Georgia Tech’s offensive line answers the call in win at Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. — Georgia Tech coach Brent Key and quarterback Haynes King challenged the Tech offensive line ahead of Friday’s opener at Colorado.

Preseason All-American Keylan Rutledge wouldn’t give any details of that challenge.

“I think we’ll keep that in house,” the senior guard said. “We were ready. We were foaming at the mouth, just like we should. It’s a test. We’re two really good, different programs. And they’re a good team. But the tone was set. We knew what we were gonna do.”

Tech’s offensive line answered the call, but in an unlikely manner as a 27-20 Yellow Jackets’ win unfolded at Folsom Field.

Rutledge left late in the fourth quarter because of a cramp, on Tech’s game-winner drive, nonetheless. His departure meant left guard Joe Fusile moved to Rutledge’s spot at right guard. Harrison Moore, who had started the game at center, moved to left guard and Tana Alo-Tupuola lined up a center.

Moore and Alo-Tupuola had snaps at those spots already in that drive and throughout the course of the game after Moore had some errant snaps early in the contest.

That trio, along with Ethan Mackenny at left tackle and Malachi Carney (Tech’s highest-graded offensive lineman in the win, according to Pro Football Focus) at right tackle, stood shoulder to shoulder when King took a shotgun snap, faked a toss to his right and burrowed into the right side of line of scrimmage.

Seconds later he emerged and was off to the races for a 45-yard touchdown run leaving 1:07 left on the clock.

J.T. Byrne, a tight end and transfer from California, lined up as a lead blocker on the winning play.

King’s score became a crowning moment for a unit playing together for the first time as one while adjusting on the fly to a bit of adversity.

“We challenged them this week,” King said of his offensive line. “I think we did a really good job of challenging them and they answered it. Y’all saw what happened.”

King was part of a Tech rushing attack that piled up 320 yards — Tech’s most since 371 against North Carolina on Oct. 12. The Jackets averaged 6.8 yards per carry and had nine rushing plays of 10 yards or more.

The Colorado defense managed only three tackles for loss and only one sack of King.

“We had a tremendous amount of opportunities. And sooner or later, you keep going to the well, something’s going to happen,” CU coach Deion Sanders said of defending King in the run game. “And they were committed to running their quarterback and making it happen. They were truly committed to that. We had some tremendous stops as well. But they kept going and going and going. I mean, I think we were tired and exhausted, whatever, and we should be trained on that last run, because we just didn’t look like we normally looked the whole entire game.”

Colorado allowed 300 yards rushing once in 2024, in a loss at Kansas, but not since 2022 had it happened to the Buffaloes at Folsom Field when Utah rushed for 383. The 300-yard rushing game was the fourth of the Key era and 15th time the Jackets have rushed for at least 200 yards under Key.