By E. Marcel Pourtout, Editor
Harrison Butker’s 24-yard field goal with no time remaining lifted Georgia Tech to a 27-24 victory against Virginia Tech on Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets (4-0, 1-0 ACC) trailed 16-10 at halftime and 24-17 entering the fourth quarter. Georgia Tech’s defense forced three interceptions from Hokies’ quarterback Michael Brewer, returning one for a touchdown and the last one leading to the game-winning drive to set up the field goal.
Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas rushed for 165 yards on 22 carries while completing 7 of 18 passes and 125 yards. It was his second-consecutive 100-yard rushing game.
The Hokies’ (2-2, 0-1 ACC) three turnovers led to 17 points for the Yellow Jackets.
Paul Davis returned an interception for 41 yards and a touchdown with 11:22 left, giving the Yellow Jackets their first lead in a game. After Virginia Tech tied the game at took a 24-17 lead, the Yellow Jackets had a nine-play, 67-yard drive to tie the score. The key play of the drive came on fourth-and-15 when Thomas completed a 19-yard pass to DeAndre Smelter from midfield. The drive ended with a 31-yard TD catch by Smelltner two plays later.
Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 8-4. Georgia Tech is now 2-4 all-time in Blacksburg.
Notes:
• Paul Johnson is 6-1 in ACC openers as Georgia Tech head coach.
• Georgia Tech is 17-15 all-time in ACC openers.
• Georgia Tech starts off the season 4-0 for the second time under head coach Paul Johnson.
• Georgia Tech extended its streak to 215 consecutive games without being shut out – the eighth-longest active streak in the nation.
• Georgia Tech has recorded at least one takeaway in three straight games.
• Six of Georgia Tech’s seven takeaways this season have led to Yellow Jackets touchdowns.
• Senior B-Back Zach Laskey saw his streak of rushing attempts without a negative carry snapped at 75 – dating back to last season at Pittsburgh. Laskey has only three negative carries in 278 career rushing attempts. He also passed Greg Horne, Charles Wiley, Brent Cunningham, and Reggie Ball to move up to 26th on Georgia Tech’s all-time rushing list. He now has 1,498 career rushing yards.
• Redshirt freshman DB Corey Griffin recorded his career-first interception in the second quarter.
• Paul Davis recorded his first interception and first pick-six of his career in the fourth quarter.
• Davis also had a career-high nine tackles against the Hokies.
• DJ White recorded his second-career interception of his career that led to Butker’s game-winning field goal.
The Sports Inquirer 
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