Statement Start, 100-Yard Pick-Six Lifts Pitt Over No. 16 Georgia Tech
ATLANTA, Ga. — The stakes could not of been any higher when Pitt met the 16th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a late-November matchup. ACC championship implications were on the line, while the Panthers looked for a significant response from last week’s Notre Dame loss.
There was no quit from Georgia Tech, but a statement start and a momentum-changing 100-yard interception returned for a touchdown propelled Pitt to a 42-28 win over Georgia Tech in front of a rowdy Bobby Dodd Stadium crowd.
Pitt improves to 6-1 in the ACC. That sets up another pivotal matchup with Miami in the regular-season finale at home next week. A Pitt win and either an SMU or Virginia loss and the Panthers are headed to Charlotte.
The Panthers (8-3, 6-1 ACC) stormed out of the gates, posting a 28-0 lead just inside the second quarter of play. A week after Pitt registered 219 yards of total offense, the Panthers surpassed that total in the second quarter. Georgia Tech (9-2, 6-2) nearly came all the way back before Ja’Kyrian Turner sped off for a 56-yard touchdown to slam the door.
True freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel continued his undefeated start in conference play as he went 20-of-27 for 226 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Turner added a new career-high 201 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
With so much on the line, Pitt put together the best start imaginable. The offense was clicking and moving the ball efficiently with Heintschel looking poised. On defense, Pitt shutdown the top-ranked offense and came up with a takeaway to put the Panthers in prime field position.
After another opening drive that ended with a Heintschel sack, the Panthers made no mistake on the following possession. Turner picked up a 33-yard chunk on the ground before Heintschel stepped up in the pocket and delivered a strike to Kenny Johnson at the goal line as he finished off the 31-yard touchdown play.
Heintschel was precise on his touchdown throws in the first half as another red zone possession was set up by a 20-yard Turner rush. Following a touchdown that was called back due to a penalty, Heintschel went right back to tight end Justin Holmes. This time, the young quarterback sliced a pass in a tight window with a number of Yellow Jacket defenders in the area for the 19-yard score. Pitt went up 14-0.
It was then the defense that gave Pitt golden field position as Kyle Louis stormed in to provide pressure on Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, who proceeded to throw and errant pass into the hands of Kavir Bains-Marquez for his third interception of the season.
With the ball at the Georgia Tech 28, Pitt utilized four plays to get into the end zone with a Johnson 18-yard reception and then a 1-yard touchdown run by Juelz Goff.
Pitt’s dominant start took a step further when Heintschel pulled the ball out on a play-action read that fooled the Georgia Tech defense as he walked in for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 28-0 Pitt at the 11:50 mark of the second quarter.
Georgia Tech’s offense through the first 20 minutes of the game was a no-show. Pitt swarmed and dialed up pressure constantly on King. At the same time, the Yellow Jackets’ pass catchers did not do them any favors with multiple ugly drops.
Still, Georgia Tech kept at it. Defensive stops led to offensive momentum and a renewed buzz inside Bobby Dodd Stadium.
King finally broke through at the 4:49 mark of the second quarter with a 5-yard keeper. Heintschel was sacked twice on the next Pitt drive before Georgia Tech took back the ball. That’s when King went to the back of the end zone to find Isiah Canion for a 5-yard touchdown grab to pull the game within 28-14.
The Pitt defense was back on its heels in the third quarter once again with Georgia Tech forming another similar drive that was primed to reach the end zone.
Instead, Pitt recorded its third pick-six in as many games. Braylan Lovelace read King all the way and jumped a pass at the goal line. Lovelace had nothing but green grass in front of him for a 100-yard return and a massive swing.
Despite the three-touchdown deficit, Georgia Tech methodically drove down the field and clawed away before Jamal Haynes broke into the end zone from four yards out with 8:46 to go in the game.
A fake punt attempt by Pitt was thwarted and Georgia Tech took advantage. The Yellow Jackets went 38 yards in six plays as King hooked up with Canion in the back of the end zone for the second time to bring it to a 35-28 score in favor of the Panthers.
With Georgia Tech nearing an unbelievable comeback, Turner erased any hopes of that coming to fruition as he raced to the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown with 2:41 to go.
A Georgia Tech offense that averages a national-best 496.7 yards per game finished with 378 yards. King completed 27-of-41 passes for 257 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He added 76 yards and a score on the ground.
Pitt returns home for the regular-season finale against the Miami Hurricanes next Saturday. Game time is still too be announced.
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