Tech bowl bound after squeezing the Orange 31-22

ATLANTA- It wasn’t pretty but Georgia Tech picked up win number six with a 31-22 win over Syracuse on Saturday night in Bobby Dodd Stadium to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018 in Paul Johnson’s final season.

In Brent Key’s first full season as head coach, he achieved more than his predecessor Geoff Collins doubling his best season win total with six wins in just 11 games. It took Collins 20 games to win his sixth game as Tech’s head coach. Key is now 10-9 in his first 19 games.

“Helluva night, that was awesome and I’m proud of this team, these players, this staff, and this administration. We worked hard to get to this point and reap the reward of the season," Key said.

Tech moved to 6-5 on the season and closed out ACC play with a 5-3 record equaling the 2018 season ACC record from the Jackets' last bowl appearance.

“We belong in bowl games and that is the expectation at this place every single year and should be, Key said.

Quarterback Haynes King did the heavy lifting for the Tech offense passing for 137 yards on 16-20 passing with two touchdowns and an interception. He ran for 82 yards on 11 carries and another touchdown as well and had a 19-yard touchdown run to put the Jackets up nine with 2:22 remaining.

“Really we were trying to get a first down and how about our O-line closing the game, it is wonderful how it all plays out and how this team grinds and how they go through adversity and keep grinding," King said of the offense.

King was emotional when talking about getting the Jackets over the hump and back to a bowl game.

"You can’t put words to those feelings. To be a part of something that changes a lot of people’s lives is something you can’t put words to. The feeling is doing it and experiencing it. The way we responded and came together and competed, it is just tremendous," King said.

Running back Jamal Haynes ran for 96 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and a touchdown.

Haynes also caught a touchdown pass on a play where Syracuse had him bottled up for a loss and he reversed field and scored carrying two defenders into the end zone.

“Their safety and linebacker outflanked me and I made a playmaker move and reversed field and I wanted to get north-south and the best came out of the backend," Haynes said.

Tech ran for 220 yards on 38 carries while holding Syracuse to just 206 yards on 42 rushes. The Jackets ran 10 straight times to close out the game resulting in a touchdown and a kneel down at the Orange one-yard line.

Dominick Blaylock caught two passes for 68 yards including a 53-yard touchdown that put the Jackets up 14-3 in the second quarter.

The offense held up the time of possession battle as well 28:57 to Syracuse's 31:03 despite the Orange killing most of the first quarter with one drive alone.

On the defensive side, linebacker Kyle Efford had a huge day with 11 tackles and the game-sealing interception on the only pass attempt from Orange backup quarterback Luke MacPhail.

It was a big day for the Tech linebackers overall going against Syracuse's modified offense playing without a true quarterback for much of the day.

Linebacker Braelen Oliver had two tackles for a loss and senior Paul Moala had two forced fumbles in the game including the one that set up the Jackets' score right out of halftime on the opening kickoff of the second stripping Darrell Gill Jr. to set up Haynes 30-yard touchdown to go up 24-3.

Moala had eight tackles including five solo tackles and Oliver added four tackles as did backup Andre White. Trenilyas Tatum added five tackles and a TFL off the bench as well.

“It was really exciting for us as a LB room and that is something we emphasize in the LB room and them coming out in the wildcat offense and running the ball more and showcasing our abilities," Moala said.

Efford gave credit to Tech's defensive line who helped control the line of scrimmage and force action to the linebackers in the game.

“We were really excited knowing the type of game it was going to be and the D-line did a great job of keeping us clean and letting us make plays,” Efford said.

LeQuint Allen ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns for the Orange but it took him 27 carries to get that yardage as the wildcat quarterback and part-time running back. He also caught eight passes for just 21 yards.

Converted tight end turned quarterback once again, Dan Villari was 14-14 passing for 59 yards and he added 81 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground for the Orange.

MacPhail had the only incomplete pass of the game on his lone snap of the game throwing the interception to Efford. It was his first career pass attempt.

Key was pleased with how the team rallied to the football throughout the game defensively.

