ATLANTA – Georgia Tech coaches believed the best way to beat Cam Ward and No. 4 Miami was to keep the ball away from the quarterback.
Despite losing their top two running backs and having their starting quarterback operate primarily as a runner, the Yellow Jackets' game plan was successful.
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Ward and Miami finally ran out of second-half comebacks as Haynes King led Georgia Tech to a 28-23 win over the previously unbeaten Hurricanes on Saturday for the Yellow Jackets' first victory over a top-five team in 15 years.
Fans rushed the field, toppling both goalposts, after the game.
Miami (9-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 4 College Football Playoff) was denied its first 10-0 start since 2017. Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-3) became bowl-eligible and ended a two-game losing streak.
“We just didn’t play Miami football,” said safety Mishael Powell. “We didn’t do a good job getting turnovers today.”
King rushed for 93 yards and ran and passed for touchdowns as Georgia Tech held the ball almost 10 minutes longer than Miami. The Yellow Jackets held the Hurricanes to a season low in points — less than half of their top-ranked average of 47.4 per game.
King threw only six passes, completing them all for only 32 yards, in his return after missing two games with a right shoulder injury. The Yellow Jackets outrushed the Hurricanes 271-88.
“The way they ran the football, knowing that they were banged up at quarterback, they did a better job than we did,” said Miami coach Mario Cristobal.
“Extremely, extremely disappointing. I think, as you can imagine, the entire locker room is really sad, down, disappointed. You have to own it."
The Yellow Jackets overcame 347 passing yards and three touchdown passes by Ward, the Heisman Trophy contender.
“Good football game, if you believe in running the ball and stopping the run and time of possession,” said Georgia Tech coach Brent Key. “Those type of things still work.”
The Yellow Jackets held the ball for 17 plays on a monstrous 75-yard touchdown drive capped by King’s 5-yard screen to Malik Rutherford in the second quarter. The drive put Tech up 14-10 and chewed 10 minutes, 45 seconds off the clock.
Ward's 38-yard scoring pass to Xavier Restrepo cut the lead to 28-23 in the fourth quarter. Miami's final possession started at its 19 with 1:52 left. Ward fumbled when sacked by Romello Height, and Jordan Van Den Berg recovered for Georgia Tech.
“Our guys played,” Key said. “They didn’t bat an eye. They didn’t flinch.”
Georgia Tech's Jamal Haynes broke through Miami's defensive front for a 65-yard run on the second play of the game and added a 16-yard scoring run two plays later as the Yellow Jackets took a 7-0 lead.
Ward answered with a record-setting 74-yard scoring pass to Elijah Arroyo. It was Ward's school-record 30th touchdown pass of the season. Ward had been tied with Steve Walsh, who threw 29 scoring passes in 1988.
Injuries at running back
Haynes left the game following a big hit from safety Jaden Harris in the first quarter and didn't return. Haynes’ backup, Chad Alexander, left with an apparent left leg injury late in the first half.
Another backup running back, Trey Cooley, lost his helmet on a hit from Miami defensive tackle Akheem Moten late in the third quarter. Moten was flagged for targeting and ejected from the game.
Comeback magic ends
Miami’s unbeaten run through its first nine games included three second-half comebacks. Miami beat Duke 53-31 last week after the Blue Devils led 28-17 in the third quarter. Against Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes’ only lead was 10-7 and they trailed after the Yellow Jackets went up 14-10 in the second quarter.
The takeaway
Miami: Three fourth-down stops were costly for Ward and the Miami offense. Ward was pressured and threw an incompletion on fourth-and-3 from the Georgia Tech 23 in the second quarter. Ward threw another incompletion on fourth and 1 from the Georgia Tech 39 on the Hurricanes' opening drive in the second half. Finally, Ward was sacked on fourth and 16 from the Georgia Tech 22 early in the fourth quarter after a penalty wiped out an apparent scoring pass to Isaiah Horton on fourth and 6.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets took their first win over a top-five team since beating No. 4 Virginia Tech 28-23 in 2009. The Yellow Jackets demonstrated offensive creativity in utilizing the running skills of King and wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., who had six carries for 34 yards. Backup quarterback Aaron Philo added a touchdown pass.
Poll Implications
The Hurricanes will take a hit in the AP Top 25 and College Football Playoff rankings with their first loss while also dropping out of a first-place tie with SMU atop the ACC standings.
Up next
Miami: Following an off week, the Hurricanes will play Wake Forest on Nov. 23 at home.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets are off next week before playing North Carolina State in a Thursday night home game on Nov. 21.
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