Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech: Game Grades and Analysis for the Hokies

Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech did battle in Blacksburg on Saturday afternoon, and the Yellow Jackets came out top in the final seconds 27-24. The final box score can be found here thanks to NCAA.com.

The Hokies started the game well, leading 16-10 going into the fourth quarter. But costly mistakes on offense and defense played a major role in their collapse, and they have now dropped two consecutive home games.

Can they bounce back and get back in the ACC Coastal race? Here are some game grades and analysis for the Hokies.

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	A	D
Run Offense	C-	C-
Pass Defense	B+	C+
Run Defense	C	D
Special Teams	C	C-
Coaching	B	D

Pass Offense: Michael Brewer looked as sharp as any quarterback in college football in the first half as he went 10-of-13 for 207 yards. But the second half was a different story, as he threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Brewer made bad decisions in crucial situations, and that’s something he can’t do moving forward if the Hokies want to win the division. He will need to grow up in a hurry because the schedule is not going to get easier.

Run Offense: The run offense was not a factor all game long because the Hokies had a hard time running between the tackles. Marshawn Williams did have a rushing touchdown, as did Brewer. But the running game was inconsistent due to the Georgia Tech front seven attacking the line of scrimmage. The Hokies ended the day with 127 yards on 33 carries for 3.8 yards per carry.

Michael Shroyer/Getty Images

Pass Defense: When it comes to Georgia Tech, passing is not a strength. So the defense for Virginia Tech did a nice job of getting after Justin Thomas and forcing him to make inaccurate throws. But he was able to make key throws when it mattered the most because the secondary had communication issues, which led to receivers being wide open. Chase Williams was all over the field for the Hokies, but he did not make the plays he needed to make to help the Hokies win.

Run Defense: Stopping the Georgia Tech rushing attack is not easy, so the only thing the Hokies could hope for was to slow it down. For the most part, the defense did a good job of containing the triple option. However, Virginia Tech had no answer for Thomas, as he rushed for 165 yards. The Jackets finished with 250 yards on the ground, which is 50 yards lower than their season average. Williams was a big reason why Tech could not run wild on the Hokies, as he tallied 17 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Special Teams: Beamer ball did not come into play as the special teams did not really contribute. The Hokies allowed Georgia Tech to block a field goal and gave up a game-winning field goal with two seconds left in the fourth quarter. They also had no impact plays in the return game; one good play was called back due to a holding penalty. The one good thing about the special teams was Joey Slye giving the Hokies nine of their 24 points with three field goals.

Coaching: Frank Beamer and his coaching staff did a nice job of preparing for the option attack of the Yellow Jackets, but they did not make the proper adjustments in the second half. They should have established the run and not put pressure on Brewer to win the game with his arm. This game—more than any game they’ve played so far—will be a lesson for the Hokies to control the clock better and protect the football. Had they done both of those things, Georgia Tech would not have come back to win.

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