ATLANTA — Georgia Tech quarterback TaQuon Marshall ran for two long touchdowns, including a 70-yarder with 1:57 remaining that clinched a 38-24 victory over Wake Forest on Saturday night.
The Yellow Jackets (4-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) ran their triple-option offense to perfection, piling up 427 yards rushing against a team that had an off week to prepare.
Marshall finished with 163 yards on 23 carries, also scoring on a 49-yard run. KirVonte Benson added 136 yards and a touchdown. Qua Searcy broke loose for a 42-yard scoring run against the Demon Deacons (4-3, 1-3), who lost their third straight.
Benson's 11-yard TD gave the Yellow Jackets a 31-24 lead with 11:55 remaining. The extra point was blocked, leaving the door open for Wake Forest to force overtime.
The Demon Deacons later drove to the Georgia Tech 24, where they faced fourth-and-1. Cade Carney was stuffed for no gain, turning the ball over the Yellow Jackets.
Three plays later, Marshall got loose on a third-and-4 from the 30, picked up several good blocks downfield and rambled into the end zone to finish off the Demon Deacons.
John Wolford returned to the lineup after missing Wake Forest's previous game with a shoulder injury. He completed 17 of 30 pass for 252 yards, including a pair of touchdowns, and scored his team's other TD on a 1-yard run.
It wasn't enough.
Georgia Tech rallied from a 21-10 deficit in the first half.
The Yellow Jackets caught a huge break just before halftime when Jaboree Williams dragged down Marshall after he was already out of bounds. The personal foul penalty pushed Georgia Tech into field goal range, and they converted with Brenton King's 42-yard field goal as the half expired.
That momentum carried into the second half. Wake Forest got the ball first, but a penalty and a botched snap forced the Demon Deacons to punt from deep in their own territory.
Taking possession at the Wake 49, Marshall needed just one play to reach the end zone. With the defense leaning toward the left, the quarterback ran to his right, got a good block from left tackle Jahaziel Lee that allowed him to get around the edge, and shook off a would-be tackler at the 10 to finish off his first touchdown run.
Georgia Tech failed to convert the tying 2-point attempt, but went ahead for good on Searcy's TD late in the third quarter.
TAKEAWAYS
Wake Forest's faint hopes in the ACC race essentially ended with another conference defeat. The Demon Deacons have played respectably in their last three games but showed they aren't ready to compete with the league's top teams.
Georgia Tech again showed its resilience by bouncing back from a tough loss. Coming off their second one-point defeat of the season, a 25-24 setback at Miami, the Yellow Jackets kept alive their hopes in the ACC race by grinding out a victory over the Demon Deacons.
UP NEXT
Wake Forest: Wraps up a brutal stretch of five straight games against 2016 bowl teams, hosting Louisville (5-3, 2-3) and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson next Saturday.
Georgia Tech: Travels to Clemson to take on the No. 7 Tigers (6-1, 4-1), who were off this week. The Yellow Jackets have lost four straight at Death Valley, their last victory coming in 2008.
