STAGNANT OFFENSE SINKS TECH

Yellow Jackets are unable to take advantage of three turnovers and a blocked punt.

Georgia Tech produced the turnovers it had been seeking, yielding the advantageous field positions that it had been lacking.

On a crisp November late afternoon, however, it wasn’t enough. Even with Tech shaking down Pittsburgh for three turnovers and blocking a punt, the Yellow Jackets fell to the Panthers 20-10 on Saturday before an announced homecoming crowd of 41,219 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Tech’s hopes to build on its momentous road win over Miami were restrained by an offense that gained 194 yards in 50 plays and was 2-for-13 on third downs.

Tech (2-6, 1-4 ACC) will now need to win its final four games to reach .500 for bowl eligibility. Pittsburgh (6-3, 3-2) has won four of the past five games against the Jackets in the annual series.

The Jackets defense, playing without linebacker Bruce Jordan-Swilling and with fellow linebacker Charlie Thomas limited, held up admirably. Tech allowed Pitt to gain only 71 yards in the second half after giving up 291 in the first half.

But the offense could not get traction, amassing five threeand-outs and turning the ball over twice.

Tech coach Geoff Collins elected to replace starting quarterback James Graham after halftime with Lucas Johnson. Graham was 2-for-9 passing for 54 yards. He did account for Tech’s only touchdown of the game, a 51-yard deep ball to slot receiver Ahmarean Brown in the second quarter.

It was Johnson’s first action at quarterback since the loss to The Citadel in the third game of the season. Johnson suffered an upper-body injury in that game and was unavailable for several games after that, which helped open the door for Graham to ascend to the top spot.

That score directly followed defensive end Jordan Domineck’s recovery of a fumble caused by linebacker David Curry, which gave Tech the ball at its 49-yard line.

It turned out to be Tech’s only points off of the three takeaways it accrued in the game, an interception by safety Juanyeh Thomas and another interception by safety Tariq Carpenter. They were welcome plays for the Jackets after creating four turnovers in the previous five games. It was a contributing factor to Tech having only four possessions in the previous four games start past its 35-yard line.

However, Tech went three-andout after Thomas’ acrobatic interception, and kicker Brenton King missed right from 34 yards on a field-goal attempt after Carpenter’s interception gave the ball to the offense at the Pitt 40.

Tech’s blocked punt — by Jerry Howard, his second of the season and his career — gave the Jackets the ball at the Pitt 12 in the third quarter, but the offense lost a yard in three plays and had to settle for a King 30-yard field goal, which cut Pitt’s lead to 17-10.

Tech’s struggle on offense was not surprising, given Pitt’s defensive might and the continued challenges of the Jackets to move the ball with consistency. The Jackets became the sixth Pitt opponent to be held to 20 points or fewer, and themselves failed to clear 20 for the fourth time this season. Running back Jordan Mason, after running for 100 yards in each of his past two games, was limited to 56 yards on 15 carries.

Still, thanks to Tech’s defensive play — highlighted by Thomas’ strong work — the Jackets were down only 17-10 when they took over at their 32-yard line with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter. Johnson led Tech to a first-andgoal from the Pitt 6, converting first downs with on-target throws to Nathan Cottrell and Adonicas Sanders.

On third-and-goal from the 4, Johnson shot out of the pocket on a draw and was closing in on the goal line. Reach the end zone, and the score could be tied 1717. But the ball was jarred loose from Johnson, and it rolled into the end zone, where linebacker Cam Bright picked it up and ran 79 yards. It was a stunning reversal that evoked Tobias Oliver’s goal-line fumble against Temple. Further, Johnson was injured on the play, and he left the field for the locker room.

It was another tough break for Johnson, who missed the 2018 season with a foot injury and was sidelined earlier in the season.

Pitt turned the turnover into a 49-yard field goal for a 20-10 lead, a two-possession advantage that held for the final score.

CARMEN MANDATO / GETTY IMAGES Pittsburgh’s Shocky Jacques-Louis dives for a touchdown after making a reception in front of Georgia Tech’s Tre Swilling during the second quarter to give the Panthers a 17-7 lead Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday.