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Georgia Tech Upends No. 24 Pitt, 26-21 – Football — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

PITTSBURGH – Led by 157 rushing yards from Hassan Hallfour field goals by Gavin Stewart and more astounding performances by linebackers Ayinde Eley and Charlie Thomas, Georgia Tech stunned No. 24-ranked and defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Pitt, 26-21, in Brent Key’s debut as the Yellow Jackets’ interim head coach on Saturday evening at Acrisure Stadium.

Highlighted by a fumble recovery and interception by Thomas, Georgia Tech (2-3, 1-1 ACC) forced three turnovers in the span of four Pitt possessions in the second half and scored after all three takeaways (two field goals and a touchdown) to turn a 7-6 halftime deficit into a commanding 19-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Pitt (3-2, 0-1 ACC) made it interesting by following up a goal line stand with a nine-play, 99-yard touchdown drive to cut the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 19-14 with 1:57 to go. On the first play after Tech recovered Pitt’s ensuing onside kick, Hall ripped off a 63-yard run, which set up an 18-yard touchdown run by the quarterback Jeff Sims that restored the Jackets’ two-score advantage at 26-14.

However, Pitt wasn’t done, as it drove 68 yards in just one minute to slice Tech’s lead back to five points at 26-21 with 16 seconds remaining. But the Jackets recovered the ensuing onside kick and kneeled out the clock to seal its first road win over a nationally ranked opponent since a 30-20 win at No. 18 Virginia Tech in 2016.

Hall’s 157 rushing yards came on just 20 carries (7.8 yards per rush) and was the second-highest rushing total of his collegiate career (he ran for 162 yards versus Virginia last season while playing for Louisville). Sims totaled 183 yards of offense, including a season-high 81 rushing yards, and accounted for both Georgia Tech touchdowns (one rushing, one passing). EJ Jenkins hauled in the 21-yard touchdown pass from Sims, and also had a spectacular one-handed catch for a 33-yard gain in the first quarter that set up the first of Stewart’s four field goals. Stewart, who was good on his four attempts from 37, 33, 40 and 30 yards, became the first Georgia Tech kicker to make four field goals in a game since 2018 (Wesley Wells in an overtime win over Virginia) and the first to do it in regulation since current Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made four in the Yellow Jackets’ 33-18 win over Kentucky in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl.

Eley, who entered the game ranked second in the ACC and tied for 11thth nationally with 10.5 tackles per game, led all players with 14 stops on Saturday, marking the fourth time in five games this season that the senior has notched double-digit tackles. He also forced the fumble that led to Tech’s touchdown that made it 19-7 early in the final period.

Thomas, who did not enter the game until the second half due to a targeting penalty last Saturday at UCF, had seven tackles to go along with his fumble recovery (that he returned 43 yards to set up a Georgia Tech field goal) and interception ( which set up another field goal). He became only the third Yellow Jacket since 2000 to record a fumble recovery and interception in the same game.

Georgia Tech looks to move to .500 overall and 2-1 in ACC play next Saturday when it hosts Duke (4-1, 1-0 ACC). Kickoff for Tech’s 2022 homecoming game is set for 4 pm The ACC Coastal Division tilt will be televised regionally on the ACC’s Regional Sports Network (RSN – in Georgia: Bally Sports South).

Multimedia

Coach Key Postgame Press Conference (Video)

Coach Key Postgame Press Conference (Audio)

Student-Athletes Postgame Press Conference (Gavin Stewart, Jeff Sims, Charlie Thomas, Ayinde Eley)

Game Highlights (ACC Digital Network)

Condensed Game (ACC Digital Network)

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