DUBLIN, Ireland- Georgia Tech has played a lot of thrilling games under head coach Brent Key. Still, on Saturday in Ireland, the Jackets had the full attention of college football as they played a top-10 Florida State team winning on a last-minute 44-yard field goal by veteran kicker Aidan Birr. Tech became one of five teams in the last 40 years to beat a top-10 team in a season opener. Tech stunned college football with the 24-21 win.

"I'm really excited for the players and what they were able to accomplish tonight," said Key. "We set our goals going into the season, and they really have nothing to do with the outcome of the football game. We all know that's what we want to occur, but our goal is to go out and play every play as hard as we can possible play and not look at the scoreboard. I know a lot of times people hear that and think it's kind of coach talk, but it's starting to be engrained in who we are. They're starting to understand that, the players are.

"I'm happy for Georgia Tech, the fans, the alumni, everybody out there that supports us here. It was a special game. It was a special game for the ACC. Really good game in the league. To be able to have the defending conference champs on this stage tonight and to be able to showcase what the league is, competitive, good football. I know we have a really good marketing slogan in our league. It talks about the league of the quarterback or whatnot. Well, I think you can add the line of scrimmage to that too. That's where big games are won, at the line of scrimmage."

Tech inflicted their will on Florida State on the ground running 52 times for 336 yards. Quarterback Haynes King ran the ball 15 times for 54 net yards and threw for 146 yards on 11/16 passing.

"I'm really proud of the offensive line, shocking right," said Key, the former offensive lineman, with a smile. I'm really proud of those guys and how they were prepared."

Tech rode Jamal Haynes and Chad Alexander out of the backfield as the duo combined for 116 yards on 18 carries and Haynes had two touchdowns.

Malik Rutherford had four catches for 66 yards including a 42-yard run on a screen pass.

Tech’s offensive line pushed around Florida State’s vaunted defensive line considered to be one of the best in the country going into the game.

The Noles had zero sacks of King in the game and just one quarterback hurry. Shyheim Brown led the Noles with 13 tackles.

On the opposite side, Tech’s defense after a terrible opening drive that resulted in a touchdown and two-point conversion on the swinging gate, clamped down forcing a turnover on downs, two long field goals and two punts on the next five drives.

"Really proud of the way those guys (the defense) settled in after the first drive," said Key. "Tyler (Santucci) was able to settle them down with some calls. We were able to play assignment football, get off blocks, and I thought they were playing fast."

Kyle Efford led all Jacket defenders with 10 tackles and half a TFL. Kevin Harris had a sack and defensive backs Ahmari Harvey and LaMiles Brooks each had seven tackles and a TFL each in the win.

Defensive tackle Zeek Biggers had a deflected pass and true freshman linebacker Tah’j Butler had a TFL to pace the defense. Tech allowed just 35 yards on 35 carries after the opening drive.

Irish punter David Shanahan punted twice for 93 yards and had the hold on the game-winning field goal for Birr. FSU kicker Ryan Fitzgerald hit a 59-yard field goal and a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter to tie the game. Birr hit his 44-yard winner and missed one from 51 in the third quarter.

The win was the second-time the Jackets won a thriller in Ireland with a last-minute score after scoring the winning touchdown against Boston College in 2016 on the final full offensive drive of the game.

"I was confident this week. I was confident because of the plan that was put together and the progress that has been made really since the start of the year until now," said Key. "All in all, it was a clean game for the first game of the season, and that's what you want to see. You want to be able to limit your mistakes and self-defeating errors. And we want to play for 60 minutes. We want to build a tough, disciplined football team that's committed to themselves and in the team.

"We talk about execution with our football team, and what execution is is the confidence to go make a play whether you're a quarterback, whether you're an offensive lineman and the ball's on the 1-yard line and they're going to run behind you, whether you're a corner making a play on a ball in a man situation or your a kicker at the end of the game to win the football game. We had our final walk-through yesterday and the last play we had in the walk-through was a field goal. I brought them together and said 'guys, this game's going to come down to a field goal. This is your last rep of perfection before we go into the game. Total confidence in Aidan Birr. What a football player he is. He missed one earlier, a long one, and you talk about ice in his veins now. He came up to me and told me he was good and he didn't care where the ball was, he was going to make it."

