35 - 27 Georgia Tech entered their bowl game with Vanderbilt looking for the first 8 win season since 2016. This program has improved immensely under Brent Key since taking over from the trainwreck Geoff Collins era.
The bowl game though proved that Georgia Tech still has a lot of room to grow. Vanderbilt beat Georgia Tech 35-27 in a game marred by terrible officiating from the Big 10 refs. The game was one of the most out of control I’ve seen in a while, and we are fortunate there was not an all out mellee between the two teams.
The officials botched a running into the Georgia Tech punt returner which was a 40 yard field flip from the 2 to where the ball should have been placed somewhere between the 40-45. There was a phantom PI penalty later in the game that would have got Vanderbilt off the field.
With all that said it was 21-13 early in the 4th quarter and Georgia Tech had the ball. The game was still in doubt, and they let the officiating get in their heads and came unglued. Haynes King threw an interception. Then with the score 28-13 and driving deep into Vanderbilt’s territory, WR Malik Ruthorford fumbled in the open field. It was 35-13 before a lightning delay, and a late rally made it 35-27.
There is no mistaking that Georgia Tech is headed in the right direction. You don’t take the nation’s premier football program in Georgia to 8 OTs on the road and not be progressing, but Georgia Tech must find an identity to lean on consistently against quality teams, and that comes through continuing to build the roster.
Georgia Tech still doesn’t have elite talent. It’s good and better than a couple of years ago – but how many draftable players are on the roster? Two, three, four, maybe a couple more than that?
OC Buster Faulkner and DC Tyler Santucci are solid coordinators, who can exploit weaknesses on opposing teams, but not consistent due to talent issues.
Vanderbilt in the bowl game looked like an end to end faster defense, especially with speedy WR Eric Singelton moving on. The defense in particular struggled without their QB on that side of the ball Kyle Efford.
Friday’s loss was not time to panic, but it exposed where Georgia Tech still needs to get better at. It’s with the roster.
