Durham, N.C. — No. 12 Georgia Tech continued its remarkable run through the 2025 season on Saturday, riding a record-breaking defensive play and a strong fourth quarter to defeat Duke, 27–18, at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Cornerback Omar Daniels delivered the game’s defining moment in the first quarter, scooping up a fumble and racing 95 yards for a touchdown — the longest fumble return in school history — to spark the Yellow Jackets.
Quarterback Haynes King powered the offense, throwing for 205 yards and rushing for 120 more, including a 28-yard touchdown that sealed the win with just over two minutes remaining.
Georgia Tech (7–0, 4–0 ACC) is off to its best start since 1966 and remains one of only two unbeaten teams in conference play.
“Nobody panicked,” King said. “We just stayed locked in. Everyone had the same mentality — that we were going to find a way to win.”
Daniels ignites Tech early
Duke appeared poised to strike first, driving deep into Georgia Tech territory on its opening possession. But a costly fumble near the goal line flipped the momentum instantly. Daniels scooped it up and sprinted nearly the length of the field to give the Yellow Jackets a 7–0 lead.
It was Georgia Tech’s first defensive touchdown on a fumble return in nearly four years.
“I just kept running,” Daniels said. “I could hear everyone behind me. I knew I had to finish it.”
Blue Devils can’t cash in
The Blue Devils (4–3, 3–1) dominated statistically in the first half, outgaining Tech 238–110 in total yards, but repeatedly came up empty in scoring range. Duke lost a fumble inside the 10-yard line, botched a short field goal, and committed a costly fourth-down penalty.
Quarterback Darian Mensah still managed to throw for 373 yards and two touchdowns on 32-of-44 passing, but Duke couldn’t overcome its red-zone miscues.
“When we had chances to separate, we didn’t,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “Georgia Tech made the key plays when it mattered most.”
Georgia Tech closes strong
The Yellow Jackets, held without an offensive touchdown until the fourth quarter, found their rhythm late. Running back Malachi Hosley capped a 72-yard drive with a 10-yard scoring run to make it 20–10 with under five minutes left.
After Duke cut the deficit to six, King answered with his electrifying 28-yard dash — briefly glancing toward the sideline to see if he should slide to preserve possession before finishing in the end zone.
“I looked over to check if I should go down,” King said with a smile. “Coach just said, ‘Go score.”
History and what’s next
The victory snapped Duke’s three-game winning streak and extended Georgia Tech’s ACC dominance as it eyes a possible Top-10 national ranking. Coach Brent Key praised his team’s composure and conditioning down the stretch.
“By the fourth quarter, I think we wore them down,” Key said.
Georgia Tech returns home next Saturday to face Syracuse, while Duke travels to Clemson on Nov. 1.
