Georgia Tech coaches believed their best chance to beat Cam Ward and No. 4 Miami was to keep the ball away from the quarterback.
Even though they lost their top two running backs and had their starting quarterback primarily running the ball, the Yellow Jackets’ strategy worked.
Cam Ward and Miami’s attempts at a second-half comeback fell short as Haynes King led Georgia Tech to a 28-23 victory over the previously undefeated Hurricanes. This marked the Yellow Jackets’ first win over a top-five team in 15 years. After the game, fans rushed the field, knocking over both goalposts.
Miami (9-1, 5-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 4 in the College Football Playoff rankings) missed out on their first 10-0 start since 2017. Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-3) became bowl-eligible and ended a two-game losing streak.
“We just didn’t play Miami football,” said safety Mishael Powell. “We didn’t do a good job getting turnovers today.”
King rushed for 93 yards and scored both a rushing and a passing touchdown. Georgia Tech controlled the clock, holding the ball for nearly 10 minutes longer than Miami. They also kept the Hurricanes to a season-low in points, scoring less than half of their usual average of 47.4 points per game.
King completed all six of his passes for just 32 yards in his return after missing two games due to a right shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech outrushed Miami 271-88.
“The way they ran the football, knowing that they were banged up at quarterback, they did a better job than we did,” said Miami coach Mario Cristobal.
“Extremely, extremely disappointing,” Cristobal added. “I think, as you can imagine, the entire locker room is really sad, down, disappointed. You have to own it.”
Despite Miami’s 347 passing yards and three touchdown passes by Ward, a Heisman Trophy contender, Georgia Tech’s plan worked.
“Good football game, if you believe in running the ball and stopping the run and time of possession,” said Georgia Tech coach Brent Key. “Those type of things still work.”
The Yellow Jackets had a key 75-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, lasting 17 plays and almost 11 minutes. King capped the drive with a 5-yard screen pass to Malik Rutherford, giving Tech a 14-10 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Ward threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Restrepo, cutting Georgia Tech’s lead to 28-23.
Miami’s final chance started at their own 19-yard line with 1:52 left. But on the first play of the drive, Ward was sacked by Romello Height, causing a fumble that was recovered by Georgia Tech’s Jordan Van Den Berg.
“Our guys played,” said Key. “They didn’t bat an eye. They didn’t flinch.”
Jamal Haynes gave Georgia Tech a fast start with a 65-yard run on the second play of the game. Two plays later, he ran for a 16-yard touchdown, giving the Yellow Jackets a 7-0 lead.
Ward responded with a record-setting 74-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Arroyo, marking his 30th touchdown pass of the season and setting a new school record. Ward had been tied with Steve Walsh, who threw 29 touchdown passes in 1988.
