Atlanta, GA—-Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-3 ACC) continued its recent success against Miami, pulling off an impressive upset against the previously undefeated No. 4 Hurricanes (9-1, 5-1 ACC). With an eagerness to play spoiler, the Yellow Jackets delivered a blow to Miami’s perfect season aspirations, winning 28-23 in a hard-fought game under the Atlanta skyline. Georgia Tech’s only forced turnover came at a crucial moment, ending Miami’s hopes for a late comeback and handing the Hurricanes their first loss of the season.
It was a breezy, cool 70 degrees at kickoff in Bobby Dodd Stadium as the Yellow Jackets set out to recreate the late-game heroics from last season’s matchup, where they defeated Miami 23-20 on a last-second touchdown after a Miami turnover. Once again, Georgia Tech capitalized on Miami’s mistakes to claim victory, adding another chapter to their intense rivalry, now tied at 14 games each.
Georgia Tech received the opening kickoff and wasted no time. On their second play, Jamal Haynes sprinted up the middle for a stunning 65-yard run, setting up his own 16-yard touchdown run two plays later. Miami responded quickly on their own second play with Cam Ward connecting with tight end Elijah Arroyo for a 74-yard touchdown pass, bringing the score to 10-7 Miami at the end of the first quarter.
The Yellow Jackets responded with a grinding 17-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up nearly 11 minutes, capped off by a touchdown pass from Haynes King to Malik Rutherford. With the score 14-10, Miami tried to swing the momentum by going for it on fourth-and-three deep in Georgia Tech territory but came up short. The Yellow Jackets led 14-10 at halftime.
Miami’s second half began similarly, as they failed another fourth-and-short attempt. Georgia Tech capitalized again when freshman quarterback Aaron Philo found Chase Lane for a 15-yard touchdown, pushing the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 21-10. Miami managed to score late in the third quarter but missed the two-point conversion, maintaining Georgia Tech’s lead. The Yellow Jackets responded with a nine-play, 83-yard drive, culminating in a 5-yard touchdown run by Haynes King, extending the lead to 28-16.
With 11:18 left in the fourth quarter, Miami’s offense attempted a two-minute drill down by two scores. Despite moving into Georgia Tech territory, they struggled on fourth down, finishing the game 1-for-4 on fourth-down conversions.
“They did what they do,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said after the game, acknowledging Georgia Tech’s strong run game and physical play. “They got the ball off the edge several times, not only on sweeps but with powerful plays. Some of it was breakdowns on our part; some of it was Georgia Tech playing really well.”
On Miami’s final drive, it appeared the Hurricanes might pull off another comeback. However, quarterback Cam Ward fumbled in the last minutes, and Georgia Tech recovered, sealing the win and dashing Miami’s unbeaten streak.
