The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets kicked off their home season in style, defeating Georgia State 35-12! It was a night of excitement and celebration at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Jamal Haynes opened the scoring with a 1-yard run, putting the Jackets on the board first. Haynes King was on fire, throwing two touchdown passes and running for another score. Georgia Tech never trailed in this comfortable win.
The offense was buzzing! Tech piled up 499 yards of offense—274 in the air and 225 on the ground. Five different Yellow Jackets found the end zone, proving this team is ready to compete.
Furthermore, Coach Brent Key praised the balanced attack, saying, “When you have explosive playmakers, you have to get them the ball.” And they did just that!
King completed 24 of 29 passes for 275 yards, with just one interception. He also rushed for a touchdown, making plays all night long.
Jamal Haynes led the rushing attack with 84 yards on 17 carries. “I just wanted to come out strong,” he said. His 1-yard TD run gave Tech an early lead.
Another key player was Malik Rutherford shined with career highs—seven catches for 131 yards. “It felt good to finally get over the 100-yard hump,” Rutherford said. “It was just a good game all around!”
Erik Singleton Jr. added a spark, rushing once for 35 yards and catching four passes for 43 yards. “They made me look good,” King said, referring to his teammates. “I just get them the ball and let them do their thing.”
Georgia State fought hard, racking up 360 total yards. They marched down the field early but faced a stout Yellow Jackets defense. Tech denied the Panthers on a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line!
Georgia State was just 1 for 3 in the red zone, while Tech went 3 for 3. Key emphasized execution as the key to their strong defense.
By halftime, Tech had a 14-3 lead, thanks to Haynes’ touchdown and King’s 2-yard run just before the break.
The Jackets pulled away in the third quarter. Singleton Jr. scored on a 25-yard run, followed by a 52-yard TD pass from King to a wide-open Rutherford. “It doesn’t get any easier than that!” he laughed.
Although, the Panthers scored a field goal and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough. King then found Avery Boyd for a 22-yard TD, sealing the deal.
This win sets the tone for the season! The Yellow Jackets are showing they can compete and dominate. Fans are excited to see what comes next.
Georgia Tech is officially back in action, and the Yellow Jackets are ready to fly high this season!
