Georgia Tech Defeats Virginia In OT, 30-27
Posted on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018, 8:16 pm
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By Scott Ratcliffe
It all came down to overtime in a thrilling ACC finish at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta Saturday, as Georgia Tech squeezed out a 30-27 win over Virginia when UVA kicker Brian Delaney missed wide left on a 35-yard field-goal attempt that would have kept the game going.
The Cavaliers (7-4, 4-3 ACC) got a 31-yarder from Delaney with one second left in regulation to tie it at 27-all after the Yellow Jackets (7-4, 5-3) went ahead on a Wesley Wells career-long 48-yarder with 1:04 to play.
In the OT session, Tech got the ball first and only picked up two yards in three plays. Bryce Hall knocked down a pass on third down, but Wells kicked a 40-yard field goal, which deflected in off the right upright to put the Jackets on top.
Virginia then had a golden opportunity to win with a touchdown, and picked up four yards on a short dumpoff to Olamide Zaccheaus on first down. A second-down counter give to Chris Sharp resulted in no gain, and then Bryce Perkins tried to make a play on third down from the 21, hurdling a defender but getting stopped two yards shy of the marker, setting up the Delaney attempt.
It appeared that Virginia was expecting to be whistled for a penalty on the try, as there was movement on the right side of the line prior to the snap — even the Georgia Tech players were pointing to signal a UVA false start — but there was no flag and Delaney knew it was off as soon as it left his foot.
The Cavaliers’ hopes for a Coastal Division title were dashed prior to kickoff, as Pitt rallied from a halftime deficit to win at Wake Forest to clinch the crown.
The Jackets marched down inside the UVA 10-yard line on the game’s opening drive. Tech QB TaQuon Marshall carried five times for 61 yards — including a crucial 38-yard scamper on third down from midfield — and got the Jackets into the red zone, but Brenton Nelson broke up a pass in the end zone on third down and Wesley Wells booted through a 28-yard field goal with 10:42 left in the first quarter.
Perkins answered with an 8-play scoring drive of his own, and was responsible for 71 of the 74 yards accumulated on the opening possession. Perkins connected with a diving Hasise Dubois for a 13-yard touchdown to put the Cavaliers ahead 7-3 with 6:49 on the clock.
Virginia got a stop on Tech’s ensuing chance, but the Wahoos were pinned deep at their own 1-yard line and things turned scary in a hurry.
After barely escaping a safety on a first-down draw play, Perkins was slammed down hard in the end zone resulting in two points for the home team with 3:24 remaining, and Virginia fans held their collective breath as Perkins was slow to get up. GT’s Brant Mitchell appeared to have Perkins by the left leg as #90 rushed in and delivered a blow.
To make matters worse as Perkins limped off the field, Tech’s Juanyeh Thomas returned the ensuing free-kick return 77 yards to the house. Marshall ran in the two-point conversion and Georgia Tech scored 10 points in 11 seconds, grabbing a 13-7 lead with 3:13 remaining in the opening quarter.
UVA freshman backup quarterback Brennan Armstrong entered the contest and had a crucial run on 3rd down to keep the chains moving, then passed to Joe Reed who spun out of a tackle and raced 56 yards to put the Cavaliers back on top, 14-13, with 37 seconds left in the first.
Tobias Oliver, the Yellow Jackets’ leading rusher, entered the game under center on the next possession, leading a long 13-play trip down inside the UVA 10, but Nelson again came up with a key third-down stop to force another 28-yard field goal from Wells, and Tech regained the lead at 16-14 with 8:51 until halftime.
Perkins returned after getting his ankle taped up and ran in his ninth touchdown of the year to put Virginia back ahead, 21-16, with just over three minutes left in the half. Bryce Hall nearly picked off a Marshall pass three snaps later and the ‘Hoos ran out the first-half clock knowing they’d receive the second-half kickoff.
Perkins was a perfect 9 for 9 through the air in the opening 30 minutes of play for 95 yards and a score, while running it eight times for 49 yards and another TD.
Neither team could get on the board in the third quarter. The Wahoos got a big 4th-down stop (Chris Peace and Aaron Faumui led a charge to stuff a short run) at the UVA 19 with 9:06 to go to preserve the 4-point edge.
The Cavalier defense forced another GT punt late in the third that took a funny bounce and hit UVA’s Darius Bratton in the back of the leg with 3:11 left, and the Jackets recovered at the Cavalier 41. The Jackets then regained the lead, 24-21, with 12:30 to go, as Jerry Howard ran one in from 3 yards out and then Clinton Lynch converted a two-point run.
Delaney capped a 14-play drive with a 30-yarder with 4:31 remaining to knot the game at 24-apiece to set up the final nail-biting moments.
Marshall led the Jackets with 107 rushing yards on 15 carries and completed just one pass (out of eight attempts) for 37 yards to Brad Stewart, who made a diving grab on a 3rd & 6 with time winding down in regulation. Tech rushed for 268 yards on 52 carries.
Perkins finished the game 21 for 26 for 217 yards passing to go with his team-leading 73 yards rushing on 16 carries. Zaccheaus had 11 catches for 111 yards. Virginia outgained the Jackets, 403-305.
The Cavaliers will have a short week as they now shift their focus to trying to put an end to the 14-year streak against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg Friday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC. The Hokies dropped to 4-6 on the season Saturday with a 24-point loss to Miami at Lane Stadium.
