Georgia Tech vs Louisville: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly From The Yellow Jackets Loss to the Cardinals

Georgia Tech went on the road and lost to No. 19 Louisville 31-19

Sep 21, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) looks to pass the ball against the Louisville Cardinals during the first quarter at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech went on the road yesterday to face No. 19 Louisville and while the Yellow Jackets had their chances to upset the Cardinals, they shot themselves in the foot too much and made too many dumb mistakes in their loss. They are now 3-2 heading into their bye week and they have some things to work on before they hit the field again when they play Duke on Oct. 5th.

Let's break down the good, the bad, and the ugly from yesterday.

The Good

• Haynes King had a solid day passing the ball, going 21-32 for 312 yards. The passing game was the only thing that really clicked on offense this week.

• Malik Rutherford caught seven passes for 113 yards. Rutherford continues to be the best receiver on the team through the first five weeks.

• Eric Singleton Jr had five catches for 88 yards.

• The run defense had one of their best performances in years. The Cardinals were one of the top rushing teams in the country coming into the game and Georgia Tech held them to 57 yards on 27 carries.

• Georgia Tech outgained Louisville, 410-326. It marked the first time since last year’s season-opening 39-34 loss to Louisville that Georgia Tech lost a game in which it outgained its opponent. The Yellow Jackets outgained the Cardinals, 488-474, in their Sept. 1, 2023 matchup.

• Georgia Tech’s field goal block in the first quarter was its third of the season and 10th in 25 games under Key. No NCAA Division I FBS team has more blocked kicks since Key’s first game as head coach on Oct. 1, 2022.
  

• Georgia Tech’s safety in the fourth quarter was the first that the Yellow Jackets have recorded since Sept 18, 2021 at Clemson.

• Rutherford became the 13th player in Georgia Tech history with 100 career receptions. With a career-high-tying seven receptions in the game, Rutherford moved into 12th place in program history with 103 career receptions. He is the first Yellow Jacket to reach 100 career receptions since Demaryius Thomas, who officially had 113 receptions from 2007-09.

• Singleton, Jr. became the 26thplayer in Georgia Tech history with 1,000 career receiving yards. With 88 yards in the game, Singleton has 1,057 receiving yards in 17 collegiate games. The only Georgia Tech player to reach 1,000 career receiving yards was College Football and NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, who surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in his first 14 games at Georgia Tech.

• King moved into Georgia Tech’s all-time top 10 for total offense in a career. With 370 yards of total offense (312 passing, 58 rushing) in the game, King moved into 10th place in program history with 5,069 yards of total offense in just 18 games as a Yellow Jacket. He is also just the 10th player in Georgia Tech history to amass 5,000 yards of total offense as a Yellow Jacket.
  

• King’s 300-yard passing game was his first of the season and fourth in 18 games at Georgia Tech. With four 300-yard games as a Yellow Jacket, he moves along into third place in program history behind only Joe Hamilton (7 – 1996-99) and George Godsey (6 – 1998-2001).

The Bad

• Georgia Tech got no sacks and only three tackles for loss. They were largely unable to affect Tyler Shough when he dropped back to throw the ball and allowed him to have a big game.

• Speaking of the pass defense, they had another tough day. Good passing attacks are bad matchups for Georgia Tech due to their lack of a pass rush and it showed again yesterday. Shough finished 13-19 for 269 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions. He averaged 20.7 yards per completion and the Louisville offense finished the game averaging over seven yards per play.

• Georgia Tech finished 4-15 on third down. They have not been a good third down conversion team and it showed up again yesterday.

• The running game could not get going. This team prides itself on being able to run the ball against any opponent, but in their last two games against power four competition, it has been tough sledding for the rushing attack. Georgia Tech ran the ball 37 times for only 98 yards, averaging 2.6 yards per carry. Haynes King had 58 of the 98 rushing yards. Jamal Haynes had 12 carries for 25 yards and Trelain Maddox had 14 yards on eight carries. Haynes King is a good quarterback, but turning this offense into one that throws it around a lot does not benefit him. They need a strong running game to complement him and they are not getting it done right now. Louisville has a good defense, but this offensive line is supposed to be better than this.

The Ugly

• The red zone offense. Georgia Tech went 2-3 in the red zone and they faced multiple fourth down and one scenario and Georgia Tech was stuffed on each of them. The lack of creativity on offense when the running game was not working was frustrating to watch.

• I don't proclaim to be an X's and O's expert, but there seems to be a lack of diversity in the running approach. Too many times in the game did it seem like Georgia Tech was trying to do the same thing over and over when it ran the ball and it did not work for the majority of the time.

• The kicking game is costing Georgia Tech. Aidan Birr missed a crucial field goal in the loss to Syracuse and against Louisville, he had a miss as well. The blocked field goal is not necessarily his fault, but the kicking game has been disappointing this year.

• The penalties. Georgia Tech committed six penalties yesterday, including a running into the kicker when they were set to get the ball back.

• The defense forced zero turnovers.

• Haynes King's turnover that Louisville scored on. King was trying to do too much and cost his team points. I don't love the play call that deep in your own territory either.

• A loss is always ugly.