Hokies fall in Coastal Division game at Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter and then held off a Virginia Tech drive in the waning moments to win 28-22

November 11, 2017

ATLANTA – Georgia Tech’s TaQuon Marshall threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Jeune with 6:30 remaining to lift the Yellow Jackets to a 28-22 victory over No. 17 Virginia Tech in an ACC game played at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday.

With the loss, the Hokies fell to 7-3 overall, 3-3 in the ACC. Georgia Tech moved to 5-4, 4-3 and beat the Hokies for the third time in the past four meetings.

Virginia Tech had taken a 22-21 lead when Greg Stroman intercepted Marshall’s past and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown with 7:27 remaining. The Hokies went for two points, but failed to convert, leaving them with a one-point lead.

The Yellow Jackets then grabbed the 28-22 lead on the Marshall touchdown pass, and the Hokies had one last possession. Virginia Tech drove to the Georgia Tech 32, but pass attempts on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 fell incomplete, and Georgia Tech ran out the clock.

Virginia Tech trailed for much of the game, but twice climbed back into it – once on a 14-yard touchdown run by Sean Savoy in the second quarter and an 8-yard touchdown run by Jalen Holston in the third quarter.

The Hokies finished with a season-low 258 yards. Virginia Tech quarterback Josh Jackson completed 14 of 26 for 153 yards, and Eric Kumah caught six passes for 82 yards. Holston and Savoy led the Hokies in rushing with 32 yards each.

KirVonte Benson paced Georgia Tech with 86 yards rushing. The Yellow Jackets finished with 261 yards on the ground.

GAME NOTES

• Cam Phillips extended his string of catching at least one pass to 37 consecutive games. Phillips caught two passes for eight yards in the game.

• Anthony Shegog made his first start of the season, as he started at whip linebacker and Mook Reynolds started at rover. Reggie Floyd did not start, but played.

• Shegog came into the game with eight tackles on the season. He finished with a career-high 11 against the Yellow Jackets, including three for a loss, and he forced a fumble.

• Holston’s touchdown run marked his third of the season. He also scored on runs against North Carolina and East Carolina.

• Savoy's touchdown marked his sixth of the season - four receiving and two rushing.

• Left tackle Parker Osterloh made his second straight start – and the second of his career – in place of injured Yosuah Nijman, who did not make the trip.

UP NEXT

Virginia Tech returns home next Saturday for Senior Day, as the Hokies take on Pittsburgh in an ACC game that kicks at 12:20 p.m. The Hokies knocked off Pittsburgh 39-36 in Pittsburgh last season, but have lost six of the past eight meetings with the Panthers.

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