Final - OT
GaTech wins OT thriller in Athens
Nov 30, 2014 - 8:17 AM Athens, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Yet another Georgia Tech-Georgia clash came down to the wire, and this time the Yellow Jackets survived in a Peach State thriller.Zach Laskey's third touchdown run of the day accounted for the only score in overtime, and the 16th-ranked Yellow Jackets escaped Sanford Stadium with a memorable 30-24 victory over the No. 8 Bulldogs.
The roller-coaster finish saw Georgia Tech give up a go-ahead touchdown with 18 seconds left in regulation, only to have Harrison Butker force OT with a clutch 53-yard field goal.
Butker's extra point in overtime was blocked, but D.J. White picked off Hutson Mason on the ensuing possession to give Georgia Tech (10-2) its first win over its in-state rival since 2008.
"It was a really crazy game," said Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson. "I am so proud of our players."
The Yellow Jackets, who will play Florida State for ACC crown, had lost 12 of the previous 13 meetings with Mark Richt as Georgia's head coach, including a disappointment in double overtime last year.
Another heartbreaking loss seemed imminent after Justin Thomas lost a fumble with 2:41 remaining, leading to Mason finding Malcolm Mitchell on fourth down to put the Bulldogs in front, 24-21, with 18 seconds on the clock.
Richt made what turned out to be a poor decision, opting for a squib kick that gave Georgia Tech the ball on its own 43-yard line.
"I'm disappointed in my decision to squib kick," Richt admitted. "That gave them the field position to get it in range and kick it. That was a poor decision on my part. That was no one's decision but mine."
Thomas ran 21 yards before going out of bounds with four seconds left, and Butker, whose previous career-long was 49 yards, got just enough from 53 yards out to force OT.
Five straight runs -- four by Laskey -- gave the Yellow Jackets the lead, and Mason's ill-advised pass on 2nd-and-goal was picked off by White.
Laskey gained 140 of Georgia Tech's 399 rushing yards, while Thomas passed for just 64 yards and a touchdown on 6-of-16 attempts.
Mason finished with 194 passing yards for Georgia (9-3), which committed three turnovers after totaling 11 in its first eight games.
The Bulldogs, whose hopes of reaching the SEC title game were dashed with Missouri's win on Friday, turned to Nick Chubb out of the backfield with star running back Todd Gurley having undergone knee surgery earlier this week.
Chubb gained 36 of his 129 yards on the game's opening possession and punched one in from the 1-yard line to give Georgia the early lead.
The freshman nearly scored again in the opening quarter when he ripped off a 65-yard run. He was pushed out just before the goal line, and two plays later he tried launching himself into the end zone and coughed it up.
A long Georgia Tech drive after the turnover came up empty when Butker had his 37-yard field goal try blocked midway through the second quarter.
Georgia was going in for another score but again fumbled it away. Sony Michel lost the ball this time, and Georgia Tech recovered in the end zone.
The Yellow Jackets, in danger of being shut out in the opening half for the first time since 2008, converted a pair of fourth-down tries and got on the board on Darren Waller's 7-yard touchdown grab with eight seconds left.
They were on the doorstep early in the second half, but Thomas, on 3rd-and- goal, was stuffed up the middle and disappeared among the mass of bodies. No whistle was blown for forward progress, and Damian Swann came out of the pile with the football and raced 99 yards the other way for a touchdown.
Following a blocked Georgia field goal try, Laskey's 4-yard touchdown run pulled the Yellow Jackets even late in the third quarter.
Marshall Morgan kicked a 19-yard chip shot with 11:19 remaining, and Georgia Tech responded with a 13-play, 80-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes off the clock.
Laskey's 8-yard touchdown run was followed by a pooch kick that the Yellow Jackets recovered. They took over at the Georgia 27 with 4:22 remaining, and Thomas' turnover led to the dramatic conclusion.
Game Notes
This was the first overtime game in the history of Sanford Stadium ... The last time these rivals squared off with nine wins apiece was 1942 ... Georgia still leads to all-time series, 64-40-5.
