Georgia Tech vs Syracuse: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Georgia Tech is officially bowl-eligible after their win over Syracuse

For the first time since 2018, Georgia Tech is going bowling. 

Brent Key has his alma mater in a bowl game and while he would be the first to admit that this should be the norm for Georgia Tech, it has to feel good to finally get the Yellow Jackets back to a bowl game after the past few seasons under Geoff Collins. 

It looked like Georgia Tech was going to cruise to a victory early in the second half. Syracuse fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half and one play later, Jamal Haynes ran it 30 yards into the end zone and Georgia Tech went up 24-3. Syracuse mounted a late rally and even had a chance to to tie it on a two-point conversion, but the Yellow Jackets made clutch plays late to seal the win. 

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

The Good

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King vs Syracuse / Nathaniel Caudell

• Georgia Tech won and a victory is always good, especially one as sweet as this one. 
• Georgia Tech is bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018. The Yellow Jackets should find out where they will be playing next after the conference championship games
• Georgia Tech finished above .500 in ACC play for the first time since 2018.
• The win was Georgia Tech’s third in its last four games, which marks the first time that Tech has had three wins in a four-game stretch since it went 3-1 in its final four games of the 2018 regular season.
• Georgia Tech moved to 4-1 all-time against Syracuse, 2-1 against the Orange in ACC play and 2-0 against SU at home.
• Georgia Tech has won consecutive home games for the first time since victories over Kennesaw State (45-17) and North Carolina (45-22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium) on Sept. 11 and Sept. 25, 2021 and its first back-to-back wins at Bobby Dodd Stadium since victories over Miami (Fla.) (27-21) and Virginia (30-27 in OT) on Nov. 10 and 17, 2018.
• Syracuse’s 259 yards of offense were the fewest surrendered by Georgia Tech this season (prev.: 291 vs. South Carolina State, Sept. 9; prev. vs. FBS opponent: 351 vs. Virginia, Nov. 4).
• Syracuse’s 94 yards in the first half were the fewest that Georgia Tech has allowed in a first half this season (prev.: 127 vs. South Carolina State, Sept. 9; prev. vs. FBS opponent: 172 vs. Louisville, Sept. 1).
• QB Haynes King completed 16-of-20 passes for an 80.0% completion percentage, his highest of the season (prev.: 23-for-30 – 76.7% vs. North Carolina, Oct. 28 and at Virginia, Nov. 4).
• Jamal Haynes scored two touchdowns in a game for the first time in his career (15-yard reception in the first quarter, 30-yard rush in the third quarter).
• Haynes’ eight touchdowns this season are the most by a Yellow Jacket since QB Tobias Oliver scored 12 in 2018 and the most by a Georgia Tech RB since Dedrick Mills scored 13 in 2016.
•  Dominick Blaylock’s 53-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was his longest catch as a Yellow Jacket (prev.: 34 at Miami (Fla.), Oct. 7) and the second-longest of his collegiate career, behind only a 60-yard reception vs. Arkansas State as a true freshman at Georgia in 2019.
• Kyle Efford’s 11 tackles were a career high (prev.: 10 at Virginia, Nov. 4).
• The defense stopping the Syracuse offense on the two-point try

The Bad

Georgia Tech defensive end Kyle Kennard vs Syracuse / Nathaniel Caudell

• It is hard to find a lot of bad in a win like this, but there were some potential costly turnovers for Georgia Tech. Haynes King threw an interception in the first quarter and Jamal Haynes had a fumble that put Syracuse in good field position and that can't happen against the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs next week.
• Letting Syracuse get back in the game. It looked like a Georgia Tech blowout win was about to occur when the Yellow Jackets went up 24-3, but Syracuse got back in the game. Georgia Tech has let some second-half leads slip away this season, but they were able to hang on this time. 
• Syracuse had a 53-yard punt return. 

Watch: Press Conference with Brent Key after win against Syracuse

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