Yellow Jackets swarm Buffs to pull out gutsy victory at Folsom Field

BOULDER, Colo. — The Yellow Jackets appear to be a team on a mission after a great road performance in front of a hostile crowd to open up the season.

Although Georgia Tech traded punches with Colorado throughout the night, it executed more down the stretch and won the game 27-20. There’s no such thing as winning ugly to Coach Brent Key, especially on the road. After all, the Yellow Jackets overcame early adversity, which included three turnovers, and delivered in the clutch, which showed they can make the necessary adjustments.

A crowd of 52,868 watched as Georgia Tech administered a potent ground game on Colorado. All of those short gains in the first half, turned into big chunks over the final two quarters, and quarterback Haynes King stole the show. Once the smoke cleared, the Yellow Jackets led the Buffaloes in first downs, third down efficiency, total offense, plays and time of possession.

“Proud of this football team, proud of these guys, and we couldn’t have played worse in the first half,” Key said. “Self-inflicted errors, three turnovers on the first three drives, penalties, but we talk about playing the next play, and you see the resiliency and leadership of these guys.”

Colorado drew first blood with a touchdown pass from quarterback Kaidon Salter. However, Georgia Tech responded after a scoreless first quarter with 13 points, and led by three at halftime. Key must’ve gave his players an inspiring speech, because they came out and played more disciplined in the second half.

It became obvious that depth was an issue for the Buffaloes as the game progressed, and the Yellow Jackets took advantage. Georgia Tech’s offensive line started to maul the Colorado defenders at the point of attack, and opened up gaping holes for King to dash through. The gunslinger did just that, and even sealed the game after a 45-yard touchdown run with 67 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

King eventually finished with a game-high, 156 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets rushed for a jaw-dropping 320 yards as team too. Not to mention Georgia Tech scored a touchdown on all three of its’ possessions in the red zone. It was domination in the trenches, and judging from statistics alone, the contest shouldn’t have been that close.

Still, Salter kept the Buffaloes in it, and he was even responsible for their only two touchdowns. Georgia Tech’s defense kept him under wraps when it mattered the most, and that turned out to be the difference, despite a bend, but don’t break approach. Safety Omar Daniels finished with a team-high, five solo tackles. Defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg recorded the Yellow Jackets’ only sack on the night.

What Key really appreciated was all of the Georgia Tech fans that showed up. They were a factor throughout, and made their presence felt in a hostile environment.

“I want to thank our fans, there were a lot of people that came for Georgia Tech out here to Colorado to cheer us on, and that doesn’t go without saying how thankful that entire team, and we all are for the fan support,” he said. “We hope that continues for the rest of the season.”

Beating a Power Four team on the road is a great way to start the season, and the Yellow Jackets are going to ride that wave of momentum into the home opener against Gardner-Webb. Although there’s still a lot to clean up on both sides of the ball, Key finds it encouraging that his team has toughness. Often times the biggest leaps, and learning curves happen from game one to game two.

Regardless of the matter, the Yellow Jackets are 1-0, with 11 more games to go, and Key needs them to keep playing with urgency if they want to make some noise in the ACC this fall.

“It was a good football game, we were able to come out on top, so I’m very thankful for that, but we got a lot of work to do when we get back for the next game.”