WINSTON-SALEM, NC- It was not pretty but Georgia Tech went to Wake Forest and knocked off the Deacs 30-16 to move to 2-2 on the season and 1-1 in ACC play in a game that the Jackets led 50 minutes after going up 7-3 in the first quarter on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Haynes King to Eric Singleton Jr.

First-year Jackets' head coach Brent Key also moved back to .500 with the victory.

“It was good to get a win on the road against a very good Wake Forest football team,” Key said. I have a lot of respect for Dave Clawson and the job he has done and the program he has built over the last 10 years here. We knew we had to play field position and we knew we had to generate some explosives on offense. The biggest thing we knew is we had to start creating some negative plays on the defensive front and we had to be able to affect the quarterback and start flipping the turnover margin. It was good to see some of those things take place.”

It was the fourth-straight win for the Jackets over Wake Forest going back to the 2006 ACC Championship Game and the fourth-straight win in Winston-Salem.

Tech’s offense moved the ball well except for a third quarter swoon racking up 380 yards of offense behind Haynes King’s 222 yards passing and 53 yards rushing including a 35-yard run to help seal the win late in the fourth quarter that set up Jamal Haynes 26-yard backbreaking touchdown to put Tech up 30-16.

King threw his second interception of the year as well after 107 straight passes without a pick after throwing one against Louisville in week one.

King passed the 1,000-yard mark passing just four games into the season and he has 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions as well.

Without starting wideout Chase Lane again, the Jackets turned to Singleton at key times for four catches for 50 yards. Singleton, a true freshman, has caught a touchdown in each of his four collegiate games.

King connected with eight other receivers, tight ends and running backs on his 16 completions.

Abdul Janneh hauled in a 33-yard touchdown and a key first down pass marking his first catches since the Louisville game.

Luke Benson helped set up a score with a 38-yard catch in the first half and Avery Boyd turned a short pass into a 31-yard explosive as well to help move the ball.

Tech jumped out to a 20-3 halftime lead thanks to a strong showing by the offense in the first half that did not hold up in the third quarter.

“We had a couple of good big plays like throwing that one to Eric and that one to Abdul and a shout out to the line because they grinded it out and in the first half we were hitting on all cylinders. I wish we would’ve scored touchdowns in the red zone instead of settling for field goals but any kind of points are good points right now,” King said.

The Tech offensive line despite losing starting right tackle Jordan Williams early in the game gave up zero sacks. Wake Forest sacked Old Dominion ten times last week and led the country in sacks (16) coming into the game and were top five in tackles for a loss as well.

Haynes ran for 95 yards on 18 carries to lead the ground game for the Jackets.

Instead of the Wake defense providing sacks, Georgia Tech got after Wake quarterback Mitch Griffis sacking him eight times including four by Kyle Kennard and adding 10 tackles for a loss in the win.

Kennard’s four sacks were the most sacks for a Yellow Jacket player since Jeremiah Attaochu’s four sacks against UGA in 2013.

Andre White had 1.5 sacks off the bench including a strip sack for the Jackets at MIKE linebacker and K.J. Wallace had a strip sack as well from the nickel spot.

Griffis ended the day with 162 yards passing, three interceptions, one touchdown and three fumbles with one lost fumble.

Safety Jaylon King had a pair of interceptions for the Jackets including one of the final Wake Forest offensive play off a deflection by cornerback Myles Sims. That helped Sims overcome a rough day where he had a pair of pass interference calls

“It was quite rewarding due to the work we put in throughout the week and the amount of preparation we put in to be prepared for a time like this. It wasn’t unexpected,” Sims said of the defensive performance. “It was more so expected than anything. We just had to go out there and execute.”

Kenan Johnson had a feast or famine day with two pass interference calls as well including one late in the game when Wake had pulled within seven that put the Deacs just outside the red zone. Johnson responded to that with an interception and the Jackets converted the turnover into the final seven points of the game.

“There was a call that didn’t go our way. One thing my older brother always preached to me was don’t let your highs get too high or your lows too low and I serve a higher power and I asked God to help guide me through the moment to help me continue to play and finish and that is what happened,” Johnson said of his interception.

Defensive tackle Zeek Biggers finished second with nine tackles in the game, half a sack and two pass breakups including one that led to a King interception.

“I feel like the defensive line needed to step up and create negative plays and I feel like we did that this week and we worked hard to make sure we finished every drive and we have to keep doing that,” Biggers said. “We were more aggressive getting after the ball and attacking to get back there.”

Tech forced four turnovers and two turnovers on downs as well from Wake Forest in the win. Those six turnovers yielded only 10 points with the last one coming on the final Wake offensive play of the day.

Wake did not score on either of Tech’s two miscues, a turnover on downs late and the interception King threw.

