WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Georgia Tech intercepted Wake Forest's 2-point play for the win in overtime to help the 16th-ranked Yellow Jackets edge the Demon Deacons 30-29 on Saturday, capping a wild day that saw them rally from 17 down in the third quarter to stay unbeaten.
Haynes King ran for two touchdowns to lead the Yellow Jackets (5-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), including a tough 2-yard keeper to start the OT. The Demon Deacons (2-2, 0-2) responded with Demond Claiborne's next-play 25-yard scoring run to the left pylon.
But with Claiborne shaken up on the play and quarterback Robby Ashford hobbled, first-year coach Jake Dickert played for the win. Ashford rolled to his right looking for a target, but ultimately had to force the ball back toward the middle — where E.J. Lightsey picked it off at the goal line to end it.
That sent the Yellow Jackets on the field to celebrate. Ashford and multiple of his teammates, meanwhile, were left squatting in disbelief.
Claiborne ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns while Ashford ran for one of his own, helping the Demon Deacons lead 20-3 by early in the third quarter.
The takeaways
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets are 5-0 for the first time since 2014.
Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons blew a 14-0 lead in their loss to N.C. State on Sept. 11 and squandered another lead, this one leading to a painful oh-so-close setback.
A key non-call
Georgia Tech forced OT on Aidan Birr’s 33-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in regulation. But there was a critical play moments earlier in which officials missed an apparent offsides call on Georgia Tech late with the Yellow Jackets holding no timeouts and the Demon Deacons working to melt the clock.
That led Ashford to throw a free-play deep ball on third down only to learn there was no flag, sparking a irate sideline reaction from first-year coach Jake Dickert and boos cascading from the stands. The Yellow Jackets got the ball back with 1:41 left for the OT-forcing drive.
Up next
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets head into an open date before hosting Virginia Tech on Oct. 11.
Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons get their own matchup with the Hokies, traveling to Blacksburg on Oct. 4.