"Defensively we started out well. Our defense had four to five to six people to the ball carrier. We ran some simplified things and allowed our big guys to do things. We put Jaylon King as a rover and let him put a hat on the ball. We came up with some key turnovers at key times and we got the fumble recovery out of halftime and scored quickly. They were keeping the ball and we needed to get off the field and we struggled to sustain on offense and then we did it late," Key said.

Kicker Aidan Birr was 4-4 on PATs and hit a 22-yard field goal while the Orange missed a 50-yard field goal and had a botched snap on a PAT that kept Tech's lead to two when the Orange cut the game to 24-22 forcing a failed two-point conversion play with 7:41 left in the gmae.

Syracuse won the toss and deferred. The opening kickoff was a touchback. Jamal Haynes ran two times for a total of four yards. King scrambled for a first down on a 14-yard run. Eric Singleton Jr. hauled in an eight-yard second down pass and Dominick Blaylock hauled in a 15-yard pass for a first down at the SU36. Christian Leary hauled in a nine yard pass for a first down at the SU25. Singleton hauled in a pop pass for six yards to pick up another first down. Haynes scored on a swing pass from King after reversing field out of a tackle for a loss scoring a 15-yard touchdown to give Tech a 7-0 lead.

Gavin Stewart mishit his kickoff and the Orange returned it 33 yards to the SU38. The Orange ran three times for nine yards and went for it at their own 47 and Lequint Allen picked up the first down to the GT49. The Orange kept grinding the ball and ran to the GT25 on four plays. With first and ten at the GT13, Kyle Kennard had a tackle for a loss on first down. Umari Hatcher held LaMiles Brooks and threw him into the Tech sideline drawing both a hold and a personal foul moving the Orange back to the GT33 for second and 32. Allen picked up two yards to set up 3rd and 24. Eddie Kelly and Kennard dropped Dan Villari for a loss on third down to force a 44-yard field goal from Brady Denaburg to cut the GT lead to 7-3 with 1:10 left in the first quarter.

Christian Leary returned the Orange kickoff 20 yards to the GT20. Smith ran for a yard on first down. King couldn’t connect with Rutherford on second down and under pressure hit Smith for four yards on third down to end the first quarter. David Shanahan’s punt went 39 yards to the SU 36 where it was fair caught.

Allen ran for three yards on first down. A false start backed up the Orange and Villari picked up two yards on second down and he threw a two-yard pass to Donovan Brown that Brooks sniffed out leading to a three-and-out and punt for the Orange. Jack Stonehouse’s punt went 43 yards to the GT18.

King ran for 10 yards on first down to the GT28. After a short run by Haynes and a false start on Blaylock, King threw his 15th interception of the season to Isaiah Johnson on a play for Singleton. He returned it to the GT39.

Trenilyas Tatum had a pair of tackles including a TFL and the Orange picked up nine yards on third down to set up a 50-yard field goal which Denaburg missed.

Tech started the next drive at their own 32. An illegal motion put Tech behind the sticks 1st and 15 but somehow Dino Babers was able to decline the penalty to make it 2nd and 9 and King ran for eight yards on second down. Haynes ran for no yards on third down and Cuse jumped offsides on fourth down to give the Jackets a first down at the GT46. King hit Blaylock for a 53-yard touchdown to put the Jackets up 14-3 with 7:41 left.

A hold on the kick return by the Orange, put Syracuse at their own 9. Allen caught a five yard pass on first down and a seven-yard pass on second down to move the sticks to the GT21. Braelen Oliver had a TFL on second down to set up third and long. LaMiles Brooks and Andre White stopped Allen for a five-yard gain to force a punt to the GT33.

Zach Pyron ran on first down for three yards. King came back in and took a shot on a blitz and couldn’t hit Rutherford on second down. Singleton hauled in a 15-yard pass from King on third down near midfield. Smith picked up five yards on first down to the SU45. Smith ran for a first down and a defensive hold moved the ball to the SU30. King ran for 18 yards on first down to the SU12. Smith ran for no yards on first down. Key burned his first timeout with 1:07 left in the half. Singleton ran for no gain on a pop-pass. Rutherford caught a screen for seven yards. The Jackets lined up for a short field goal from Birr from 22 yards out that he hit to make it 17-3 Tech with 13 seconds left in the half.

