In the aftermath, some of the numbers looked OK. Georgia Tech ran for 334 yards, the second game in a row in which the Yellow Jackets surpassed 325 yards.
B-back Dedrick Mills picked up his first 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 132 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Before leaving the game with an upper-body injury, quarterback Justin Thomas was efficient in the passing game, completing five of 10 passes for 184 yards with a touchdown, an 83-yarder to A-back Clinton Lynch.
However, Tech’s 518 yards of total offense created only 20 points as the Jackets misfired in the red zone and gave the ball away twice with fumbles. The scoring output was the lowest since the 26-7 loss to Clemson in the fourth game of the season. In the past five years, before Saturday, only three other ACC teams had gained 500 or more yards of offense and scored 20 or fewer points, according to sports-reference.com. Field position was part of it. As the defense did not force any turnovers and forced only one punt, Tech started every possession at its 25 or behind it.
“We left too many out there,” coach Paul Johnson said. “We have to score more than that.”
Tech had six red-zone trips and scored only three times, two field goals and a touchdown. One of the field goals was particularly damaging.
In the second quarter, Tech had a first-and-goal at the UNC 9-yard line and then A-back Qua Searcy gained eight yards. However, on second-and-1, guard Shamire Devine was called for holding — Johnson was dubious about the penalty — backing the Jackets up to the 12. The Jackets were unable to get into the end zone on the next two plays and sent in kicker Harrison Butker for a successful 23-yard field goal.
At the end of the half, another red-zone trip was negated when Butker’s try from 32 yards was blocked. Tech ended the half down 27-17.
In a game when North Carolina’s offense was running so hot, it was imperative for the Jackets to put up touchdowns, and they were unable.
Mills had not fumbled since the first game of the season, but mishandled the ball on two exchanges with quarterback Justin Thomas and backup Matthew Jordan.
The inefficiency mystified Johnson, whose team put up 38 points in 13 possessions against Duke. Tech had 20 in 10 possessions Saturday.
“Just unexplainable,” Johnson said.
