Turnovers, poor protection, and a few questionable officiating calls within the second half of right now’s Birmingham Bowl between Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt despatched the Yellow Jackets residence with a bowl loss and a poor end to what has in any other case been a strong season for Brent Key’s staff.
It was the above three issues that killed Georgia Tech right now. The protection, which was down key gamers right now corresponding to Romello Top, Taye Seymore, Kyle Efford,, and Rodney Shelley, however they regarded unprepared for this Commodores offense, however loads of credit score ought to go to Vandy quarterback Diego Pavia for making performs. He was the most effective participant on the sector tonight and was an enormous motive they received.
The officiating was additionally a difficulty. With the sport 14-13, Georgia Tech was known as for go interference on third down and that may have ended the drive and gave the ball again to Georgia Tech. As a substitute, that decision seemingly despatched the Yellow Jackets right into a spiral and it was an unsportsmanlike conduct on head coach Brent Key. After that, a defensive holding was known as on Georgia Tech after which one other scuffle between the 2 groups resulted in offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Vanderbilt scored to make the sport 21-13 after which it was an avalanche of turnovers and errors for the Yellow Jackets that despatched them right into a defeat in Birmingham.
It was not the most effective day for quarterback Haynes King. He was not efficient in any respect as a runner and couldn’t hit huge performs via the air. At occasions, King held the ball too lengthy was sacked 3 times by the Commodore’s protection and he had the essential interception after Vanderbilt went forward 21-13. King has been persistently superb this season, however this was arguably his worst sport of the season. He completed the sport 25-33 for 204 yards and three touchdowns, however loads of his yardage got here on the ultimate two drives when Georgia Tech went into their two-minute drill.
Jamal Haynes completed his season on a pleasant word, dashing for 136 yards on 17 carries. Georgia Tech completed with 394 complete yards, larger than Vanderbilt’s 306. The Yellow Jackets threw for 204 yards and rushed for 190. Georgia Tech averaged 5.7 yards per play, Vandy averaged 5.2 The sequence of penalties and the way the staff responded was the story of the sport on this one, however removed from the one motive they misplaced the sport. It’s onto 2025 for Brent Key and Georgia Tech.
Vandy received the toss and elected to kick the ball and the Yellow Jackets began the day on offense. They went three and out and each offenses exchanged punts to begin the sport. After Georgia Tech punted for his or her second time in as many possessions, Vandy obtained on the scoreboard, due to their passing sport.
Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia led Vandy on an eight play, 87-yard TD drive that ended with Pavia discovering Nick Spence ultimately zone to make it 7-0. Vandy large receiver Loic Fouonji caught a 40-yard go on the drive and the Commodores offense regarded sharp.
Georgia Tech wanted a solution they usually obtained one in certainly one of their trademark drives that took over seven minutes off the clock and obtained the sport into the second quarter. The working sport was trying sturdy, with Jamal Haynes ripping off 17-yard and 11-yard runs and Malik Rutherford choosing up a vital 1st down on a 4th down. Regardless of a holding name close to the purpose line, King completed the drive by discovering tight finish Ryland Goede for his first profession landing. It was a tied sport, but it surely was Vandy’s flip to go on an extended drive.
After Georgia Tech’s lengthy possession, Vandy held the ball for over eight minutes and went 81 yards in 14 performs, which resulted in a landing on a 4th down play. The drive was aided by a poor facemask penalty known as on Yellow Jackets cornerback Warren Burrell. After the penalty, Vandy moved the ball close to the purpose line, however confronted a 4th down on the two-yard line. Pavia ended the drive by working the ball in and giving them the lead again 14-7.
The 2 lengthy drives by each groups left little time on the clock for Haynes King to maneuver the ball down the sector for Georgia Tech. With underneath two minutes remaining within the 1st half, King led the Yellow Jackets down the sector in 9 performs to get into area purpose vary. After being on the unsuitable finish of a name earlier, Georgia Tech benefitted from three straight penalties from Vandy to set them up with a area purpose try from Aidan Birr. Birr has been shaky this yr, however he nailed the 43-yard area purpose with eight seconds left within the half. Vandy would then kneel the ball out and take a 14-10 lead into the half.
The Commodores obtained the ball to begin the half and Georgia Tech’s protection wanted a cease. They obtained off the sector rapidly due to a stress from Zeek Biggers that resulted in an intentional grounding penalty after which Omar Daniels introduced warmth on Pavia on third down to finish the drive. Georgia Tech obtained the ball again and had an opportunity to chop into the lead.
After a very good punt return from Bailey Stockton, Georgia Tech obtained a pair of 20-yard completions, one to Rutherford and one to tight finish Avery Boyd they usually had been shifting the ball. They weren’t capable of put it into the endzone although and needed to accept a area purpose. Birr hit the 33-yard area purpose and minimize the result in one level 14-13.
After each groups exchanged punts, the referees injected themselves into the sport as soon as once more and most of it went towards Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had been first known as for a questionable go interference towards Trenilyas Tatum on third down and that stored the drive alive. Displeased with the decision, head coach Brent Key obtained upset with the officers and was then known as for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. After these two penalties, a defensive holding was known as on Georgia Tech, earlier than one other set of unsportsmanlike penalties had been known as, two on Georgia Tech and one on Vandy, offsetting the fouls. The drive ended with Pavia discovering tight finish Eli Stowers for a landing and Vandy took a 21-13 lead over Georgia Tech.
Brent Key upset with the decision pic.twitter.com/xjrDloEBom
— NMD Grant (@NMDgrant) December 27, 2024
Needing some good momentum, the Yellow Jackets obtained the very last thing they wanted and that was an interception from Haynes King. The Commodores turned that interception into factors three performs later and led Georgia Tech 28-13 with 14:55 left within the sport.
With the sport within the 4th quarter and Vandy having the ability to maintain the ball for therefore lengthy on a number of possessions, it was crucial that Georgia Tech get a scoring drive collectively down 15 factors, however what occurred was one more turnover. After a giant run from Jamal Haynes to begin the drive, Rutherford took a handoff and picked up huge yards, however fumbled the ball and the Commodores recovering.
After the fumble, the back-breaking landing occured. Pavia discovered Stowers for a 39-yard acquire after which ran it ultimately zone for his fifth complete landing of the day and placing the Commodores comfortably forward 35-13. It felt just like the penalties and the turnovers had put the staff in a spiral and that was the ultimate nail.
The sport then entered a lightning delay and play didn’t resume till 6:30 p.m. CT. Georgia Tech had the ball trailing 35-13 and obtained a giant run from Jamal Haynes that put him over 100 yards for the day, however a false begin penalty did set them again to the seven yard line. On third down, King discovered Haynes for a nine-yard landing to trim the result in 35-20 with 5:15 left within the sport. The onside kick was unsuccessful and Vandy took over and regarded to expire the clock. They weren’t in a position to do this although and Georgia Tech pressured a 3 and out to offer themselves the ball again with 4:06 left within the sport, trailing by 15.
Credit score to Georgia Tech, they didn’t hand over. King led them down the sector 83 yards in 11 performs and after a go interference penalty on Vanderbilt put the ball on the two-yard line, King discovered Bailey Stockton for his first profession landing to chop the result in 35-27. Georgia Tech wanted to recuperate an onside kick to maintain the sport going, however the kick went out of bounds and the sport was over. Vanderbilt received 35-27 and completed their season with a win and giving the Yellow Jackets their second consecutive loss to finish the 2024 season with two losses.