Let’s head into yet another bye week coming off of a huge victory
This weekend was a taste of deja vu, as the last time we beat a Top-5 team was against No. 4 Virginia Tech, 28-23. The goalpost came down, the field was rushed, and Tech got put on the national map. Our matchup against Miami was the most viewed game on ESPN since Week One, peaking at 5.3 million viewers. This game was one of the most fun Tech games to watch in quite a while, and it put our program, players, and coaches on the college football scene. As we head into our third and final bye week, here is what I think I know about the Jackets.
Take a knee Haynes King, and take a bow
This upset victory concluded with a full-circle moment, as Haynes King took a knee in Miami territory to end the ballgame and secure the Yellow Jacket win in one of the biggest upsets of the 2024 college football season. We now have the most exciting win in years and the first Top Five win since I was eight years old. Yes, you read that right. Haynes King is now going to be written down as a legend on the Flats after beating Miami and battling through a shoulder injury to put up some great numbers considering his throwing arm was hurt. He went 6/6 passing and had 93 yards on the ground, along with two total touchdowns. King has the passion and the toughness that we need for a team leader, and this game proved that he has what it takes.
Speaking of leaders, much credit goes out to true freshman Aaron Philo. This guy is going to be the future and he has exceeded expectations in his first year of college. Philo went 5/10 for 67 yards and attained a QBR of 92.8. He was calm, and composed, and showed up in big moments to keep us in the game.
Coach Key has crafted an awesome coaching staff
Tyler Santucci and Buster Faulkner were incredible hires, and they coached just about as well as anyone in the country yesterday. Buster worked out a two-QB game plan to perfection, letting Haynes King run the ball and giving Philo a chance to throw it and see what he could do.
Santucci held the best offense in the nation to 23 points, their season-low by 13 points. Coming into this game, Miami was converting 58% on third down and was 10/13 on fourth down conversions. Tech held them to 3/10 on third down, and ¼ on fourth down. The Jackets also now possess the ninth-best 3rd down defense in the country at 29.6%. They also had four tackles for loss and three sacks on the day. Faulker, Santucci, and Key coached one hell of a game, and I would love to see what they can craft together in the future.
Everything that could have gone right, went right
In last week’s article, I said that time of possession would be key in winning this game, and it was. The Jackets put up an incredible performance, even having a 17-play, 75-yard, almost 11-minute touchdown drive (10:45). It goes down as the second-longest scoring drive in school history. I know Paul Johnson was smiling at that. Tech held the ball for 34:48 total and kept it away from Cam Ward. Not a bad strategy.
Also, in the most iconic way possible, the Jackets ended the game with a fumble and took a knee to seal the victory. Just every single thing went right. What a thing of beauty this game was.
We have NC State and UGA on the horizon
Yes, reaching bowl eligibility and beating Miami was awesome, but the season is far from over. Next Thursday night, we’ll face an NC State team looking to find its footing, followed by our season finale on Black Friday against the dawgs. There is nothing quite like a Thursday night game at Bobby Dodd, and Clean Old Fashioned hate promises a lot more excitement than usual this year. Let’s finish out the season strong and carry this momentum over.
Go Jackets!