Dogs Top Tech in OT
Not THOSE Dogs..These Bulldogs Are From The Citadel. They Beat Tech At Home, 27-24…No, Really.
If you look up the definition of citadel, you’ll find this: “a fortress, in a high position, that dominates a city”. If you sub in “Georgia Tech” for “a city”, you’ll get a fairly accurate description of what happened Saturday in Atlanta.
The Citadel stunned Georgia Tech on Saturday, winning 27-24 in overtime. The Bulldogs entered the game 0-2, rated a 27 point underdog. Nevertheless, they prevailed over their hosts, who are the bigger, stronger, faster and richer team. Most gallingly, they did it in a style that any Tech fan of the past 11 years would gladly claim. Namely, a ground-churning, clock-eating, productuve triple-option offense…along with a defense and a kicking game that were effective when necessary. It was that simple.
“Today sucked” said Tech Coach Geoff Collins
Despite the close score, this contest was not a fluky outcome. There was a tone of dominance to the performance of the boys from Charleston. They outrushed Georgia Tech 320-183. They garnered 25 first downs to Tech’s 14. They held the ball for almost 42 minutes. They converted 8 of 16 3rd down chances, along with their only 4th down attempt.
As for the Yellow Jackets, their previous strength, their defense, failed to stop the same triple option they’d practiced against for years past . Three different Bulldog scoring drives covered at least 67 yards.The Tech offense again sputtered, alternating very brief spasms of success with longer periods of non-productive frustration. Tech converted only 3 of 9 on 3rd down.
Perhaps most alarming, the Jackets were called for 8 penalties totaling 80 yards…3 of those were for unsportsmanlike conduct. This was “most disappointing” to Tech Coach Geoff Collins, given the his team had “played clean” in it’s first 2 games , with only 2 flags in each.
An all-too-familiar sight Saturday was a flag on the field and referees attempting to exert control over a group of Yellow Jackets
The Citadel opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 30 yard pass from Brandon Rainey to a wide open Raleigh Webb. Tech responded with a 71 yard drive capped by a 4 yard TD run by Jordan Mason. The PAT was missed by Wesley Wells–his first miss ever as a collegian. The visitors answered with another long drive, covering 67 yards in 5 plus minutes, with Dante Smith scoring from 12 yards out just before halftime.
Stats courtesy of GT Athletics
In the 3rd quarter, a shanked punt by Citadel’s Matt Campbell gave Tech great field position at the Bulldogs’ 33. On the next play, Lucas Johnson hit Jalen Camp in the end zone for a touchdown. Johnson then found Camp again for the 2 point conversion. Tech had tied the score and grabbed the momentum.
Or so it seemed. The Citadel started from their own 25 after the kickoff and proceeded on a smooth 9 play drive that used almost 5 minutes and ended with QB Brandon Rainey’s 22 yard TD run. No passes were thrown, and Tech did not get penalized. This was simply one footballl team exerting its will on another. The Bulldogs faced only two 3rd downs on the drive and converted each.
The Jackets’ next drive ended in a failed gamble at the Citadel 24 when Mason was stopped short on a 4th and one play.
The contest stayed tight through the final quarter. Tech’s Mason tied it at 21 with a dash down the right sideline.
Again the visitors scored in response, this time a Godek field goal from 47 yards out. Tech’s Brenton King tied it up again with a 34 yarder as time ran out…but only after some strange clock issues bedevilled Tech. Deep in Citadel territory with 23 seconds left, Tech suffered a 10 second runoff on a procedure call. A Tobias Oliver go-ahead TD dash up the middle was then voided by a timeout Collins called just prior to the play. With no timeouts left, he sent King in for the tying field goal.
Overtime brought Tech’s day to a swift, almost merciful end. They lost the toss, lost 4 yards on 3 plays and then saw King miss a 47 yard field goal try. Citadel gained a few yards on their possession and watched as Godek hit the game winner from 36 yards out.
The Citadel celebrated their first victory ever over an ACC team, with 22 prior losses.
Afterwards, Tech linebacker David Curry noted,” ..we just did not play disciplined football out there today.”
Tech LB David Curry
The injury bug struck Tech again, with Jahaziel Lee leaving in the 3rd quarter with a leg injury. Tech’s already-thin O line was thus further depleted.
Coach Geoff Collins stated that every aspect of the program needed to improve and he repeated that he feels confident in the overall destination of Tech football.
The Yellow Jackets have an open week before traveling to Philadelphia to play Temple, Collins’ former employer. The week after that ushers in 2019 ACC play.
Patrick Conarro