LOUISVILLE, KY- Georgia Tech made a run at #19 Louisville but miscues on special teams and a defensive touchdown doomed the Jackets in a 31-19 loss to the Cardinals. Tech fell to 3-2 on the season with the loss and will head into a bye week before they host Duke to start play in October after playing the most games in college football through this week. Tech spotted Louisville.

Jackets kicker Aidan Birr missed a 46-yard field goal and had a 50-yard attempt blocked and returned for a touchdown in a net loss of 10 points for the Jackets. Tight end Ryland Goede missed a block on the edge allowing a defender to come free to block the field goal and recover it for a scoop and score.

Another key miscue came late on an attempt for a punt block after a three and out by the Cards following Tech turned the ball over on downs, defensive back Rodney Shelley ran into Louisville’s punter giving the Cards a free first down to run out of the clock.

Head coach Brent Key dropped to 5-1 against ranked ACC teams as a head coach with this marking the first loss.'

"Credit to Louisville and Coach (Jeff) Brohm for getting the win," Key said. "Anytime you come on the road, you can't come on the road and play sloppy football and make critical mistakes. We spotted them 14 points on a defensive touchdown at the minus six and a blocked field for a touchdown."

Tech’s running game was the biggest issue aside from the special teams miscues as Jamal Haynes ran for 25 yards on 12 carries and Trelain Maddox had just 14 yards on eight carries. Haynes King provided the only rushing of consequence with 58 yards on 14 carries including a long touchdown run.

King threw for 312 yards on 21/32 passing in the game. The veteran quarterback managed the game well but was not able to lead the Jackets into the end zone on a drive and the team had to kick a red zone field goal as well.

"Haynes does a good job of maneuvering those situations and he did a good job of tucking and running it, but sometimes he also needs to make a cleaner throw," Key said.

Malik Rutherford led Tech with seven catches for 113 yards while Eric Singleton Jr. added 88 yards on five catches.

Before the game, news broke of veteran receiver Christian Leary leaving the program as he will aim to transfer and preserve his redshirt senior season. Key spoke about Leary's departure which also opened the door for true freshman Isiah Canion who was on the field in several important drives off the bench in the role Leary was playing.

"Isiah is a talented freshman and he got here earlier in the year coming of an injury from high school. He is going to be a good player for us and he earned the opportunity there," Key said. "With Christian, I wish him the best of luck, but he is no longer on the football team for personal reasons."

Key said he felt like the Tech didn't always play smart football on the field leading to several key miscues that kept the Jackets from being able to take control of the game.

"A lot of the guys played hard, but that is not enough to play hard, you have to play smart. I thought there were times we didn't play the smartest football we are capable of playing and you go on the road and make mistakes that end up costing you," Key said.

Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough managed the game well throwing for 269 yards on 13/19 passing with two touchdowns.

The Cards were also unable to run the ball at all with 15 yards on 27 attempts in the game. Donald Chaney led the Cards with 23 rushes on 10 carries.

Receiver Ja’Corey Brooks led the Cards with 125 yards receiving on four catches and Chris Bell added 82 yards on two catches and had another long catch wiped out by a holding penalty on Louisville.

Kyle Efford led the Tech defense with seven total tackles including six solo tackles and a QB hurry.

Tech had four QB hurries but were unable to sack Shough.

Defensive end Romello Height drew multiple holding calls from the Cards and had four tackles and a TFL and Jackson Hamilton and Thomas Gore added TFLs as well for the Tech defense.

Birr had a rough day missing a pair of field goals again from the right hash missing a 46-yarder in the first half and his 50-yarder was blocked and returned for a touchdown for the final scoring play of the game after Tech had cut the Louisville lead to 24-19 with a safety. He did hit a 26-yard field goal and his PATs.

David Shanahan was a bright spot with both his punts being downed or tackled inside the 20 for a 56.5 average in the game.

Louisville kicker Brock Travelstead hit both of his field goal attempts from 52 and 27.

The Jackets will have their first bye week of the season before returning to Bobby Dodd Stadium to face Duke on October 5th.

