Ga. Tech controls clock to beat UNC
ATLANTA — For Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson, the math was simple.
“If you hold the ball for 38 minutes, you should win,” Johnson said.
Georgia Tech played keep- away against North Carolina, dominating the clock with its ball-control offense, and KirVonte Benson scored on a 63yard run as the Yellow Jackets beat the Tar Heels 33-7 on Saturday.
Georgia Tech (3-1, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) had scoring drives of 18 and 17 plays in the first half to wear down short-handed North Carolina (1-4, 0-3). TaQuon Marshall ran for 137 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown run, and threw a 12-yard scoring pass to Ricky Jeune. Benson added 130 yards rushing.
“It was a step up from l ast week,” Marshall said, referring to his play in last week’s 35-17 win over Pittsburgh. “It’s still not where I want to be.”
Georgia Tech held the ball almost twice as long as the Tar Heels. The Yellow Jackets pulled away after leading only 10-0 at halftime.
“I think we just executed better in the second half,” Marshall said. “We just got in a groove.”
The Tar Heels have lost 13 players, including top wide receiver Austin Proehl, to season-ending injuries.
North Carolina avoided being shut out when Jordon Brown scored on an 8-yard run with 5:05 remaining. The touchdown was set up by Chazz Surratt’s 34-yard pass to Jordan Cunningham.
It was a dramatic departure from recent shootouts in the series. North Carolina averaged 44.7 points in winning the last three games against Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets held the ball for 18 plays and 8 minutes, 54 seconds on a 90-yard touchdown drive capped by Marshall’s 5-yard run in the first quarter.
It was Georgia Tech’s longest touchdown drive since 2012.
The Yellow Jackets then added a 17-play, 74yard drive in the second quarter that ended with a 21- yard field goal by Shawn Davis.
“The defense played 44 snaps in the first half, so there was no doubt that they were going to end up wearing down,” said North Carolina coach Larry Fedora.
Georgia Tech, which lost four fumbles in the win over Pittsburgh, had two more lost fumbles by Marshall and Benson. One play after Marshall’s fumble, A.J. Gray had the first of his two interceptions to give possession back to the Yellow Jackets. Benson then broke free for his 63- yard TD run.
“The turnover was a big play for us,” Fedora said. “... Then we don’t capitalize on offense.”
Benson fumbled at the goal line late in the third quarter.
Georgia Tech backup quarterback Matthew Jordan had a 5-yard scoring run with less than 2 minutes remaining.
The takeaway
Georgia Tech: The productive spread-option attack grabs the headlines, but the Yellow Jackets are also winning with defense this season. Gray’s two interceptions led the way for a unit which could be the difference in Georgia Tech’s hopes in the ACC Coastal Division.