In the closing seconds, Jamal Haynes scored a game-winning 68-yard touchdown to give Georgia Tech the victory over North Carolina 41-34 at Kenan Stadium. Haynes finished the game with 170 yards and two scores.
With 16 seconds remaining, Haynes’ second touchdown came only two plays after North Carolina knotted the score with a 26-yard field goal from Noah Burnette.
“I had a couple coaches telling me, `Bust one, bust one, it´s coming,´” Haynes recalled. The entire game, they had been harping on it. Calm down, someone will arrive. I just punched it after seeing the light.”
371 of the 505 yards the Yellow Jackets’ read-option offense were gained through running. Along with Haynes, quarterback Haynes King also had a fantastic day, rushing for a season-high 107 yards and two touchdowns.
Jacolby Criswell’s 1-yard rush, his second score of the day, brought North Carolina within 34-31 with 3:27 remaining, and Burnette’s field goal tied it with 44 seconds left. But it was all in vain because the Tar Heels’ defense crumbled one last time, and they found themselves behind by as many as 13 points in the second half.
“Today, we made every effort to combat ourselves,” Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key stated. “We gave ourselves some nice jabs, but the better part of us ultimately up winning in the end.”
Omarion Hampton led North Carolina in rushing with 137 yards on 18 runs, following off a 106-yard day against Pittsburgh. A career-long 71-yard dash accounted for much of that, and it set up J.J. Jones’ 4-yard touchdown just before halftime.
Nevertheless, it was unable to save the Tar Heels (3-4) from losing their fourth straight contest. Coach Mack Brown is optimistic about the future.
“There´s a thin line between winning and losing,” Brown stated. “We have a lot of things that we can work on to improve as a team and win the next five games. And we’ll act accordingly.”
Syeed Gibbs sacked Criswell (17-of-31 for 209 yards, 1 TD) on North Carolina´s first possession, forcing a fumble that Georgia Tech (5-2) recovered at the Tar Heels´ 38. Six plays later, the Yellow Jackets cashed in on a 2-yard touchdown run by Chad Alexander.
The Tar Heels answered later in the quarter, traveling 78 yards in just three plays with help from a 53-yard catch by Jones. Criswell´s 1-yard scoring run tied it at 7.
North Carolina announced that wide receiver Tylee Craft, 23, died after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
“Tylee meant so much to so many and affected us in ways we´ll always be thankful for. He was 1-of-1 and, while he won´t be with us in body, he´ll be watching over us with his endearing smile and endless positivity,” North Carolina Football posted on X.
Georgia Tech: Haynes wasn´t the only Yellow Jacket to give North Carolina fits. King (11-of-22, 127 yards) kept the Tar Heels´ defense off-balance for most of the afternoon, surpassing 100 yards rushing for the second time in his career. He ran for 150 yards in a loss to Boston College last season.
North Carolina: Criswell´s first-quarter fumble was the precursor to another difficult day for the Tar Heels, who have now dropped four straight since a 3-0 start. With three of their next four games on the road, they face a difficult path to get back on the plus-side of .500.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets host No. 11 Notre Dame next Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels visit Virginia on Oct. 26 following a bye.
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