Georgia Tech Upsets Florida State in First Game of College Football Season

By Dan Hope on August 24, 2024 at 3:11 pm
Malik Rutherford running away from the Florida State defense
Tom Maher/INPHO via USA TODAY Sports
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A top-10 team has already lost one game into the 2024 college football season.

The new season started with a big upset as Georgia Tech took down 10th-ranked Florida State, 24-21, in the season-opening Week 0 game between the Yellow Jackets and Seminoles in Dublin, Ireland.

Aidan Birr made a game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired to secure the upset victory for Georgia Tech.

Florida State started the game strong, driving 75 yards in seven plays for a touchdown and capping its opening drive with a two-point conversion on a “swinging gate” trick play. Georgia Tech also drove for a touchdown on its opening possession to make it an 8-7 game.

Ryan Fitzgerald hit a 52-yard field goal with 11:06 to play in the second quarter to give the Seminoles an 11-7 lead. Georgia Tech drove for a go-ahead touchdown on its subsequent series, but Fitzgerald tied the score on the final play of the first half by drilling a 59-yard field goal.

Georgia Tech missed an opportunity to retake the lead on the opening drive of the second half when Birr missed a 51-yard field goal, but the Yellow Jackets forced punts on both of Florida State’s third-quarter possessions. From there, Georgia Tech drove 89 yards in 11 plays to take the lead on a 2-yard Jamal Haynes touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Florida State responded with a 15-play, 84-yard game-tying touchdown drive as DJ Uiagalelei threw for two fourth-down conversions to keep the drive alive before Roydell Williams ran the ball into the end zone from one yard out, knotting the score at 21-all with 6:33 to play.

After that, however, Georgia Tech successfully bled the clock down to five seconds before bringing on Birr to kick the game-winner.


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