In a most important game, an inexplicably atrocious start dooms Georgia Tech

Energy crackled in the sold-out stadium. Anticipation bubbled. The stakes at hand were clear.

And then Georgia Tech took the field and played as if in a fog.

For as long as this history-making team is remembered, the question of what on earth happened at the start of its game against Pitt on Saturday night will accompany those recollections.

Spotting the Panthers four touchdowns in the first 18-plus minutes, No. 16 Georgia Tech relinquished control of its dream season — and may have let go for good — in a fashion that no one could have predicted.

The final damage was a 42-28 loss at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

On offense, passes were dropped or not thrown accurately. Heisman Trophy candidate Haynes King made a most atypical mistake, throwing a risky pass into Pitt’s secondary for an interception. The offensive line failed to give him time to throw. FBS’ No. 9 rushing offense generated 11 yards on its five run plays in the first quarter. In its first five possessions, the FBS leader in total offense gained 21 yards.

On defense, the shortcomings of the previous two games continued. Passing targets were open downfield. Defenders weren’t as physical as Pitt, enabling Panthers running back Ja’Kyrian Turner to run to the perimeter with little interference, on his way to 201 rushing yards. Tackles were missed.

The Jackets committed penalties that showed a lack of focus, false-starting and incurring a substitution infraction for running out onto the field late.

And, just like that, in the biggest game Tech had played since its 1990 national-championship season, a team that began the night with a clear path to the College Football Playoff was getting absolutely throttled in its home stadium, where it had won its previous 10 games.

Clear explanations were not forthcoming in postgame interviews.

“They came out and gave it to us, for sure,” coach Brent Key said. “Didn’t play well enough to win. That’s what happens when you spot a team 28 points.”

Defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg: “We definitely weren’t at our best. I’ll take a lot of responsibility; the whole defense takes a lot of responsibility. It’s unacceptable for us to do that.”

Wide receiver Isiah Canion: “We just got to settle down, get in a rhythm early. That’s really it.”

Right guard Keylan Rutledge: “I feel like we prepared the right way. We just didn’t execute. We started out real bad.”

Was it nerves before such a momentous game, where, if the Jackets won, they would have secured a spot in the ACC championship game — which, if they were to win that, would send them to their first College Football Playoff?

Was it the distraction of Senior Night, when the team’s 26 seniors were honored before the game?

Linebacker Cayman Spaulding suggested that might have been a factor.

“It’s Senior Night, everybody’s in their feelings, everybody wants to be top dog, top person,” he said. “I just feel like everybody had to click together.”

Rutledge differed, saying, “I don’t think anybody was really worried about that. We were worried about winning the football game.”

Or is it possible that Pitt is simply a better team, prepared with a better game plan and, as Key said, just gave it to the Jackets?

Particularly since the CFP rankings began in early November, the Jackets have been dogged by naysayers who didn’t place much stock in their record, attributing it mostly to a soft strength of schedule.

The Jackets gave the doubters all the ammunition necessary Saturday night.

Tech deserves credit for fighting nearly all the way back from 28 points down midway through the second quarter and 21 points at the start of the fourth quarter to close the gap to 35-28 with 4:51 to play.

But the Jackets will have to also live with the reality that they came sleepwalking out of the gates and lost by 14 points — when not only did they have a golden opportunity to show the CFP selection committee their worth, but also their season was on the line.

Key was asked if the loss had a silver lining in the team’s comeback attempt. He shook his head.

“A loss is a loss,” he said. “I don’t see how you can justify losing.”

It’s still possible for Tech to make it into the ACC championship game if Virginia loses to Virginia Tech, SMU loses to Cal and Pitt loses to Miami. For what it’s worth, ESPN’s metrics gave that trifecta a 2.8% probability after Saturday’s games.