georgia Tech WR Eric Singelton Jr / Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald USA Today Network

Georgia Tech falls short in a thrilling 8 OT contest and a game that will be talked about for a long time. Here are some key takeaways from an unbelievable Black Friday edition of Clean Old Fashioned Hate. 

Key Takeaways: 

1. Defense was great until the fourth quarter- The Yellow Jackets defense was humming throughout the first three quarters. They held Georgia to under 50 rushing yards and the Bulldogs to just six points. In the first half, the Georgia Tech defense forced two three-and-outs and also a turnover forced by Syeed Gibbs. They held Georgia to just 137 yards of total offense in the first half, and the Bulldogs had just 28 rushing yards in the first half. Then the struggles came as more of the defensive backs got banged up. The Yellow Jackets gave up 38 points in the 4th/OT period of the game and rarely had defensive stops when they needed them most. Carson Beck started gashing the reserve defensive backs and Georgia Tech couldn’t generate enough pressure to affect Beck and force a turnover. The Yellow Jackets did get close in the fourth quarter with a neat strip fumble against true freshman RB Nate Frazier, but as Omar Daniels ripped the ball away Frazier was down on the ground. It definitely would have changed the direction of the game as the Yellow Jackets could have taken more time off the clock. The defense has been much improved this season and deserves their praise, but in the last few weeks in the fourth quarter where attrition starts to set in, Georgia Tech has struggled. 

2.Haynes King is a warrior- Plain and simple. Critics will look at the fumble against Dan Jackson in the fourth quarter that jump-started the comeback for Georgia, but King was magnificent. It was his best game since suffering the AC Joint sprain injury against North Carolina. King went 26-36 for 303 yards and two touchdowns through the air. On the ground, he ran for 110 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He put his body on the line all night long and did everything he could to lead his team to victory. He is the toughest competitor you will run into on the football field. He’s established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC when he is healthy and has proven Georgia Tech has a chance in any game they play when he is at the helm.  

3. The Yellow Jackets offense couldn’t be stopped- Yes they lost the game but they put up numbers and gave the Georgia defense fits. In the first half, the Yellow Jackets had 157 rushing yards, 15 first downs, were 5-8 on third down, and were up 17-0 at the break. The offense kept scoring and putting up points finishing with 42 points (the most given up this season by Georgia) and 563 yards of total offense. Per Mike Flynn, the 563 total yards was the most allowed by Georgia since November 7th 2020 against Florida when they gave up 571 total yards. King was the most impactful player on the Yellow Jackets' offense, but several others chipped in. Jamal Haynes rushed for 91 yards on 13 carries. Haynes had an electric run on the first possession of the game squirting free for 44 yards and setting the tone for the game. Eric Singleton Jr finished with eight catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. His best play came on a 12-yard touchdown catch that extended the lead to double digits for the Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter. Singleton Jr was exceptional all night. 

4. Clayton Powell-Lee has another great performance- Powell-Lee made his presence felt in the first half against the Bulldogs and was all over the field. He was making play after play and was one of the reasons Georgia was held to just three points in the first half. He finished the first half with three tackles, a sack, and a tackle for a loss. He finished as the third-leading tackler on the team and finished with five tackles (four solo), a sack, and a tackle for loss. Another impressive performance from the junior safety who continues to captain a depleted secondary. When his team has needed him the most in big moments he has come up big time for the team. 

5. Georgia Tech 3rd quarter drive after Georgia touchdown- At the time it seemed like it was going to be a game-deciding drive for the Yellow Jackets. After Georgia scored a touchdown and had all the momentum, it was the Yellow Jackets' turn. Georgia Tech went on an 18-play 90-yard drive that took 10:36 off the clock. Aidan Birr knocked in a 23-yard field goal to make it a two-possession game early in the fourth quarter. The only thing missing was a touchdown, which would have dampened any hope the Bulldogs had in making a comeback attempt. Nonetheless, it was an impressive drive from Georgia Tech and a great answer after Georgia had all the momentum. 

6.Georgia Tech is not far off from being an elite program- The Yellow Jackets picked up a top-10 win against No. 10 Florida State to begin the season. Florida State didn’t have a good season but it still was a massive win. The Yellow Jackets upset then No. 4 Miami at home in a game they controlled throughout and had a lot of people questioning the legitimacy of the Hurricanes. Surely Georgia would beat their rivals handily and cruise to the SEC Championship game? Wrong! Georgia Tech dominated the game through three quarters and made Georgia go to 8 overtimes just to knock them off. Even coach Kirby Smart praised head coach Brent Key and the program. 

“They got a really good football team, a really physical football team. Georgia Tech really out-physicaled us tonight. Their QB is a dang warrior and I have so much respect for the way Brent Key and them play,” said Smart per ACC Network. 

Nothing but respect for @GeorgiaTechFB from Kirby Smart 🤝 pic.twitter.com/z3jSSV0lhS

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 30, 2024

We’ve seen throughout the season the changing of the guard and how different the Yellow Jackets program is. They are headed in the right direction and have proven that by clinching back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2013 and 2014 after having one of the toughest schedules in college football this season. You better buy your Georgia Tech stock now because they are no longer coming… They are here.

Additional Links:

Georgia Tech Football: Brent Key Shares His Message to The Team After Eight Overtime Loss to Georgia

Georgia Tech Football: Everything From Brent Key After Yellow Jackets Eight Overtime Loss to Georgia

Georgia Tech Head Coach Brent Key Calls Eight-Overtime Loss to Georgia "Toughest Loss of His Career"