Jackets fall to Bowling Green with atrocious performance

ATLANTA — A week after putting up a road win at Wake Forest, Georgia Tech looked nothing like themselves today against Bowling Green, losing 38-27 after going up 14-0 early in the first quarter.

After a solid kickoff return that reached their own 47 yard line, Haynes King hit a wide open Eric Singleton Jr. with a 53 yard pass on the first play that put Tech up 7-0. After forcing a punt on Bowling Green’s first drive, Tech kept their explosiveness up in their next drive, gaining at least 11 yards in four of five plays en route to a Christian Leary touchdown reception.

Up 14-0, everything went sideways, notably on defense. Tackles were missed, third downs were conceeded regularly from any distance, Tech couldn’t get off the field; nothing was working for Tech to a degree I personally haven’t seen in person at Bobby Dodd since Clemson’s 73-7 thrashing in 2020. Brent Key in his press conference called the first two drives “outliers.”

Bowling Green scored 38 unanswered points starting immediately after Tech’s second touchdown, which included two third down conversions, one being a 3rd & 10 that brought the Falcons into the red zone.

It wasn’t until midway through the second quarter that Bowling Green scored again, making a 40 yard field goal.

On Tech’s next drive, they ended up punting, except for the fact long snapper George Carlson hiked it into an upback, resulting in a turnover in their own territory. Bowling Green scored on a miraculous one handed catch by Finn Hogan with a defender all over him, putting the Falcons up 17-14 late in the second quarter.

The third quarter is barely worth mentioning. The defensive issues only got worse, and Bowling Green’s lead kept growing to the point that Malik Rutherford’s touchdown pass near the end of the quarter felt like a garbage time touchdown.

Abdul Janneh caught the only other touchdown in the rest of the game, bringing us to the final score of 38-27.

Brent Key afterward took the blame on himself for the guys not being prepared.

Paul Maola also said at the press conference that they overlooked Bowling Green during their preparation.

We can never wear those Ghost uniforms ever again.