Georgia Tech Football: Jackets give game away late in 25-24 loss to Miami

Perfect in ACC play, the Yellow Jackets took to the road Saturday looking to maintain their win streak with a key matchup with the Hurricanes.

Georgia Tech (3-2, 2-1 ACC) took a three-game win streak to Miami, looking to stay perfect in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Tech also hoped to break a seven-game drought against the Hurricanes.

The Yellow Jackets couldn’t hang on after leading the majority of the matchup, however, giving up a late field goal for a 25-24 loss.

Miami got on the board first with a field goal at the 8:10 mark in the first quarter to go up 3-0, but the Jackets answered with a touchdown and extra point with just over four minutes left in the first. That score came on a five yard run from J.J. Green.

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The Jackets racked up 137 yards rushing in the first quarter alone.

Early in the second quarter, it was again Green with a score, this time through the air. He caught a pass from TaQuon Marshall, who threw an ugly pass under pressure. The extra point put Tech up 14-3.

Miami would get another field goal with 10:11 left in the half to cut the lead to 14-6, then scored with 12 seconds left in the first half to trim Tech’s lead to one at 14-13. The Jackets received a kickoff, but ran the final seven seconds out to end the half.

To end the half, Georgia Tech had amassed 172 rushing yards on 29 carries, and only had two receptions for seven yards. One of those catches for the aforementioned touchdown.

Tech was set to receive to start the second half, and got an unexpected scoop-and-score courtesy of a botched on side kick attempt from Miami. GT increased its lead to 21-13 in only a few seconds.

Miami got a good return on the kickoff, but a big sack from Antonio Simmons at mid-field left the Hurricanes with a 4th-and-20. The Canes punted the ball away.

With its starting place kicker on the bench icing his knee, Tech got a good field goal to go up 24-13 with 5:52 left in the 3rd. It was the first-ever collegiate attempt from Tech’s Brenton King.

Miami would score next after failing to get into the endzone, squandering a long pass that got them to the red zone. A short field goal cut the lead to 24-16 Tech with 3:33 left int he 3rd.

With 13:36 left in the game, the Canes got on the board again with a 27-yard touchdown run from Travis Homer to cut the lead to 24-22 Tech.

Brad Stewart dropped a pass late in the game, forcing a punt by the Jackets, then Miami converted a miracle pass to keep a drive alive and get a short field goal with four second left in the game.

Georgia Tech falls to 3-2 on the season, and 2-1 in conference play.

Next: Georgia Tech Basketball 2017-18 player previews: #1 Guard Tadric Jackson

The Yellow Jackets get back to action with more ACC play hosting Wake Forest at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday, October 21.