Georgia Tech won the toss and deferred to the second half. Aidan Birr’s kickoff sailed out of the end zone for a touchback. DJ Uiagalelei connected with Roydell Williams for a 12-yard gain on first down. Two plays later the Noles hit midfield on two plays. Jaylin Lucas ran for a first down to the GT38 two plays later. Lawrance Toafili scored on a 28-yard touchdown run two plays later. The Noles went for two and took an 8-0 lead with 10:58 to go in the first quarter.

Christian Leary returned the opening kickoff 19 yards to the GT20. Jamal Haynes took the opening offensive play of the season 15 yards on a run up the middle to the GT35. Eric Singleton picked up 10 yards on the next play and then Malik Rutherford took a screen pass 42 yards to the FSU14. Jamal Haynes took the ball to the FSU 4 and Zach Pyron scored a play later on a QB keeper to make it FSU 8-7 after the Birr PAT.

After another Birr touchback, the Noles ran the ball two times for three yards with Josh Robinson knocking down Uiagalelei, but Toafili converted on a third down catch to cross midfield to the GT49. FSU stalled out at the GT36 facing third and seven. A holding call that Key declined set up fourth and six at the GT36 for FSU. Ahmari Harvey came up with a clutch open field tackle on Toafili to force a turnover on downs and the Jackets took over at their own 31.

Jamal Haynes on the first play lost six yards on a strong push by the Noles. defensive line. Haynes caught a screen for a yard and King was bottled up on a scramble after a five-yard run to force the first punt of the day. Shanahan’s punt rolled out of bounds at the FSU25 after 44 yards.

Uiagalelei hit tight end Kyle Morlock for 12 yards on first down to the FSU36, Tah’j Butler had a TFL on the next play on Roydell Williams for a three-yard loss. That ended the first quarter. Kyle Efford and Clayton Powell-Lee combined for a TFL on Toafili on the next play to set up third and 15. Romello Height sacked Uiagalelei but grabbed his facemask giving the Noles new life at the FSU47. Williams got a RB screen for 15 yards to the GT38. The Noles stalled out after that and Harvey had a TFL on Uiagalelei to force a field goal by Ryan Fitzgerald from 52-yards out to make it 11-7 Noles with 11:06 to go.

After a touchback, the Jackets went to work from their own 25. King couldn’t hook up with Singleton on first down. Haynes ran for four yards and then King hit Chase Lane for 11 yards and a first down at the GT42. Chad Alexander picked up 16 yards on his first career rushing attempt. Haynes King picked up 12 yards to the FSU25 after misfiring on first down for Singleton. Alexander picked up eight yards breaking tackle to the FSU18. King converted on a four-yard run to the FSU14 on the next play. Jamal Haynes ran to the FSU10 on the next play. King ran for seven yards to the FSU3 to set up first and goal. Alexander was stuffed on first down after a short gain. King ran to the one on the next play, but couldn’t get in. GT used the Reggie Bush push to score on the next play pushing Jamal Haynes into the end zone to take the lead 14-11 with 3:13 to go in the half.

After a Birr touchback, FSU started at their own 25. Uiagalelei hit Toafili for two yards on first down. LaMiles Brooks sniffed out a run for a short gain to set up third and eight for the Noles. Uiagalelei escaped on third down for a scramble to the FSU35 and a first down. Uiagalelei throws a pass to Malik Benson for six yards. Roydell Williams converted on second down to the FSU45. Brooks was called for PI on the next play on the first vertical shot of the game. A hold on the next play moved FSU back from the GT40 to midfield with 23 seconds left setting up 1st and 20. Jalen Brown caught a short pass and picked up 10 yards. FSU used their first timeout of the half to set up 2nd and 10 at the GT40. Toafili lost a yard as Taye Seymore sniffed him out for a TFL to set up a 59-yard field goal with 1 second left. Fitzgerald hit the field goal to tie the game at the half at 14 all.

