All Yellow Jackets

RECAP: Georgia Tech Stuns No. 4 Miami and Ends Their Unbeaten Season

Georgia Tech moved to 6-4 with a win vs Miami today and are bowl eligible for the second consecutive season.

Jackson Caudell

Nov 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Abdul Janneh Jr. (4) celebrates on the sideline against the Miami Hurricanes in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Abdul Janneh Jr. (4) celebrates on the sideline against the Miami Hurricanes in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Miami Hurricanes had played with fire numerous times this season, but had not been burnt.

That changed today though in Atlanta.

Georgia Tech knocked off No. 4 Miami behind a strong running game, great defense, and the ability to get Miami off the field on 3rd and 4th down. Miami came into the day No. 1 in various offensive categories, including 3rd down offense, but Tyler Santucci's defense came up big. Quarterback Haynes King came back from his injury to lead a ground attack that totaled 278 yards on 48 carries and the defense bottled up Heisman contender Cam Ward and sacked him three times. Georgia Tech was able to execute in the red zone, going 4-5 on their attempts (the only miss was the kneel down at the end) and held Miami to 1-2. The Yellow Jackets made the plays when it mattered and got one of the biggest upsets of the season.

This win also makes Georgia Tech bowl eligible for the second straight season, the first time that has happened since 2013-2014. It is the first win over a top-five opponent since they beat Virginia Tech in 2009 and this win now makes Brent Key 6-1 against ranked ACC teams.

King was the leading rusher for Georgia Tech in this game, carrying the ball 20 times for 93 yards. Jamal Haynes had 83 yards on the opening drive, but exited the game and never returned. His status is going to be worth monitoring going forward.

The Yellow Jackets defense gave up some yards, but was able to make the plays when it mattered. Miami totaled over 400 yards, but Georgia Tech held them to 3-10 on third down and 1-4 on fourth down. Ward finished with 348 yards passing on 25-39 attempts and three touchdowns. Georgia Tech held Miami to 88 yards on 24 carries.

Let's recap today's thrilling game in Atlanta.

Georgia Tech received the opening kickoff and their opening drive could not have gone any better. After Eric Singleton lost a yard or two on the first play of the game, Jamal Haynes scampered for 65 yards to get Georgia Tech deep in Miami territory. Two plays later, Haynes ran into the end zone from 16 yards out, and Georgia Tech took an early lead 7-0. It was a four-play, 85-yard drive.

It did not take long for Miami to respond though. The No. 1 offense in the country took the field and went 75 yards in two plays, with tight end Elijah Arroyo scoring on a 74-yard touchdown catch and run. It was 7-7 very quickly and this game had the feeling of a shootout.

On the second possession of the game, Georgia Tech went with freshman quarterback Aaron Philo and the Yellow Jackets quickly went three and out. Ward and the Miami offense got the ball back quickly.

The Hurricanes moved the ball quickly to get down into Georgia Tech territory, but Ward missed on a pair of big throws. He barely overthrew wide receiver Sam Brown on a play that would have been a touchdown and then overshot his receiver on third down to make it fourth and short. Mario Cristobal opted to go for the field goal instead of going for it and Andres Borregales nailed a 41-yarder to give Miami their first lead 10-7.

Georgia Tech continued to rotate quarterbacks as the game went into the second quarter and their third drive was exactly what they wanted. The Yellow Jackets ran the ball right down Miami's throat for a 17 play, 75-yard drive that took over 10 minutes. The end result was a three-yard touchdown to Malik Rutherford and the Yellow Jackets grabbed the lead back 14-10.

The Yellow Jackets defense faced a tall task coming into today's game, but after the first two drives of the first half, they settled in. They forced Miami to punt on their third possession and after Georgia Tech's offense went three and out, the Yellow Jackets defense stopped Ward and the Hurricanes on 4th down in Georgia Tech territory.

After both teams exchanged punts, Georgia Tech took over with 43 seconds left and backed up in their own territory. King scrambled for 30 yards to give Georgia Tech some breathing room, but instead of being aggressive, Brent Key opted to run the clock out and get into the locker room with a 14-10 lead.

It was the exact kind of half that Georgia Tech needed to play. They limited possessions and won the time of possession and they were able to contain the explosive Miami offense after the first two drives. The running game totaled 189 yards alone in the first half.

Miami got the ball to start the second half and the Hurricanes moved the ball with their running game, but the Yellow Jackets got them into a 4th and 1 and Cristobal elected to go for it. Ward lined up under center and tried to find Mark Fletcher for the first down, but the pass was incomplete and Georgia Tech took over.

The Yellow Jackets had another phenomenal drive powered by their running game. The offense ran the ball exceptionally well again and went 61 yards in eight plays and on 3rd and nine, Aaron Philo found Chase Lane for a 15-yard touchdown to put Georgia Tech up 21-10.

Miami was in need of a score on the next drive and their offense delivered. Miami moved the ball 81 yards in nine plays and it ended with Ward finding Isaiah Horton for a touchdown. Miami went for two and did not convert and the score was 21-16 going into the fourth quarter.

Georgia Tech over and after a couple of runs that moved the chains, the Yellow Jackets nearly fumbled the ball and then King ran for no gain to set up a 3rd and 18. Philo came into the game and was able to find Bailey Stockton on 3rd and 18 to continue the drive. Just a few plays later, Haynes King ran the ball into the end zone from five yards out and all of a sudden, Georgia Tech had a 28-16 lead in the fourth quarter.

Still, the Yellow Jackets had to make sure they stopped one of the nations best offenses and Ward was able to drive Miami down the field and got all the way to the Georgia Tech 12-yard line. On 4th down, it looked like Ward evaded the pressure and got a touchdown, but two penalties on Miami's offense moved the ball back. On 4th down, Georgia Tech's defense was able to get the stop and get the ball back to its offense.

The offense needed to take some time off the clock to shorten the game, but they could not do that on the drive and Miami quickly got the ball back.

Georgia Tech sacked Ward to set up a 3rd and long, but Ward found Fletcher for a nice gain to make it 4th and 7. Ward found George to pick up the first down and it was a missed opportunity for the Yellow Jackets to get off the field. Just a few plays later, Ward found Xavier Restrepo for a 38-yard touchdown and Miami cut the lead to 28-23.

Georgia Tech had a chance to end the game on the next offensive drive, but they quickly faced a 3rd and 8. WIth pressure in his face, Aaron Philo was able to find Malik Rutherford for a 1st down and Georgia Tech continued to run the clock. On 2nd down, Trey Cooley ran it to the outside and it looked like he was about to pick up a first down, but he ran out of bounds. King was taken down for a loss on 3rd down and after the two minute warning, Brent Key was going to be faced with an important decision. He opted to punt and give the ball back to Ward and trust his defense to get a stop.

The gamble worked.

After a 1st down incompletion, ,Ward scrambled around trying to make a play and he was sacked by Romello Height and he fumbled the ball to give it back to Georgia Tech. All the Yellow Jackets needed was a first down and they would seal the game. Two plays later, Eric Singleton Jr ran it for a first down and rest was history. Georgia Tech upset the No. 4 team in the country and the crowd rushed the field and took the goal posts down.

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Jackson Caudell
JACKSON CAUDELL

Jackson Caudell has been covering Georgia Tech Athletics For On SI since March 2022 and the Atlanta Hawks for On SI since October 2023. Jackson is also the co-host of the Bleav in Georgia Tech podcast and he loves to bring thoughtful analysis and comprehensive coverage to everything that he does. Find him on X @jacksoncaudell

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