Orange Bowl 2014: Highlights, Reaction from Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech

In one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the bowl season, the ACC toppled yet another mighty SEC opponent in the 2014 Orange Bowl.

Georgia Tech's 49-34 victory secured another Orange Bowl win for the ACC and capped off a miserable day for the SEC and state of Mississippi as a whole. A 39-point drubbing for TCU over Ole Miss was followed by the 15-point loss for the Bulldogs.

After a season that saw both teams rise to the top, the fall was a dramatic one for both Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Phil Savage of the Senior Bowl noted the shift from huge wins earlier in the season to the losses on New Year's Eve:

Much of the success for Georgia Tech, of course, came on the ground. Leading the way was sophomore quarterback Justin Thomas, who finished with a career-high three rushing touchdowns and four total scores.

The young quarterback spoke about his team's success following the game.

"Our program took a step forward this year," he told Steven Wine of The Associated Press (via The Salt Lake Tribune). "We’re planning to keep striving to put Georgia Tech’s name on the top of the list."

His overall effectiveness overshadowed even Dak Prescott, who was an early contender for the Heisman Trophy this season. Thomas may not have thrown for over 300 yards—he finished with just 125—but he was the biggest playmaker on the field.

Dan Wolken of USA Today and Pat Forde of Yahoo offered their take on his play:

The ACC's official site also provides a look at the highlights from Thomas' memorable night:

While Prescott was not able to secure a win for his team, the versatile quarterback finished with four touchdowns of his own—three through the air and one rushing. Unable to guide the Bulldogs to two crucial wins down the stretch, Prescott was still unbelievable under center in the Orange Bowl.

His night was good enough to set a school record on the biggest stage of Prescott's life, per Michael Bonner of the Clarion-Ledger:

One of his passing touchdowns will also be featured on highlight reels for the next several days. Looking to tighten the score before the half, Prescott heaved a pass down to the end zone and found Fred Ross to close the gap to only 21-20 at that point.

ESPN College GameDay provides a look at the play:

Ultimately, it would not be enough for the Bulldogs. The Jackets trounced them in the second half with 21 points in the third quarter alone.

Both teams head into next season with reason for optimism, but it's Georgia Tech that is brimming with confidence. Having Thomas back for at least next season guarantees the Jackets have a leader under center with the versatility to lead Paul Johnson's offense.

Mississippi State, on the other hand, has to hope that their offense and defense will remain intact. Both Prescott and defensive leader Benardrick McKinney have yet to make a decision about their future, so the next moves will be telling ones for the program.

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