Georgia Tech won the toss and elected to take the ball for the first time this season. The opening kickoff was a touchback. Haynes King under pressure couldn’t connect with Eric Singleton on first down. Jamal Haynes picked up four yards on second down. King was nearly sacked and ran back to the LOS on third down to force a punt. After penalties on both teams, Louisville was pinned at their own 7 on David Shanahan’s punt after a Louisville defender ran into him and Tech had a hold on the punt.

The Cards ran Donald Chaney ran two times for nine yards setting up third down, Kyle Efford was called for a hold on a play where Romello Height nearly sacked Tyler Shough. Ja’Corey Brooks caught a 42-yard pass from Shough on the next play to the GT32. Chaney slipped on first down for a three-yard loss and Slough overthrew a receiver on the sideline on second down setting up third and long. Efford pressured Shough forcing a throw away. Syeed Gibbs blocked the field goal for Tech.

After the blocked kick, Tech started at their own 35. After a two yard run by Jamal Haynes, a facemask penalty moved Tech to the Ville48. King ran for eight yards on the QB keeper to the Ville40. King ran again for eight yards to the Ville32 and a first down. Haynes lost a yard on first down, Malik Rutherford picked up 10 yards on a screen and King scored on fourth and short 23 yards untouched. Aidan Birr hit the PAT to put Tech up 7-0 with 7:40 left in the 1st quarter.

Birr’s kickoff sailed through the end zone for a touchback. Shough hit Jamari Johnson for nine yards on first down and Keyjuan Brown converted on a run to the Ville37. LaMiles Brooks stopped a first down run for a on yard. Shough ran for a first down, but a hold wiped out his run. On 2nd and 19 the Cardinals hit a big pass and had an illegal man downfield moving it back to the Ville23 making it 2 and 24. Trenilyas Tatum tackled Isaac Brown on a 7 yard run setting up third and 17. Efford chased Shough out of bounds short of the sticks to force a punt. Brady Hodges punted the ball 56 yards and Rodney Shelley had a one yard return.

Starting at their own six, Trelain Maddox entered the game at running back. King ran for no gain on second down and then fumbled the ball on third down trying to lateral to a receiver on the edge, Louisville recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown to make it 7-all. Lou Puryear recovered the fumble that was forced by Quincy Riley.

After a touchback on the Louisville kickoff, Tech began the drive at their own 25. King hit Rutherford for 45 yards on first down on a deep shot. After getting stuffed on first down, Tech used an unbalanced formations to pick up six yards on a pop pass. King hit Josh Beetham to set up first and goal at the two, but an ineligible man downfield wiped that play out to end the first quarter. Jackson Hawes dropped the third down pass and then Birr missed a 46-yard field goal from the right hash.

The Cards took over at their own 29 after the missed field goal. Shough hit Brooks for 10 yards and a first down on the first play from scrimmage. Shough hit Ahmari Huggins-Bruce for eight yards on the next play and Duke Watson converted with a short run to cross midfield to the GT49. Tatum stopped Watson on first down for no gain. Shough hit tight end Mark Redman for a first down at the GT37 on a 12-yard pass. Kevin Harris forced Shough to throw the ball away. Chris Bell scored on a 37-yard touchdown on the next play to put the Cards up 14-7 with 11:20 left in the half.

After a touchback, Tech started their drive at their own 25. Maddox ran for a short loss on first down. Rutherford took a screen nine yards on second down and Maddox was dumped for loss on third down to force a punt. Shanahan’s punt went 55 yards and the returner was dumped after a short gain at the Ville15.

A hold on first down moved the Cards back to their own 8 setting up 1st and 17. Makius Scott got in the backfield on first down to stop a run for no gain. Shough scrambled out of a possible safety for eight yards. Bell caught a crosser against Tech’s blitz and picked up 45 yards. Ahmari Harvey nearly stripped the ball, but Bell caught it back. Thomas Gore and Jordan van den Berg combined for a TFL on first down. Omar Daniels stuffed Brown on third down to set up fourth down. Key burned his first timeout to set the defense. Chaney caught a play-action pass from Shough for 17 yards to the GT13. Chaney ran for five yards on first down and then no gain on second down setting up third and 5 at the GT8. Jackson Hamilton dropped Brown for a two-yard loss that set up a Brock Travelstead 27-yard field goal to put the Cardinals up 17-7.

