Tech keeps hopes of ACC title game shot alive with win over Duke

ATLANTA - Tevin Washington passed for three touchdowns and ran for another score to lead Georgia Tech to a 42-24 win over Duke on Saturday, preserving the Yellow Jackets' hopes of playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Georgia Tech (6-5, 5-3 ACC) is bowl-eligible for the 16th consecutive season and moved one-half game ahead of Miami in the Coastal Division. Miami ends its conference schedule next week against Duke.

Duke (6-5, 3-4) already clinched its first bowl berth since 1994.

Washington threw two scoring passes to Robert Godhigh and one to Zach Laskey.

Duke receiver Conner Vernon became the ACC's all-time leader in yards receiving, passing former Florida State star Peter Warrick's record of 3,517 yards. Vernon, who began the game 35 yards behind Warrick's mark, had five catches for 38 yards.

On the first play of the game, Vernon caught a 2-yard pass from Sean Renfree, giving him receptions in 46 consecutive games, setting another ACC record. North Carolina's Corey Holliday had the old record of 45 games.

Miami, 4-3 in the ACC, would win a tie-breaker with Georgia Tech, thanks to its 42-36 overtime win over the Yellow Jackets on Sept. 22, if each team finishes 5-3 in the league.

Miami, under NCAA investigation, could self-impose its second-straight bowl ban. That decision would send Georgia Tech to the Dec. 1 ACC championship game.

Washington completed 6 of 10 passes for 102 yards and had 19 carries for 62 yards. He matched his career high with the three touchdown passes. He also threw three scoring passes against Western Carolina on Sept. 1, 2011.

Godhigh had 18 carries for 72 yards and David Sims rushed for 70 yards with a touchdown.

Renfree completed 24 of 36 passes for 198 yards with two touchdowns and an interception as Duke took its third straight loss.

Washington, playing in his final home game, reclaimed his hold on the quarterback job one week after he played only two possessions in a 68-50 win over North Carolina.

Washington set a school and ACC record for career rushing touchdowns by a quarterback when he capped a 13-play drive with his 1-yard scoring run on Georgia Tech's first drive. The rushing touchdown was his 36th. Joshua Nesbitt had the old record of 35 for the Yellow Jackets from 2007-10.

Vad Lee, who played most of last week's game at quarterback, had four carries for 13 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown run. He completed 2 of 4 passes for 17 yards.

Georgia Tech led 28-24 when Washington led an 18-play touchdown drive that lasted 8 minutes, 31 seconds. It was the Yellow Jackets' longest drive by number of plays and time of possession this season.

The only pass of the drive was Washington's 8-yard touchdown toss to Godhigh with about 10 minutes remaining.

On Duke's next possession, linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu's third-down sack of Renfree forced only the Blue Devils' second punt of the game.

Attaochu delivered the key play for Georgia Tech's defense again when he made the stop on a fake punt by Duke's Will Monday with about 5 minutes remaining.

Renfree had a 24-yard touchdown pass to Desmond Scott in the first quarter and a 1-yard scoring pass to Juwan Thompson in the third quarter. Renfree had a 9-yard scoring run in the second quarter.