Georgia Tech's Offense Sputters in 16-9 Loss to Virginia
Tonight was a big clash between ACC Coastal rivals Georgia Tech and Virginia. Both teams came into this game needing this win for different reasons. The Yellow Jackets were looking to get to 3-0 under interim head coach Brent Key and not only move closer to bowl eligibility, but stay alive in the crazy ACC Coastal race.
Here is the complete game summary from tonight's game from Atlanta.
1st Quarter
Virginia won the coin toss and decided to defer to the second half. Georgia Tech would get the ball and the offense would get a chance to draw first blood tonight against the Cavaliers.
Quarterback Jeff Sims hit his first two passes, but a false start on 3rd and 1 pushed Georgia Tech back, and then Sims's pass was incomplete on 3rd and 6 and the Yellow Jackets would have to punt.
Virginia took over on its own 42-yard line for their first drive of the game. The Cavaliers were faced with their own 3rd and short to start the game and after Virginia picked up the 1st down, it appeared that the running back fumbled the ball and the Yellow Jackets would get the ball back. After a review, Georgia Tech would get the ball back for the offense. Trenilyas Tatum forced the fumble and Brooks would recover.
Sims hit Malachi Carter on third down on the next drive for a big gain and got into Virginia territory for the first time in the game. Dontae Smith entered the game and had some nice runs in place of Hassan Hall, who got the start again. After a nice drive, Georgia Tech faced a 3rd down and goal from the eight-yard line and Sims gave the ball right back to Virginia with an interception in the endzone. Tech has been a good team in terms of not turning the ball over and it was a killer play that destroyed the drive.
However, the Georgia Tech defense struck right back and the defense put points on the board. Brooks picked off a pass from Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong and took it back for a touchdown to put the Yellow Jackets up 6-0 after a missed extra point. The defense forced two turnovers in the first two drives of the game and continued their good play from the previous three weeks.
Georgia Tech safety LaMiles Brooks played well in the first quarter for the Yellow Jackets
However, Virginia struck right back on the next drive. Armstrong would hit Lavel Davis Jr for a big play and then Tech was called for two pass interference penalties to set them up in the red zone. Armstrong kept it and scored from the one-yard line and UVA would take the lead 7-6 with 2:01 left in the 1st quarter.
Georgia Tech started its third drive from its own 25-yard line.
Sims hit Nate McCollum for a nice gain on the first play of the drive, but the Yellow Jackets went backward after that. Sims was then sacked on 3rd down and Tech had to punt.
2nd Quarter
UVA got the ball back and benefitted from a questionable roughing the passer call that would give them a fresh set of downs. The very next play, Armstrong threw an interception to Zamari Walton and the Yellow Jackets had their third forced turnover of the 1st half.
Tech took over and picked up a first down on a scramble from Sims. On the next play, Sims once again ran the ball, but this time he appeared to give the ball back to Virginia with a fumble, but after a review, Sims was ruled down and Georgia Tech kept the ball.
However, they would not keep it long. Tech's offense once again stalled out and they were forced to punt again.
The Yellow Jackets forced another three and out from the UVA offense. Charlie Thomas and Brooks would make a pair of excellent open-field tackles on the drive.
After a holding call on the punt, Georgia Tech took over on its own 28-yard line.
It was another three-and-out for the Yellow Jackets on their next drive, but it should be pointed out there was a terrible no-call on what looked to be pass interference on the UVA defense on a deep pass attempt to Leo Blackburn. Brent Key was visibly upset on the sideline and rightfully so.
UVA took over on its 31-yard line to start its next drive.
It would be a quick scoring drive for the UVA offense. Armstrong hit three big passes and Dontayvion Wicks would make a number of Georgia Tech defender miss and score a touchdown. The Cavaliers missed the extra point and it was 13-6 UVA. It was a terrible tackling and defensive effort in the series.
A big development would be on the next drive when Sims did not return at quarterback. Backup quarterback Zach Gibson entered the game and it was apparent right off how much the offense missed the scrambling ability and athleticism of Sims. The line could not protect for Gibson and the Yellow Jackets were forced to punt.
Georgia Tech could not overcome the loss of starting quarterback Jeff Sims
UVA took over on their own 45-yard line.
After a fourth down conversion, the Cavaliers were forced to attempt a field goal with nearly a minute left in the first half. The kick was no good and Tech got the ball back with 1:16 left and a chance to put points on the board before halftime
Gibson found McCollum for a big gain on the first play of the drive and Tech would get the ball all the way down to the red zone a few plays later. The drive stalled out again though and a field goal attempt was the end result of the drive. Gavin Stewart nailed the kick and cut the lead to 13-9.
