- Messages
- 18,949
[float_left]
[figcap]Georgia Tech celebrates the Orange Bowl victory against Mississippi State[/figcap][/float_left]MIAMI GARDENS, FLA - In a game featuring the second highest ranked teams from two power five conferences, the SEC's Mississippi State Bulldogs (10-3, 6-2) were no match for the ACC's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-3, 6-2) Wednesday night in south Florida. With only minutes to spare prior to the New Year, the Yellow Jackets capped their remarkable 2014 season with a convincing 49-34 victory and Orange Bowl trophy.
Following Georgia Tech junior cornerback Chris Milton's interception on the game's opening series, the Yellow Jackets converted the early turnover into 7 points with just 2:22 of game time elapsed. The early score gave the Jackets a lead they would never relinquish.
For the entirety of the game Georgia Tech took what the Mississippi State defense gave them. During the first half that yielded a balanced 134 rushing and 125 passing yards. Highlights included a 41-yard touchdown catch by senior Darren Waller, who in one half alone produced his first career 100-yard receiving game.
Waller's contributions cannot be understated. The absence of standout wide receiver DeAndre Smelter in the ACC Championship game left many wondering whether the Yellow Jackets could find a viable replacement or even a replacement by committee. Waller proved the former was possible by turning in his finest performance as a Yellow Jacket in his career finale.
"Coach saw a lot of opportunities for play action with the way the defense was playing, and I was just trying to take advantage of those opportunities when I got them," said Waller. "They're not many, but I'm going to do my part, and my blocking on the perimeter helped set that up out there."
The first half ended in dramatic fashion, and this time it was the Bulldogs who bit back. With Georgia Tech up 21-13 and 5 seconds remaining, Mississippi State threw up a Hail Mary that was initially deflected by Tech defenders but ultimately caught in the end zone by wide receiver Fred Ross, turning a desperation heave into 7 points for the Bulldogs. Going to the locker room up just 21-20 was a bitter pill for Tech to swallow with their eyes seemingly already set on an 8-point halftime cushion.
In what has become familiar form for this year's squad, the Yellow Jackets did not wilt with the body blow. "After the Hail Mary happened, nobody was down," junior safety Jamal Golden said after the game. "When we went into the locker room we were still winning. So let's go out [in the second half] and keep them from scoring. If they don't score again they can't beat us."
The second half was owned by the Yellow Jackets. In a game that may be viewed as his national coming out party, sophomore quarterback Justin Thomas orchestrated touchdown drives on each of the Yellow Jackets' first four second half possessions. The four drives covered 75, 81, 52, and 46 yards in succession and everything was earned on the ground.
With Mississippi State unable to keep up, the de facto competition was a one-upping battle between Thomas and senior running back Synjyn Days. Days took the second offensive snap of the half and rumbled around, through, and past defenders for a 69-yard touchdown to quickly put the Yellow Jackets back up by 8.
Thomas, not to be outdone, capitalized on the next two Georgia Tech drives with two option keepers of his own for touchdowns. The first, a 32-yard juke and sprint through two Mississippi State defenders, produced audible "Oohs", "Ahhs", and disbelieving mouths wide open from the crowd. His entire game performance earned him Orange Bowl MVP.
When asked if it was as easy as it looked Thomas said, "I don't want to say it is, but it felt like it was going pretty easy out there. We've been doing it for so long, it just comes natural to you. Without the guys doing their part, I wouldn't have gotten the MVP."
Thomas and Days both ended the night with 3 rushing touchdowns and over 100 yards apiece. Both accomplished milestones in the process. Thomas became Georgia Tech's all-time leading rusher in a season for quarterbacks with 1,086 yards this year, surpassing Josh Nesbitt's 1,037 yards in 2009. Days, who only recently became the start at B-Back in his swan song season, turned in his 4th career 100-yard rushing game.
Days, who throughout his career has proven to be the epitome of "team player" and by himself may be a microcosm of this year's team attitude, recapped the moment best. "It's kind of bittersweet, playing in a game like this and winning your final game. It's fantastic," said Days. "You really can't write it much better."