The Deacs did have some success running the ball with Justice Ellison rushing for 137 yards on 18 carries.

Aidan Birr connected on three field goals including a 48-yard field goal. The 48-yarder was the longest since Wesley Wells hit a 48-yard field goal against Virginia in 2018.

Freshman walk-on running back Chad Alexander recovered a muffed punt by Taylor Morin.

“We made a lot of improvements in a lot of areas and forced a fumble on special teams which was good,” Key said.

Tech punter David Shanahan returned after an injury in the Ole Miss game forced backup punter Joshua Taylor into action last week. Shanahan punted four times for 185 yards including once downed inside the 20.

“It was good getting Shanahan back out there and helping kick the ball for field position,” he said.

Coming into the game, Tech was the least penalized team in the country with just five in three games and that number swelled thanks to 14 penalties for 142 yards on Saturday that helped keep Wake Forest in the game. Tech did not commit a penalty at Ole Miss last week. Wake Forest only had two penalties for 15 yards in the loss.

“Obviously the penalties are something that is extremely uncharacteristic, but when you do it is a characteristic and you are as good as your last game. That is the mark you have and you leave and we will be addressing it as we put the game to bed and look forward to next week,” Key said.

After losing the toss, Wake deferred and the Jackets started at their own 23 after a short return by Leary. Rutherford was caught for a short loss on first down. A second down pass to Singleton fell incomplete. Jamal Haynes hauled an 11-yard pass on third down to the GT32. David Shanahan hit a 47-yard punt that was fair caught at the WF21.

Ke’Shawn Williams caught the first Wake pass of the game for 11 yards and a first down at the WF32. Kevin Harris forced a fumble on first down that Wake recovered and then a bad snap put the Deacs at 3rd and 20, but Kyle Kennard facemasked Griffis on third and 20 to give the Deacs a first down at the GT49. Ellison on second and eight ran for 29 yards to set p first and goal at the GT9. Tech’s defense held on three straight plays and forced a short field goal from Matthew Dennis.

After a touchback, the Jackets started at their own 30. Trey Cooley ran for four yards on first down, but lost two on the next play. King hit Luke Benson for 38 yards on third and long to the WF35. After a run and a quick pass to Cooley for five yards, the Jackets had third and five at the WF30. On third down and six, King hit Eric Singleton Jr. for a 31-yard touchdown to give Tech a 7-3 lead (Aidan Birr PAT).

Following a touchback by Stewart on the kickoff, Wake ran the ball three times to midfield with Desmond Claiborne. Tech held the Deacs in check on first and second downs nearly turning over the ball for a defensive score. Morin hauled in a 13-yard pass on third down to set up 4th and goal. Morin hauled in the fourth down pass and the GT33. Jason Moore and Horace Lockett had a key TFL on second down to push the Deacs into a third and long at the GT33. Kenan Johnson made a key tackle on the edge to force fourth and two and Wake went for it and Makius Scott deflected Griffis’ pass to force a turnover on downs.

Dylan Leonard was called for a hold on first down to make it 1st and 20 at the GT16. King misfired on first down, but ran for eight on second down and hit Leary on third and 12 for 14 yards to the GT38. Cooley ran for six yards on the next play to the GT44. King overthrew Singleton and it was intercepted by Dashawn Jones and returned to the WF25.

Wesley Grimes caught a first down for 11 yards to the WF36. Kyle Kennard sacked Griffis on third down to force a punt after Wake got no yards on the next two plays.

After the punt backed the Jackets up to their own 17, Avery Boyd hauled in a pass and ran 31 yards down the sideline to midfield on second own. Two plays later Abdul Janneh hauled in another first down to the WF38. Haynes ran for four yards on first down and King ran for two on second down on a scramble. King hit Janneh for a 33-yard touchdown to put the Jackets up two scores 14-3 with 8:04 left in the second quarter.

Wake Forest picked up a holding call on the ensuing kick return to start the next drive at their own 15. Wake ran the ball twice and threw a pair of passes to move the ball to their own 40. On third and six, the Deacs had a false start and then Cameron Hite fumbled a first down catch and Jaylon King came up with the ball. Kennard picked up a pair of penalties after the turnover for taunting and an illegal blindside block and the Jackets took over at their own 27 instead of midfield.

Haynes took the first carry for a two-yard loss. Rutherford dropped a second down pass and Cooley picked up just six yards on third down on a pass. Wake’s Morin muffed the punt and Chad Alexander recovered at the WF11.

Haynes ran for two yards on first down and King had throw away the second down pass. King overthrew Singleton in the end zone and Birr hit a 25-yard field goal to make it 17-3 Georgia Tech with 3:07 left.