After another touchback, Avery Boyd took a reverse for a two-yard loss on first down. King hit Rutherford for four yards. King connected with Haynes for nine yards and a first down at the GT38 with 56 seconds left in the half. King hit Singleton for 12 yards at midfield. Boyd had a false start on first down wiping out a six-yard pass to Singleton. Rutherford ran for one yard and Tech used their second timeout. King hit Singleton for 51 yards. King couldn’t connect with Isiah Canion on first down, Zach Pyron came in on 2nd down and picked up two to put the ball at the Ville1 with 3rd down. King couldn’t connect with Rutherford on third down and Key opted to go for it. Haynes punched it in on fourth down with 4 seconds left in the half.

Birr’s short kickoff was returned to the Ville21 to end the half.

Coming out to start the third quarter Birr’s kickoff went through the end zone. Shough picked up three yards on first down. A hold on second down moved the Cards back to the 17. Brooks hauled in a 16 yard pass just short of the sticks and Chaney converted on third down to the Ville36. Chaney ran for seven on first down. Chaney picked up the first down on the next play to the Ville48. A chop block deleted a 29-yard pass on a flea flicker reverse moving the Cards back to their own 33. Brown picked up three yards on a pass. Harvey defended the deep shot on the next play. Jordan van den berg and Romello Height blasted Shough on a deep shot that Jamari Johnson dropped. Brady Hodges punt was fair caught at the GT25 by Shelley.

King hit Rutherford for 12 yards on first down to the GT37 on a screen. Haynes picked up the first down to the GT47. King hit Boyd on second and 10 for 28 yards on a seam route to the Ville 25. Chase Lane on second down caught a nine yard pass and Jamal Haynes ran two times including a fourth and short to convert to the Ville13. Maddox picked up eight yards to make it second and two at the Ville5. King ran for one yard and Maddox ran for no gain on third down setting up another fourth down run. Key opted to take a delay of game to set up a field goal. Birr hit the 26-yarder to tie the game at 17 with 2:46 left in the third quarter.

Birr’s kickoff went through the end zone for a touchback. Brown ran for three yards on first down. Syeed Gibbs was flagged for pass interference to move the ball to the Ville43. Brooks hauled in a 57-yard touchdown on a play where Tech was flagged for pass interference.

Hawes returned a squib kick to the GT33. Haynes ran for 17 yards on first down to midfield. King on second and 10 stepped up and hit Rutherford for 17 yards to the Ville33 to end the third quarter. King lost two yards on the first play of the quarter. King ran for 26 yards on the next play untouched to the Ville9. King ran for no gain on first down and hit Lane on a screen for short yardage to the Ville6. Key called a timeout before the third down play. King ran for four yards and was stopped at the Ville2. King was stuffed at the one inch line for a turnover on downs.

Shough tried to throw the ball on a play-action pass and fell for a Tech safety to make it Louisville 24-19.

Stockton returned the safety punt to the GT34 on a 23 yard return. Maddox ran for two yards on first down. Rutherford caught a 19-yard pass on second down to the Ville45. Hawes picked up eight yards on first down. Haynes lost a yard on second down. Maddox caught a third down pass for nine yards to give the Jackets a first down at the Ville29. King lost four yards on first down and then over threw Rutherford on second down. Under pressure he couldn’t find Boyd on third down and 14 and Key called a timeout to kick a field goal. Birr’s 50-yard attempt was blocked by Tayvon Holloway and returned for a touchdown by Holloway on a 55-yard return to make it 31-19 with 7:05 left.

After a touchback, Tech started the next drive at their own 25. After misfiring on first down, King hit Singleton for eight yards on second down. King couldn’t find Singleton on third down bringing up fourth and two. King hit Lane on a sliding catch for a first down. King overthrew Maddox on first down and was chased into a throw away on second down. On third down he hit Hawes for 33 yards to the Ville30. King hit Lane for six yards and Maddox ran for two more yards to set up third and two. Maddox ran for two yards but was just inches short of the first down mark. Haynes was stuffed on fourth down for another turnover on downs at the Ville21.

Romello Height dropped Chaney in the backfield for no gain and Clayton Powell-Lee stopped Jadon Thompson for a short gain on second down. Brown was stopped by Powell-Lee to force a punt, but a Tech defender Shelley ran into punter Hodges to give the Cards a first down.