BLACKSBURG, Va. — Georgia Tech backup quarterback Matthew Jordan rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Yellow Jackets to a 30-20 upset of No. 18 Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Jordan, who made his first career start in place of an injured Justin Thomas, helped make the Yellow Jackets (6-4, 3-4 ACC) bowl eligible. He repeatedly gashed the Hokies' defense, carrying the ball 32 times and scoring on runs of 53 and 3 yards.
Marcus Marshall added 143 yards rushing and a score for the Yellow Jackets, who rushed for 309 yards.
Virginia Tech (7-3, 5-2, No. 14 CFP), which was looking to clinch the ACC's Coastal Division crown, played its worst game of the season. The Hokies turned the ball over four times, botched a short field-goal attempt, and had a terrible snap right before halftime that ultimately led to Jordan's 3-yard touchdown run. That score gave them a 20-0 halftime lead.
The Hokies' Jerod Evans threw a touchdown pass and ran for two scores - the latter two coming with the game already decided.
THE TAKEAWAY
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets' defense gave up 636 yards of offense in a 48-20 loss at North Carolina a week ago, but the group held Virginia Tech to 437 yards and sacked Evans five times.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies need to find their groove on offense. They only mustered a field goal in the second half against Duke a week ago and didn't score in the first half against Georgia Tech. The Hokies had 182 of their yards on their final two drives when trailing 30-7.
UP NEXT
Georgia Tech: Returns home for the final home game of the season and takes on Virginia, the last-place team in the ACC's Coastal Division.
Virginia Tech: Travels to South Bend, Indiana, to take on Notre Dame in the first meeting between the two programs.