Wake started at their own 25 after a touchback. Claiborne ran for five yards on first down, but Scott deflected a pass and Paul Moala sacked Griffis on third down to force a punt and a Tech timeout with 2:38 left. Mora’s punt went only 16 yards to the WF38.

Haynes picked up 13 yards on first down to the WF25. Leonard was called for holding on the next play to move the Jackets back to the WF35 with 1st and 20. King misfired on first down and Haynes ran for four yards on second down to set up 3rd and 16. Haynes ran for one yard on third down and Wake Forest called a timeout with 14 seconds left as Birr set up to kick a 48-yard field goal. Birr hit the field goal to make it 20-3 with 10 seconds left in the half.

Stewart’s kickoff sailed through the end zone and Wake started the drive at their own 25 with 10 seconds left in the half. Ellison ran for 15 yards on first down to the WF15.

Stewart opened the second half with another touchback. Runs by Griffis and Ellison moved the chains to the WF35. Kennard picked up his third sack of the day on the next play. Jahmal Banks caught a 12-yard pass and Griffis picked up the first down on a scramble on the next play to near midfield. Ellison ran on first down to midfield on a five-yard run. Myles Sims missed a tackle for a loss and Ellison ran for 20 yards to the GT30. Kenan Johnson was called for PI two plays later to move the Deacs to the GT14. Clairborne scored three plays later, but Dennis missed the PAT to make it 20-9 Georgia Tech with 10:26 left in the third quarter.

Leary returned the kickoff to the GT17 and a pair of penalties on the Jackets backed Tech up to their own 8. Haynes picked up four yards on first down. Haynes added four more on a jetsweep and Leonard picked up 10 yards on a quick pass on third down. Haynes ran for 24 yards to the WF49 on first down. Tech picked up an illegal formation on the next play to make it 1st and 15. Cooley ran for one yard on first down and picked up two yards on a pass and King couldn’t connect with Boyd on third down to force a Shanahan punt. Shanahan’s punt went into the end zone.

After a short run on first down, Griffis hit Morin for 20 yards to the WF38. On third and long Wake managed to get Kennard offsides. On third down, the Jackets stopped the Deacs and Clawson went for on fourth down and didn’t get it either thanks to Eddie Kelly and Kyle Efford bottling up Griffis for a turnover on downs at the GT49

King hit Singleton on a screen on first down for five yards. Haynes ran for two yards on second down, but Leftwich had a false start on third and short to make it third and nine. Singleton caught a third down pass to the WF39. Haynes picked up two yards on first down to the WF37. Haynes picked up two yards on a pass on second down to end the quarter. King couldn’t connect with Singleton in the end zone and then missed him on fourth down for a turnover on downs.

Andre White strip-sacked Griffis on first down and Zeek Biggers recovered the ball at the WF26.

Haynes ran for one yard on first down and Singleton picked up five and Rutherford picked up the first down with a 13-yard catch to the WF8 to set up first and goal. Following a timeout, King ran for five yards. He tripped on third down setting up a short Birr field goal to make it 23-9 Georgia Tech with 10:47 left.

After a touchback, Wake began at their own 25. Banks hauled in a 10-yard pass on second down to the WF37. Wallace sacked Griffis and forced another fumble Tech couldn’t recover on first down. Morin caught a nine-yard pass and Ellison ran for 17 yards on the following play to the GT42. Biggers and White sacked Griffis and then Kenan Johnson was called for pass interference to move the Deacs to the GT26. Ellison picked up eight yards on first down. Wake converted two plays later. Grimes scored on the next play on a 16-yard pass to make it 23-16 Georgia Tech with 5:26 left.

King after the touchback ran for four yards on first down. Haynes picked up three yards on second down. King couldn’t connect with Boyd on third down and Shanahan punted the ball where Morin fielded it at the WF35.

Makius Scott jumped offsides on first down to give Wake five yard to the WF40. Sims was called for PI on the next play. Banks hauled in a nine-yard pass on the next play. Ellison ran for the first down to the GT32. Wake hit another pass and a run for a first down to the GT21. Kenan Johnson picked off Griffis with just over two minutes left at the GT11 and returned it to the 32.

Haynes picked up seven yards on first down to the GT39 and Wake called their first timeout with 2:14 left. King on the keeper ran 35 yards to the WF26. Haynes ran for no yards on the first down. Haynes scored on the next play on a 26-yard touchdown run.

After a short return to the WF23, Wake Forest took over with 1:19 left. Kennard sacked Griffis on first down for the fourth time. Griffis escaped to near midfield on the next play on a 27-yard run. After another long run by Griffis to the GT30, King picked off Griffis on a pass tipped by Sims.

The Jackets were in the victory formation on the final possession of the game.