By reaching 11+ wins for just the fifth time in school history, receiving an Orange Bowl trophy, and counting down the seconds to 2015 on a podium in Sun Life Stadium, few moments have been sweeter for Georgia Tech players, coaches, and fans alike. Congratulations to the 2014 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on a season to remember. It will not soon be forgotten.
Following Georgia Tech junior cornerback Chris Milton's interception on the game's opening series, the Yellow Jackets converted the early turnover into 7 points with just 2:22 of game time elapsed. The early score gave the Jackets a lead they would never relinquish.
For the entirety of the game Georgia Tech took what the Mississippi State defense gave them. During the first half that yielded a balanced 134 rushing and 125 passing yards. Highlights included a 41-yard touchdown catch by senior Darren Waller, who in one half alone produced his first career 100-yard receiving game.
Waller's contributions cannot be understated. The absence of standout wide receiver DeAndre Smelter in the ACC Championship game left many wondering whether the Yellow Jackets could find a viable replacement or even a replacement by committee. Waller proved the former was possible by turning in his finest performance as a Yellow Jacket in his career finale.
"Coach saw a lot of opportunities for play action with the way the defense was playing, and I was just trying to take advantage of those opportunities when I got them," said Waller. "They're not many, but I'm going to do my part, and my blocking on the perimeter helped set that up out there."
The first half ended in dramatic fashion, and this time it was the Bulldogs who bit back. With Georgia Tech up 21-13 and 5 seconds remaining, Mississippi State threw up a Hail Mary that was initially deflected by Tech defenders but ultimately caught in the end zone by wide receiver Fred Ross, turning a desperation heave into 7 points for the Bulldogs. Going to the locker room up just 21-20 was a bitter pill for Tech to swallow with their eyes seemingly already set on an 8-point halftime cushion.
In what has become familiar form for this year's squad, the Yellow Jackets did not wilt with the body blow. "After the Hail Mary happened, nobody was down," junior safety Jamal Golden said after the game. "When we went into the locker room we were still winning. So let's go out [in the second half] and keep them from scoring. If they don't score again they can't beat us."
The second half was owned by the Yellow Jackets. In a game that may be viewed as his national coming out party, sophomore quarterback Justin Thomas orchestrated touchdown drives on each of the Yellow Jackets' first four second half possessions. The four drives covered 75, 81, 52, and 46 yards in succession and everything was earned on the ground.
With Mississippi State unable to keep up, the de facto competition was a one-upping battle between Thomas and senior running back Synjyn Days. Days took the second offensive snap of the half and rumbled around, through, and past defenders for a 69-yard touchdown to quickly put the Yellow Jackets back up by 8.
Thomas, not to be outdone, capitalized on the next two Georgia Tech drives with two option keepers of his own for touchdowns. The first, a 32-yard juke and sprint through two Mississippi State defenders, produced audible "Oohs", "Ahhs", and disbelieving mouths wide open from the crowd. His entire game performance earned him Orange Bowl MVP.
When asked if it was as easy as it looked Thomas said, "I don't want to say it is, but it felt like it was going pretty easy out there. We've been doing it for so long, it just comes natural to you. Without the guys doing their part, I wouldn't have gotten the MVP."
Thomas and Days both ended the night with 3 rushing touchdowns and over 100 yards apiece. Both accomplished milestones in the process. Thomas became Georgia Tech's all-time leading rusher in a season for quarterbacks with 1,086 yards this year, surpassing Josh Nesbitt's 1,037 yards in 2009. Days, who only recently became the start at B-Back in his swan song season, turned in his 4th career 100-yard rushing game.
Days, who throughout his career has proven to be the epitome of "team player" and by himself may be a microcosm of this year's team attitude, recapped the moment best. "It's kind of bittersweet, playing in a game like this and winning your final game. It's fantastic," said Days. "You really can't write it much better."
By reaching 11+ wins for just the fifth time in school history, receiving an Orange Bowl trophy, and counting down the seconds to 2015 on a podium in Sun Life Stadium, few moments have been sweeter for Georgia Tech players, coaches, and fans alike. Congratulations to the 2014 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on a season to remember. It will not soon be forgotten.