That was the end of the first half for the Yellow Jackets. The stats would be pretty similar for both teams. UVA outgained Tech 184-160. Tech averaged 3.9 yards per play in the 1st half compared to Virginia's 5.6. Georgia Tech gave up three sacks in the first half, while Virginia did not give up any. Virginia had three turnovers and Tech had one.
3rd quarter
The Cavaliers got the ball to start the second half and they would have two big plays to start the drive. Armstrong had a first-down scramble and then found Keytaon Thompson for a big pass play. However, a block in the back was called on the pass to Thompson, and the Cavaliers would have to be moved back ten yards.
The Yellow Jackets held on and get a stop and force a punt and get the ball back at their own seven-yard line.
Gibson remained the quarterback and Georgia Tech went three and out again. The running game with Hall in the backfield could not get any push on the short drive.
The Cavaliers got the ball at midfield after a nice punt return.
It wasn't a very eventful drive for the Cavaliers, as the Georgia Tech defense had settled in. After a first-down completion, UVA threw two incompletions and was forced to punt again.
After another stellar punt from UVA, Georgia Tech took over at its own four-yard line. Gibson made a critical error and fumbled the ball and give it back to Virginia near the end zone.
The defense once again make a stand and with the help of a false start penalty, forcing Virginia to kick a field goal. The Cavaliers made the kick and extended the lead to 16-9.
Another touchback from Virginia meant Georgia Tech would take over at its own 25-yard line.
It was another three and out for the Yellow Jackets, however. Two incomplete passes and a short run from Hall would end the drive and the ball would go back to Virginia.
At this point in the game, Gibson was 3-11 for 47 yards.
Georgia Tech backup quarterback Zach Gibson would struggle against Virginia
Virginia got the ball back and after a first-down scramble from Armstrong, Wicks made another big catch down the sideline and set the Cavaliers with a short field to score. Some miscues on the next couple of plays moved Virginia back and then they missed another field goal to try to keep the score 16-9. It was another win for the defense and a missed opportunity for Virginia to make it a two-score game.
Georgia Tech got the ball back and could not move the ball again and be forced to punt. The offensive line could not protect Gibson and the Yellow Jackets could not run the ball at all.
UVA got the ball back and after a nice gain that got them a first down, the third quarter ended with the Cavaliers leading the game 16-9 still.
4th Quarter:
Virginia had a third and short at the beginning of the quarter, but a great tackle by Charlie Thomas forced a fourth down. Virginia went for it, but Armstrong's pass would fall incomplete. Another big stop for the defense meant that Georgia Tech's offense was given another chance.
However, Tech did nothing with the opportunity and had another three and out and Gibson was sacked on the third down play. The offense just could not get anything going and at this point in the game, only had 164 yards, which is just putrid.
Georgia Tech's defense came up with several big stops during the second half
Virginia got the ball back and had an opportunity to probably put the game away with a scoring drive. A false start penalty backed them up at the start of the drive and they weren't able to do anything with it.
Then, Georgia Tech made a potentially game-changing play on special teams with a blocked punt and the Yellow Jackets got the ball back in Virginia territory.
The offense would do nothing with that opportunity, a theme in the second half. Gibson took a deep shot to Blackburn that was incomplete and then threw another incomplete pass before getting sacked on third down. This was an incredibly frustrating offensive performance to watch, no matter the quarterback situation.
The offense got a chance to redeem itself after another stop by the defense. They had to start at their own seven-yard line and had to drive 93 yards to try and have an opportunity to tie the game.
The Yellow Jackets went three-and-out, but a leaping penalty called on Virginia on the attempted punt gave the Yellow Jackets an automatic first down.
Gibson finally hit a rhythm on this drive with back-to-back gains to Malachi Carter. Penalties killed the drive, as did Virginia's eighth sack of the game forcing a 4th and 11. Gibson's pass fell incomplete and Virginia took over on downs, but Georgia Tech would still have all three timeouts.
The defense forced a three-and-out and the offense got another shot at trying to put together a drive to tie it up.
Georgia Tech hit a pass play, but with the clock going, the offense decided not to spike it. Gibson snapped it for one more play and ran out of bounds as time expired.
That kind of play just can't happen and the entire offense has to have more awareness.
It was a tough way to lose, but Georgia Tech was frankly lucky to even have an opportunity.
Georgia Tech is back in action next week against Florida State at 12:00 p.m on ACC Network.
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