Gill returned the kick to the SU27. Brown caught a two-yard pass that Kevin Harris tackled him on. The Orange took a knee to send it to halftime.

Syracuse fumbled the opening kickoff at the SU30. Paul Moala forced the fumble and Jacob Cruz recovered it.

Jamal Haynes scored on a 30-yard touchdown run to give Tech a 24-3 lead over the Orange.

After a 29-yard return, the Orange started their drive at the SU29. Villari ran for six yards and fumbled by Syracuse recovered. LaMiles Brooks picked up an unnecessary roughness call to move the Orange to the GT48 on second down. Allen ran for six yards and Villari picked up the first down to the GT 31. An illegal man downfield wiped out the first down and backed the Orange up to GT36. Allen picked up 11 yards on a jet sweep on second down. Villari ran for 21 yards on third down to the GT4. Villari scored on the next play to make it 24-10 Georgia Tech with 10:07 left in the third quarter.

After a touchback, Tech started the next drive at the GT25. Haynes fumbled on first down after picking up a first down and the Orange recovered at the GT41.

Allen ran two times for six yards ot the GT GT35. Villari got stopped on third down short of the sticks at the GT32. Efford stood up Allen on fourth down to force a turnover on downs.

Dontae Smith picked up one yard on first down. Leary caught a screen for four yards on second down. King held the ball too long and hit Leary for a big loss on third down to force a Shanahan punt, the 48-yard punt was returned by Allen 48 yards to the GT18.

Allen picked up seven yards on first down to the GT11. Allen picked up four yards to set up first and goal on the next play at the GT7. Villari picked up six yards to the GT1 on first down. Eddie Kelly stopped Allen on second down. Allen scored on the next play to make it 24-16 as Ahmari Harvey tackled the holder to blow up the PAT attempt.

After a squib kick fielded by Billy Ward at the GT27, the Jackets started again. King hit Rutherford for six yards on first down and Singleton for two yards on second down. Haynes ran for three yards to convert the first down. He picked up five yards on the next play to the GT43. King under pressure overthrew Rutherford on second down. Caleb Okechukwu sacked King to force a punt. Shanahan’s punt was fair caught at the SU26.

Villari ran for a yard on first down and Gill caught a six-yard pass on second down. Villari ran for two yards on third down to set up four and one to start the fourth quarter. Shrader picked up the first down on a QB sneak to the GT37. Efford tackled Allen on a quick screen. Oliver dumped Allen in the backfield for a loss on second down and Allen was stuffed on third down to force a punt from Stonehouse that Blaylock fair caught at the GT21.

Smith ran for two yards on first down. Singleton caught a one-yard pass on second down. Rutherford picked up two yards on a jet-sweep. Shanahan’s 39-yard punt was fair caught at the SU35.

Allen ran for 11 yards on first down. Damien Alford hauled in a 12-yard pass for another first down to the GT42. After no gain on first down, Villari ran for 17 yards and a first down to the GT25. Allen reversed field and ran for 23 yards to the GT2. Allen scored on the next play to make it 24-22. The Orange went for two, and Allen was forced to throw an errant pass.

After the touchback, the Jackets took over with 7:41 left at their own 25. Pass interference on first down gave the Jackets a first down at the GT31. Haynes ran for three yards on first down, an offsides moved the ball the GT 39 on second down and Haynes picked up the first down to the GT43. King picked up five yards to the SU48. Haynes ran for 13 yards to the SU35. Haynes picked up eight yards on the next play to the SU27. King ran for four yards and another first down to the SU23. King ran for four yards to the SU19 and Babers called his first timeout with 2:28 left. King scored after the timeout on a 19-yard run.

Stewart banged a touchback on the kickoff. The Orange put in Luke MacPhail and Kyle Efford picked off his first pass attempt at quarterback at the SU31.

Smith ran for one yard on first down. Smith ran for three yards to the SU27. Post play unnecessary roughness on Jason Simmons Jr. moved the ball to the SU13. Facemask on on Kevon Darton and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, first and goal GT at the SU1. Tech took a knee to end the game.

Georgia Tech hosts #1 UGA at 7:30 pm in Bobby Dodd Stadium.