- Harrison Butker extra point blocked by Ray Drew
Nov 29 3:34 PM - 278
rootsRUWTbot Added 31 roots (Close Finish, Overtime, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 24, Georgia(8) 24 OTNov 29 3:27 PM - GEORGIA TECH: 24
GEORGIA: 24
End of Regulation
Nov 29 3:22 PM - Hutson Mason pass to Malcolm Mitchell for 3 yards.
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 23 4th - 0:18Nov 29 3:17 PM - 232
rootsRUWTbot Added 9 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 1:31Nov 29 3:09 PM - 223
rootsRUWTbot Added 29 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 1:56Nov 29 3:08 PM - 194
rootsRUWTbot Added 26 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 2:07Nov 29 3:08 PM - 168
rootsRUWTbot Added 5 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 2:27Nov 29 3:08 PM - 163
rootsRUWTbot Added 34 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 2:41Nov 29 3:05 PM - 129
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 2:59Nov 29 3:01 PM - 122
rootsRUWTbot Took away 31 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 4:15Nov 29 3:01 PM - 153
rootsRUWTbot Added 31 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 21, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 4:22Nov 29 3:00 PM - 122
rootsRUWTbot Took away 86 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 20, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 4:22Nov 29 2:54 PM - 208
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 5:00Nov 29 2:54 PM - 200
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 5:39Nov 29 2:53 PM - 192
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 6:32Nov 29 2:52 PM - 185
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 7:12Nov 29 2:48 PM - 177
rootsRUWTbot Added 23 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 8:20Nov 29 2:44 PM - 154
rootsRUWTbot Added 13 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 8:38Nov 29 2:44 PM - 141
rootsRUWTbot Added 8 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 9:15Nov 29 2:43 PM - 133
rootsRUWTbot Added 22 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 9:49Nov 29 2:42 PM - 111
rootsRUWTbot Added 20 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 11:13Nov 29 2:40 PM - 91
rootsRUWTbot Took away 60 roots (Close Finish, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 17 4th - 11:19Nov 29 2:37 PM - 151
rootsRUWTbot Added 6 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 14 4th - 11:23Nov 29 2:37 PM - 145
rootsRUWTbot Added 7 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 14 4th - 12:25Nov 29 2:35 PM - 138
rootsRUWTbot Added 5 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 14 4th - 13:15Nov 29 2:34 PM - 133
rootsRUWTbot Added 6 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 14 4th - 14:00Nov 29 2:32 PM - 127
rootsRUWTbot Added 9 roots (Close Finish, Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 14 4th - 14:50Nov 29 2:31 PM - GEORGIA TECH: 14
GEORGIA: 14
End of 3rd
Nov 29 2:27 PM - 118
rootsRUWTbot Added 27 roots (Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 14 3rd - 1:25Nov 29 2:26 PM - 91
rootsRUWTbot Took away 11 roots (Upset, Ranked Teams)
Georgia Tech(16) 14, Georgia(8) 14 3rd - 2:13Nov 29 2:20 PM - 102
roots - 94
roots - 89
roots - 83
roots - 78
roots - 72
roots - 63
roots - Justin Thomas up the middle for 1 yard. Justin Thomas fumble recovered by Damian Swann at the Georgia 1, returned 99 yards into the end zone.
Georgia Tech(16) 7, Georgia(8) 13 3rd - 8:42Nov 29 1:58 PM - 48
roots - GEORGIA TECH: 7
GEORGIA: 7
Halftime
Nov 29 1:25 PM - 98
roots - Justin Thomas pass to Darren Waller for 7 yards.
Georgia Tech(16) 6, Georgia(8) 7 2nd - 0:08Nov 29 1:22 PM - GEORGIA TECH: 0
GEORGIA: 7
End of 1st
Nov 29 12:38 PM - 37
roots - 42
roots - GEORGIA TECH: 0
GEORGIA: 0
1st Quarter - 15:00
Nov 29 12:02 PM
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