Georgia Tech Squanders Opportunity to End Losing Streak To Georgia and Falls Just Short In Eight Overtime Game

Georgia Tech Finishes Their Season 7-5 After Blowing Lead in 4th Quarter to UGA

Nov 29, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Dan Jackson (17) sacks Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) during overtime at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech looked like they were going to end their losing streak to their arch rivals and get one of the biggest wins in recent program history, but the Yellow Jackets fell short in an eight overtime game in Athens.

Georgia Tech led the game by 14 points with 5:37 left and it looked like they were going to get their first win over the Bulldogs since 2016, but everything fell apart for them afterward. They allowed a quick score, the fumbled on 3rd and 1, and then let Georgia tie the game with one minute remaining. Instead of trying to win the game in the first overtime with a two point conversion, Georgia Tech opted to keep the game going. Georgia was able to outlast the Yellow Jackets and add to their winning streak.

This was one of the gutsiest performances in Georgia Tech history tonight from Haynes King. King threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns as well as running for 110 yards and three touchdowns.

Haynes King with us after the loss pic.twitter.com/hOkCWhuZZX

— jackson caudell (@jacksoncaudell) November 30, 2024

Georgia Tech had a good night on offense, totaling 563 yards and averaging 6.7 yards per play. They totaled 260 yards on the ground.

Let's recap the game.

Georgia Tech started the game with the ball and on the first play of the game, Jamal Haynes busted free for a 44-yard rush on the 1st play and got into UGA territory. King found Malik Rutherofrd for a 1st down on a 3rd and 8, but the drive stalled out from their. Brent Key opted to go for the field goal and Aidan Birr knocked it in from 31-yards out. For the third straight meeting, Georgia Tech was the first to score and led 3-0.

The Yellow Jackets defense forced a three and out on the Bulldogs first possession and got the ball back to their offense. Like thier first drive, Georgia Tech started the drive with an explosive play as King found Rutherford for a 24-yard gain. Georgia Tech got across the 50-yard line again, but soon faced a fourth and short. Georgia's defense came up big and stuffed Jamal Haynes on the shotgun run on 4th down and the Bulldogs got the ball back.

The second drive of the game was UGA's best in the first half. They moved the ball down the field, with Carson Beck finding Dillon Bell on a pair of big plays and they ran it well. They faced a similar situation as Georgia Tech did on their previous dirve with a fourth and one and just like Georgia Tech, they were stopped. It was a huge momentum swing in the game and Georgia Tech went back to work.

It was clear right from the beginnging that King was well enough to throw it down the field and that opened up a lot of things for them. As the game moved to the second quarter, Georgia Tech was on another march down the field, but had to convert a third and goal to take a two-score lead on the Bulldogs. King badly missed Eric Singleton in the endzone and to make things worse, Birr missed a chip shot field goal. Georgia only trailed 3-0 and it felt like Georgia Tech should have been up by much more.

Georgia got the ball and was backed up in their own territory. The Bulldogs went three and out and Clayton Powell-Lee sacked Beck on third down to get the ball back to the offense.

The fourth drive was a thing of beauty for Georgia Tech. They marched 66-yard in eight plays and took 3:57 off the clock and capped it off with a King touchdown run. It was 10-0 and the confidence and belief for Georgia Tech was only growing.

No. 10 for 6 😤

📺 @ABCNetwork pic.twitter.com/IUMom2tm5D

— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) November 30, 2024

Georgia needed to make something happen on their next drive and did move it into Georgia Tech territory. Georgia was looking to cut into the lead, but Georgia Tech came up with a massive turnover when Dominic Lovett fumbled the ball and gave it back to the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech had an opportunity to drain the clock and put another score on the board before the half.

They did just that.

King led another methodical drive for Georgia Tech and the Yellow Jackets went 63-yards in 11 plays and took 2:30 off the clock. On third and goal, it looked like King did not have anywhere to go, but found Jamal Haynes for an acrobatic touchdown to give Georgia Tech an unbelievable 17-0 lead.

Georgia got into field goal position and tried to get points on the board before the half, but the 52-yard field goal came up short and Georgia Tech took a 17-0 lead into the half. The Yellow Jackets outgained the Bulldogs 307-137, including 157 yards rushing.

Both teams exchanged three and outs to start the half, but the Bulldogs finally got on the board on their second possession of the half. Arian Smith took a reverse 30 yards to get into Georgia Tech territory and Beck was having his best drive of the game. He found Delp in the end zone for Georgia's first score of the game. The Bulldogs attempted to go for two, but it failed and Georgia Tech led 17-6.

The next drive was a thing of beauty for Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets went on an 18-play, 90-yard drive that took over 10 minutes off the clock. The only bad thing was that the drive ended in a field goal instead of a touchdown. Birr knocked in the 23-yard field goal and Georgia Tech led 20-6.

The game was now in the 4th quarter and Georgia turned it up another notch, but had some beneficial calls from the officials as well. A 4th down pass interference call on Georgia Tech kept the drive alive for the Bulldogs and it ended in a Nate Frazier touchdown to cut the score to 20-13.

Goergia Tech needed a response on the next drive and boy did they get one. King led the Yellow Jackets down the field 75-yards in six plays and ran in another touchdown to put the Yellow Jackets up 27-13 with under six minutes remaining. This was the moment it started to feel like Georgia Tech was actually going to beat Georgia.

The next three possessions were disastrous for Georgia Tech and the Bulldogs made them pay. Beck led Georgia down the field in 1:58 and found Dominic Lovett for a touchdown to make it 27-20 with 3:38 left in the game. Georgia Tech was going to get the ball back and after moving the ball on the Bulldogs all game, they had a chance to run out the clock. A false start set the Yellow Jackets back on 1st down, but King got them to a 3rd and 1. Georgia Tech ran it with King on 3rd down and he got the first down, but fumbled the ball at the end of the play and the Bulldogs recovered it. They had a short field and plenty of time to work with.

It was a quick five play drive that tied the game at 27-27 and Beck found Lovett for another touchdown. Georgia Tech had 1:01 left, but slow played it on the next drive. They got to midfield, but failed on fourth down and Georgia got a chance at a hail mary with four seconds left. It was not successful and the game went to overtime.

Georgia scored quickly to start overtime, putting pressure on Georgia Tech. King responded with a touchdown to Singleton and there was an opportunity for Brent Key to end the game, but he opted not to and played for a second overtime.

The two teams went back and forth for eight overtimes and despite having chance after chance, Georgia Tech coud not capitalize and the game was over. It was the best chance that Georgia Tech had in years to beat the Bulldogs, but they let it slip through their fingers. It was an impressive effort and one of the gutsiest performances you will see a team give in Athens, but Georgia Tech will have to wait until next year to try and end their losing streak Georgia.