Fumbles prove costly for Jackets in loss to Hokies
ATLANTA -- The Georgia Tech offense kept turning the ball over again and again. And the Georgia Tech defense kept turning Virginia Tech away, until the Yellow Jackets tempted fate once too often.
The Yellow Jackets gave it up on a fumble for the third time midway in the fourth quarter. Given the opportunity, Virginia Tech finally broke through with a touchdown to take the lead for the first time and beat Georgia Tech 23-21 on Thursday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The Georgia Tech defense had forced a punt and gave the ball to the offense at the 20 yard line. But Marcus Allen fumbled on the first play and Virginia Tech's Dadi L'Homme Nicolas recovered at the 18. The Hokies were able to punch it in four plays later when Travon McMillian ran it in from the 4.
McMillian caused problems all night. He carried 24 times for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
Georgia Tech managed only 128 of its 258 total yards after the first quarter and fumbled it away three times, two of them by Broderick Snoddy, who was playing with a soft cast on his broken hand.
The Yellow Jackets had six offensive possessions in the second half. Three of those possessions ended with fumbles, two other with punts. Marcus Allen rushed for 75 yards but had the fumble that set up the Hokies' winning score. Justin Thomas threw for 97 yards and rushed for 52.
Georgia Tech, which needed a field goal to win, had one last chance with 3:56 left when they took over at the 21. The Yellow Jackets were close to reaching field goal position when lineman Errin Joe was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct at the end of a run.
That pushed the Yellow Jackets with a third-and-20 from their own 46 and Justin Thomas was sacked by Ken Ekanem, leaving them fourth-and 27. Thomas' desperation fourth-down pass was well thrown over the head of Ricky Jeune.
Georgia Tech's offense played one of its best opening quarters of the season, racing to a 14-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets were able to run the ball effectively against a traditionally tough Virginia Tech defense.
The Yellow Jackets struck quickly on their first possession. They used a 58-yard pass from Thomas to Ricky Jeune on the game's second play to get up Marcus Allen's 4-yard scoring run.
Georgia Tech's second touchdown was set up by a turnover. Virginia Tech's Cam Phillips caught a pass for 14 yards from Michael Brewer, only to have linebacker Tyler Marcordes come in at the end of the play and knock the ball loose. Safety Jamal Golden jumped on the ball at the 25 yard line for his first fumble recovery of the year.
It took the Yellow Jackets eight plays to cover the 75 yards, with Clinton Lynch scoring on a 4-yard pitch around the left end for his seventh touchdown.
Virginia Tech was able to cut the lead to 21-14 on a 10-play drive that covered 80 yards. The key was a 45-yard pass to Phillips, who came open when Georgia Tech sent pressure and was unable to get to Brewer. Five plays later Travon McMillian scored on a 2-yard carry off the left side.
The Hokies tied it with 35 seconds left. Brewer hooked up with Isaiah Ford for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
Georgia Tech started the third quarter by turning its second takeaway into a touchdown. Brewer threw behind big Bucky Hodges and linebacker Brant Mitchell stepped in to grab his second interception of the season.
Mitchell raced 32 yards for a touchdown, the team's first pick-six of the year, and a 21-14 lead.
Virginia Tech cut the margin to 21-17 when kicker Joey Slye kicked a 29-yard field goal. The drive stalled when Domonique Noble and Kyle Cerge-Henderson stopped Brewer short on a third-and-5.
This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 11:06 PM with the headline "Fumbles prove costly for Jackets in loss to Hokies ."