Yellow Jacked Up
Fansided

Georgia Tech vs USF: Five Quick Hits Following Saturday’s 49-38 loss

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Charlie Strong of the South Florida Bulls and head coach Paul Johnson of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets shake hands following a game at Raymond James Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - SEPTEMBER 08: Head coach Charlie Strong of the South Florida Bulls and head coach Paul Johnson of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets shake hands following a game at Raymond James Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 08: TaQuon Marshall #16 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets passes during a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 08: TaQuon Marshall #16 of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets passes during a game against the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

1) Turnovers once again prove costly:

In Saturday’s loss, the Yellow Jackets ended up having three turnovers on the day and two of them resulted in points for South Florida. The first interception of the day came from a poorly thrown ball at the end of the first half as TaQuon Marshall tried to push the ball down field in the last 30 seconds. The ball left Marshall’s hands and with no receiver truly near the ball, the Bulls had an easy interception up for grabs.

The second turnover of the game and the most costly came in the fourth quarter. As the Yellow Jackets were driving down the field and closing in on a potential fourth-straight drive ending in a touchdown, a-back Qua Searcy fumbled the ball and the Bulls swarmed to the ball and recovered it. The Bulls would turn that fumble in the go-ahead touchdown that took any remaining momentum with the Yellow Jackets as the USF took a 42-38 lead.

The third and final turnover was a tipped pass in the next series for Georgia Tech following the USF go-ahead score. The Yellow Jackets needing a big play for a first down tried to pass the ball and as Marshall went to throw the ball, he and the ball were hit, resulting in a lame duck pass that easily landed in the hands of a South Florida defender. A few plays later, the Bulls added another touchdown to put the game away for good, giving them a 49-38 lead.

We had “limit the turnovers” as one of keys to the game and the Yellow Jackets did a good job of that early on but in the disastrous fourth quarter, both turnovers were decisive in the loss.