As the 4th quarter began Georgia Tech trailed Duke 14-10. At 3-2 and 1-2 in the ACC, the Jackets season was on the brink. The schedule is already tough enough, and Duke at 5-0 had already proven to be a very good 4th quarter team. Duke had not given up a 4th quarter touchdown the entire season. Duke QB Maalik Murphy typically played his best football late in games.
If Georgia Tech had lost tonight, I truly don’t believe they recover and reach any kind of postseason. Coming off a BYE, at home, and a near double-digit favorite, and you end up losing? Yep it would have curtains on 2024.
That much was on the line for Georgia Tech in this one.
They might have found something they can build on as they scored 14 unanswered to beat Duke 24-14.
Georgia Tech finally looked like the physical, ball control tough football team we haven’t seen since early in the year.
Theychewed up over 10 minutes of football from late in the 3rd in quarter into the 4th quarter on two time-consuming TD drives. QB Haynes King was efficient in the passing game, and the run game finally got on track finishing the game 245 rush yards. Defensively Georgia Tech isn’t great, but they are trending towards being a credible unit, and they held Duke to 279 total yards and just 74 on the ground.
Now you head to Chapel Hill 4-2 (2-2) to play a reeling UNC team that has lost 3 games in a row. Georgia Tech needs to validate the win from tonight, but they at least have a win to validate. Brent Key preaches toughness, and the Jackets weren’t tough against Syracuse or Louisville in losses sandwiched around an overmatched VMI team.
They showed toughness in the 4th quarter Saturday, and it might just save their season.