After the touchback, Georgia Tech started the second half at their own 25. Jamal Haynes took the first carry 36 yards to the FSU39. King ran two times to the FSU34. His third down pass too Malik Rutherford fell incomplete and Birr missed a 51-yard field goal attempt.

After taking over at their own 34, Zeek Biggers deflected the first down pass pass by Uiagalelei. Uiagalelei hit Douglas but he was out of bounds when he landed, the play was overturned on review giving the Noles the ball at the GT48. Uiagalelei couldn’t connect on two passes and a short run led to a punt that landed in the end zone for a touchback.

Tech began the next drive at their own 20. Haynes was dropped in the backfield by DJ Lundy for a two-yard loss on first down. Joshua Farmer hit King on a pass attempt for Rutherford and then Rutherford fell down on the next pass play to force a three and out. David Shanahan punted the ball 49 yards and Benson returned it just three yards before Omar Daniels tackled him.

Starting at their own 36, Williams ran two times for nine yards setting up third and short at the FSU45. Uiagalelei picked up the first down just shy of midfield on the next play. Zachary Tobe had his first GT tackle on the next play stopping Toafilli for a short gain. Uiagalelei threw a deep ball out of bounds setting up third and 8 from the GT48. Kevin Harris sacked Uiagalelei on third down to force a punt. Rodney Shelley fielded the punt at the GT10.

Tech started from their own 10 on the next drive. King hit Avery Boyd for 15 yards on the first play on a rollout to the GT25. King hit Chase Lane for 20 yards on second and 10 to the GT45. Then Rutherford took a screen across midfield. A pop pass to Rutherford set up first down at the FSU41. King connected with Singleton for eight yards under pressure on the next play. King fumbled the mesh with Haynes and Keylan Rutledge recovered the fumble near midfield to set up 3rd and 12. King hit Rutherford under heavy pressure to the FSU28 for a first down. Alexander ran the ball to the FSU23. King ran 21 yards to the FSU2. That ended the fourth quarter. Jamal Haynes punched it in to make it 21-14 with 14:57 left in the half.

FSU opted to take the kickoff out of the end zone and Austin Dean stuffed Jaylen Lucas after 16 yards. Uiagalelei connected on first down with Douglas for 14 yards. Kyle Efford stuffed Toafili on first down for one yard. LaMiles Brooks on a safety blitz tripped Williams for a TFL to set up third and 10 at the FSU30. Benson caught a 10 yards pass to convert the third and long. Kentron Poitier caught a 10-yard pass to convert to the GT45. Omar Daniels and Kyle Efford stuffed Kam Davis for no gain setting up third and long again. Rodney Shelley defended the third-down pass to set up fourth and seven at the GT42. Douglas sat down in the middle of the field and caught the first down pass at the GT22. Romello Height dumped Toafili for a three-yard loss on first down to the GT25. A toss to Williams yielded four yards and the third down play only one yard. Malik Benson caught a slant for 19 yards on fourth down to set up an easy touchdown for Williams to tie the game at 21 with 6:33 remaining in the game.

Fitzgerald’s kickoff sailed into the end zone and Tech started at their own 25. King hit Rutherford for four yards on first down. King picked up four yards on the next play to set up third and two. A false start by Weston Franklin moved the Jackets back to their own 28. King hit Haynes on a screen for 14 yards to pick the first down. King picked up seven yards on first down to cross midfield. Alexander ran for a first down on the next play for seven yards. King picked up two yards and ran the clock down to the two-minute warning. Haynes ran for seven yards to set up third and inches. Alexander converted the third down to the FSU31 and Norvell used his first timeout of the game with 1:11 left. Alexander pushed the pile for two yards and Norvell used his second timeout with 1:02 left. King mishandled the timing on a jetsweep snap and fumbled the ball but recovered and scrambled to the 39. Singleton caught a screen pass for 12 yards to the FSU27 and Tech called a timeout with five seconds left to set up a game-winning field goal attempt by Aidan Birr from 44 yards out. Birr hit the field goal to give the Jackets the win.