On the final play of the game, a field-goal try from 52 yards away slid barely wide left. Georgia Tech players spilled onto the field from the west sideline, many heading directly to the student section in the north stands to celebrate. Bobby Dodd Stadium pulsated with an energy not felt in a good while.
And the second game of interim coach Brent Key’s tenure concluded with the same result as the first – victory. The Yellow Jackets made mistakes and failed to button down the game when they had the chance in regulation, but nevertheless bagged a 23-20 overtime win over Duke on Saturday afternoon. The Jackets have won back-to-back games for the first time since 2018, with Key achieving in his first two games something that former coach Geoff Collins was unable to do in 38.
“To walk in that locker room and see those guys joyous again and happy for the work they put in over the last week – we’re to the point now where we’re learning how to win, and that’s a huge point,” Key said.
Tech (3-3, 2-1 ACC) did many of the same things that helped net them an upset road win over Pitt the previous Saturday, namely not turning the ball over, running the ball effectively and playing with speed and purpose on defense. Save one costly misplay by the punt team, the special teams kept Tech in the game. Quarterback Jeff Sims was effective running the offense, combining both facets of his dual-threat game to lead the Jackets to a 20-6 lead in the fourth quarter that appeared to be safe.
However, the Jackets sputtered in the fourth quarter and nearly spoiled a worthy effort with the one special-teams error (allowing an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown), the offense producing only two first downs over its final three drives of regulation (not including the last kneel-down play to end the fourth quarter) as it tried to run down the clock and the defense giving up an 80-yard touchdown drive inside the final three minutes of regulation to send the game to overtime, a series that was extended by three Tech penalties that advanced the ball 43 yards.
“I won’t say anything else about those (penalties) until we have a chance to watch the tape and see the film and see how we can coach our guys better,” Key said.
In overtime, with the wind seemingly at Duke’s back, the Jackets’ fates took another hit when Sims had to leave the game after the first play of overtime after absorbing a hit in the backfield. Backup quarterback Zach Gibson, thrust into his first action for Tech after transferring from Akron in the offseason, managed a five-yard completion that set up kicker Gavin Stewart for a 37-yard field-goal try that tumbled safely between the uprights for a 23-20 lead.
“Honestly, just make the kick,” Stewart said of his thoughts before the attempt. “That’s really about it. I just went out there and tried to stay focused and have everybody stay focused and just all do it as one.”
In Duke’s ensuing possession, disaster nearly struck again, this time on a 10-yard pass play on third-and-4 play from the 19 that would have positioned Duke (4-2, 1-1) with a first-and-goal from the 9. However, a pass-interference call against Duke nullified the play and pushed the Blue Devils back to the 34. After a third-down incompletion, Duke kicker Charlie Ham missed from 52 yards out, ending the game and setting off a celebration in the dusk.
“Somewhere, some football gods have some love for us,” Key said. “I guess karma comes around, right? I know it sounds like coach talk, but you have to play until the clock hits :00, and you have to play as hard as you possibly can.”
The homecoming crowd was a modest 32,041, but made its presence felt throughout, encouraging third-down stops and roaring after key plays by the Jackets. Following the firing of Collins and Tech’s win over Pitt a week ago, it was an invigorated fan base ready to feel the excitement and hope that Key has inspired with his straight-forward messaging and the disciplined and energetic play that his team has put forth on the field.
“Coach Key definitely fires us up,” said nickel back K.J. Wallace, whose third-quarter interception thwarted a Duke red-zone possession.
Sims was a difference maker from the start, throwing from the pocket with confidence and running the ball with the same aggressive spirit that he displayed in the win over Pitt. It was evident early, such as when he ran around the right side on a keeper in the first quarter and barreled over Duke defensive back Jaylen Stinson, knocking him back at least six yards on a drive that resulted in a Stewart field goal and a 3-0 lead.
“You talk about momentum shift for the entire team – you see him pull one of those first runs down and drive his back leg through and push the pile and not take a slide, but run slap over somebody and be able to bring his back leg, continue to have that momentum, that’s what I think everybody’s been looking for from Jeff and we’ve been asking him to do,” Key said.
Sims benefited from solid protection on a second-and-9 play inside the red zone in the second quarter and fired a strike to wide receiver Nate McCollum at the goal line for an 18-yard score, with McCollum holding onto the ball as he absorbed a hit. He later found wide receiver Leo Blackburn, making his career debut after an ACL tear in the preseason last year and a wrist injury before this year’s camp, for a 37-yard touchdown pass that increased Tech’s lead to 17-6 in the third quarter.
His connection with McCollum produced eight catches for 101 yards, both career highs.
The Tech defense, meanwhile, had answers for Duke and quarterback Riley Leonard. The defensive line pressured Leonard in the pocket, and Tech’s secondary covered effectively, limiting him to 20-for-42 passing for 136 yards with one touchdown and an interception. Before Saturday, Leonard led the ACC in completion percentage at 72%.
“He didn’t have his best game, for sure,” Duke coach Mike Elko said. “We didn’t do the best job protecting him, for sure. We didn’t put him in the best situation to be successful (Saturday).”
The Blue Devils gained a season-low 278 yards and averaged 3.7 yards per play, well off its season averages against FBS competition of 450.3 and 6.8, respectively. Linebackers Charlie Thomas (seven tackles, one pass breakup, one quarterback hurry) and Ayinde Eley (team-high nine tackles, two hurries, half a sack) played starring roles. Freshman safety Clayton Powell-Lee, stepping in for injured starter Jaylon King, came up with eight tackles in his starting debut.
“Playing with a great group of guys that I have as teammates on the defensive end, I just feel like they really had confidence in me, and that allowed me to boost my confidence as well,” Powell-Lee said.
Seemingly in disarray two weeks ago after the 27-10 loss at Central Florida on Sept. 24 that led to Collins’ firing two days later, the Jackets head into their only open week of the season with a .500 record, in second place in the Coastal Division and a belief that the arrow is pointing straight up.
“I’m happy for these kids,” Key said. “I’m happy for Georgia Tech as a whole.”
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