Georgia Tech Football: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From Georgia Tech's 41-34 Win Against North Carolina

Georgia Tech went to Chapel Hill and came away with their fourth straight win over North Carolina

Oct 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) looks to pass as North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Antavious Lane (1) pressures in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

What a crazy day in Chapel Hill.

Georgia Tech looked completely in control at times in this game, but they almost gave away a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. Thanks to a Jamal Haynes 68-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds left, Georgia Tech was able to secure the victory over North Carolina. It was the fourth straight win over the Tar Heels and now Georgia Tech is off to their best start since 2014. Next up is a game against No. 12 Notre Dame.

So what was good, what was bad, and what was ugly from this game? Let's recap it.

The Good

• Georgia Tech moved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
• North Carolina fell to 3-4 overall (0-3 ACC).
• Georgia Tech’s 5-2 record is its best through seven games since it started 5-2 in 2014.
• The win was Georgia Tech’s first true road win of the season (1-2).
• The win was Georgia Tech’s fourth-straight and sixth in its last seven games versus North Carolina.
• The win was Georgia Tech’s third-straight at UNC’s Kenan Stadium.
• Georgia Tech moved to 34-22-3 all-time versus North Carolina.
• Georgia Tech’s 371 rushing yards were a season-high (prev.: 245 vs. Duke – last Saturday).
• Georgia Tech’s 371 rushing yards were its most since it ran for 377 vs. Duke on Nov. 28, 2020.
• Georgia Tech had two 100-yard rushers (RB Jamal Haynes – 170 and QB Haynes King – 107) for the first time since QB Jeff Sims and current San Francisco 49ers RB Jordan Mason had 108 and 105, respectively, vs. Duke on Nov. 28, 2020.
• Georgia Tech’s field goal block in the second quarter was its fourth of the season (tied for first nationally) and its 11th in 28 games since Brent Key’s first game as interim head coach on Oct. 1, 2022 (the most in the nation during that span).
• Georgia Tech had a season-high two takeaways (prev.: 1 – three times).
• Georgia Tech, which did not commit a turnover, moved to 3-0 this season and 10-3 under Key when it wins the turnover battle.
• Georgia Tech’s three sacks defensively matched a season high (prev.: 3 vs. VMI – Sept. 14).
• North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton (137 yards), who entered the game ranked No. 4 nationally with 764 rushing yards, became the first player to run for 100 yards against Georgia Tech this season (prev. high: 83 by Syracuse’s LeQuint Allen – Sept. 7).
• North Carolina’s punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter was the first allowed by Georgia Tech since Nov. 5, 2022 (at Virginia Tech).

• r-Jr. RB Jamal Haynes rushed for a career-high 170 yards, including the game-winning 68-yard touchdown run with 16 seconds to go in the game.
• Haynes’ 170 rushing yards shattered his previous career of 128, set last Saturday vs. Duke and in the 2023 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs. UCF (Dec. 22, 2023). 
• Haynes’ 100-yard rushing game was his second of the season (prev.: 128 vs. Duke – last Saturday) and sixth of his career.
• Haynes has rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games for the second time in his career (prev.: 119 at Virginia – Nov. 4, 2023 and 104 at Clemson – Nov. 11, 2023).
• r-Jr. QB Haynes King’s 107 rushing yards were a season high (prev.: 67 at Syracuse – Sept. 7).
• The 100-yard rushing game was King’s second at Georgia Tech (prev. 150 vs. Boston College – Oct. 21, 2023).
• r-So. DB Syeed Gibbs’ sack and forced fumble in the first quarter were both his firsts at Georgia Tech.
• r-Jr. DL Jordan van den Berg’s recovery of Gibbs’ forced fumble was his first at Georgia Tech.
• So. RB Chad Alexander’s 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter was the first of his career.
• Jr. DB Rodney Shelley’s field goal block in the second quarter was his first of the season and second of his career (prev.: at Clemson – Nov. 11, 2023).
• Sr. LB Trenilyas Tatum’s forced fumble in the fourth quarter was his first of the season and second of his career (prev.: vs. Virginia – Oct. 20, 2022).
• r-Jr. DB Ahmari Harvey’s recovery of Tatum’s force fumble was his first of the season and second of his career (prev.: vs. Virginia – Oct. 20, 2022).
• r-Jr. WR Malik Rutherford caught a pass for the 23rd-consecutive game, the ninth-longest streak in Georgia Tech history.
• Fr. TE Luke Harpring, who had one reception for 7 yards coming into the game, caught two passes for a team-high 36 yards.

• Georgia Tech did not allow any sacks and still has only given up one this season.

• Georgia Tech was 6-6 in the redzone.

• The Yellow Jackets won. That is the best thing to come from this game.

The Bad

• The passing game struggled, even before King got hurt. He finished the day 11-22 for 127 yards. The receiver duo of Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton were bottled up today, but the plan coming in was clearly to run the ball. The passing game will need to be better next week against Notre Dame, as they have one of the best defenses in the country.

• Speaking of that, King suffered an injury in the 4th quarter of the game and was held out in favor of Zach Pyron. Brent Key said after the game that they will know something soon regarding King.

• Georgia Tech came into the day No.1 in the ACC in run defense, but they gave up 201 yards today to UNC, including 137 to Omarion Hampton and 73 to Jacoby Criswell. Now, Hampton got 71 of those 137 on one play, but they still can't allow that. Notre Dame has a strong running game too and a bigger threat in the run game with quarterback Riley Leonard.

• The offense was only 4-11 on third down.

• Georgia Tech committed seven penalties.

The Ugly

• Special teams play almost cost Georgia Tech today and it allowed the game to be closer than what it should have been. They missed a 49-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and then UNC immediately went down and scored a touchdown to cut it to three. Georgia Tech also gave up a punt return for a touchdown. Special team has to be better going forward.

• On the Georgia Tech drive before the tying field goal from North Carolina, Georgia Tech had a pre-snap penalty out of a timeout. That simply cannot happen and it is on the coaching staff to make sure it doesn't.