Georgia Tech holds on, edges South Florida
TECH 14, SOUTH FLORIDA 10
ATLANTA — Jordan Cronkite stretched the football toward the goal line, but before it could break the plane for a touchdown, it squirted free and T.K. Chimedza pounced on it, and with the recovery sealed first-year Georgia Tech coach Geoff Collins first career victory, a 14-10 win over South Florida on Saturday.
On a day so hot in Atlanta that Bobby Dodd Stadium allowed fans to bring in bottled water, both offenses wilted as each side used three quarterbacks.
The teams produced a combined 500 yards of offense, but two second-quarter touchdowns by the Yellow Jackets held on when South Florida fumbled away a goahead touchdown.
“We practice sudden change an inordinate amount of time,” Collins said. “The ball was at the one-yard-line, the defense never panicked (and) and got a goal line stand to win the game.”
The Bulls lost their eighth straight game. There wasn’t much offense beyond Jordan Mason, who rushed 20 times for 99 yards. Tech totaled 257 yards of offense, USF 262. Each team had two turnovers.
Tech redshirt sophomore Lucas Johnson made his first start while Tobias Oliver, who
STATE 26, KENNESAW STATE 23, OT USF: A week after getting shut out at Wisconsin, 49-0, the Bulls need to find some offense. USF netted just 93 yards on 30 rushes. Georgia Tech: While the Yellow Jackets weren’t exactly dominant on offense, the decision to mix in three quarterbacks was just enough to squeak out the win. Johnson completed 11-of-17 passes, but for just 45 yards with the interception.
started last week at Clemson, and James Graham came off the bench. At times, they subbed in and out on a play-by-play basis. Oliver also returned the opening kickoff 16 yards and lined up at least once in the slot.
None found much success throwing the ball while Tech passed for just 76 yards, but they all had some success on the ground as they combined to run 24 times for 86 of Tech’s 181 rushing yards.
That ratio was much like the Jackets routinely cranked out over the previous 11 seasons in retired coach Paul Johnson’s spread triple option.
“We inherited a roster that’s built a certain way ... we have to play to their strengths ... “Collins said. “We will just continue to develop them. We are a player-based offense; we are not a scheme-based program.”