Tech Dumps Duke in OT for Homecoming Win – Football — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

THE FLATS – Gavin Stewart drilled a 37-yard field goal on Georgia Tech’s first overtime possession and the Yellow Jackets’ defense forced Duke to try a 52-yarder on the ensuing series, which the Blue Devils missed to lift Tech to a heart-stopping 23-20 victory on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

With its first back-to-back victories since 2018 in hand, Georgia Tech evened its record at 3-3 on the season, improved to 2-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference play and stands alone in second place in the ACC Coastal Division, only a half-game behind first-place North Carolina (2-0).

Stewart’s 37-yard game-winner capped a 3-for-3 day for the sophomore from Savannah, Ga., who moved to 7-for-7 on field goal attempts since becoming the Yellow Jackets’ top placekicker prior to last week’s victory at No. 24 Pitt. In addition to the clutch make in overtime, Stewart was successful on a 22-yard attempt on Tech’s opening possession of the game and made a 23-yarder early in the final period to give the Jackets a 20-6 lead.

In between, quarterback Jeff Sims threw a pair of touchdown passes, hitting Nate McCollum for an 18-yard score in the second quarter to give the Jackets a 10-0 lead, and connecting with Leo Blackburn for 37 yards on Tech’s first second-half drive to stretch the advantage to 17-3.

Charlie Ham’s field goals of 45 yards in the second period and 28 yards in the third were all the scoring Duke (4-2, 1-1 ACC)  could muster until Sahmir Hagans found an opening down the right sideline to score on an 81-yard punt return, giving the Blue Devils life at 20-13 with 5:55 remaining in the game.

Neither team was able to gain a first down the next time they had the ball before Duke took over at its own 20 with 2:41 remaining. With no timeouts left but aided by three penalties called on Tech, the Blue Devils drove the necessary 80 yards, and scored their first offensive touchdown of the game with eight seconds left in regulation on Riley Leonard’s two-yard pass to Nicky Dalmolin to send the game to overtime knotted at 20-20.

With the ball first in overtime, Tech gained five yards before Stewart made the would-be game-winning field goal. Thanks to stout defense from the Yellow Jackets and an offensive pass interference penalty, Duke went backwards on its overtime possession and Ham’s 52-yard attempt was wide left, setting off a raucous celebration on the field and in stands, where a boisterous homecoming crowd stayed until the very end to see alumnus…