Georgia Tech Beats SC State in Home Opener 48-13

Ed. Note: The game ran longer than any of us anticipated, so we’re combining the Postgame Thread and Recap into one article, so come here and celebrate with us!

Behind a strong offensive performance, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets beat South Carolina State 48-13 to move Tech’s overall record to 1-1 for the season.

Really, I can’t give enough credit to the offense today. They showed up and did exactly what they needed to do. Specifically, though, I want to touch on Haynes King’s performance, because he looked really good today.

Of course, King finished 21-for-29 with 290 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions. But like last week, he continued to do a good job of spreading the ball around. Nine different guys had catches this week, and it wasn’t just receivers. Trey Cooley was the second-leading receiver for the Jackets (thanks in large part to a 55-yard touchdown reception).

Speaking of the running backs, Jamal Haynes absolutely blew me away again this week, although this time, it was more because of his actual rushing plays. Even if you take away the 67-yard run he had, he still went for nearly 6 yards a carry, and Cooley averaged nearly 10!

Eric Singleton, despite having just three catches, continues to be a fun player to watch. I’ll talk more about the advanced stats later this week, but Singleton once again averaged over 2 EPA/play. If he keeps playing with that kind of explosion, Tech is going to be in a very good spot.

Now let’s talk about the defense. Sure, the defense held the Bulldogs to just 13 points, but it was not all sunshine and roses. There were times when Tech’s defense really struggled to contain the Bulldogs’ offense, particularly when they ran option plays.

Overall, though, it was a fun game to watch, and it was the 750th win in Georgia Tech history, so that’s a fun milestone!

Go Jackets!