Pitt jumps out to 28-0 lead, beats No. 16 Georgia Tech 42-28

Sometimes, Pitt happens.

Georgia Tech was blitzed and buried early Saturday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium, losing 42-28 to visiting Pittsburgh in front of 52,413 shellshocked fans who had hoped to see their beloved Yellow Jackets clinch a spot in the ACC championship game with a win.

Instead, Tech (9-2, 6-2 ACC) fell behind 28-0 and could never recover.

There were plenty of deathly blows from the visiting Panthers (8-3, 6-1 ACC), a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter may have been the most grotesque. That was one of two interceptions for quarterback Haynes King, who likely saw his Heisman Trophy hopes die on this night.

Tech’s defense was sieve-like again, giving up 390 yards and at least 34 points for the third game in a row. Quarterback Mason Heintschel threw for 226 and two scores and running back Ja’Kyrian Turner ran for 186 on 20 carries as Pitt kept its own ACC title game hopes intact.

King threw for 257 and rushed for another 76. But his first multi-interception game since Nov. 11, 2023, at Clemson (4) was part of Tech’s fatality.

The Jackets next face No. 4 Georgia (10-1) at 3:30 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Tech began the evening with consecutive three-and-outs (and also took a sack on its second possession). Pitt took advantage of the slow start with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Heintschel to wide receiver Kenny Johnson, giving the Panthers the lead a little more than eight minutes into the game.

Heintschel’s second touchdown pass came 4:36 later when the freshman QB found his tight end down the right seam from 19 yards out. That put the Panthers ahead 14-0 and the Jackets were officially in trouble early.

Bad went to worse on the ensuing possession when King was intercepted by Kavir Bains-Marquez at Tech’s own 28. It was King’s first interception in 180 pass attempts inside Bobby Dodd Stadium. Three plays later Juelz Goff punched in a 1-yard run to put Putt up 21-0 through one quarter.

The Panthers opened the second quarter with a 54-yard drive that ended with Heintschel’s 3-yard option keeper into the right side of the end zone, making it 28-0.

Tech finally got on the board with 4:45 left in the half. It had initially lined up to attempt a 30-yard field goal on fourth-and-4, but Tech coach Brent Key called timeout instead and the Jackets picked up the first down with King’s 8-yard swing pass to running back Jamal Haynes.

King scored on a keeper over left guard on the next play, making it 28-7.

The Jackets then finally got a stop on defense, a fortuitous backward bounce on a Pitt punt and a facemask penalty on the Panthers to move the ball to the 30. King threw a third-down, 5-yard touchdown pass to Isiah Canion with 68 seconds on the clock, making it 28-14.

Pitt kicker Sam Carpenter missed a 35-yard field to end the half, allowing the Jackets to be down just two touchdowns.

Tech had all the momentum and carried it over into the third quarter with a defensive stop and what appeared to be another scoring drive. But on third down at the Pitt 5, King back-peddled and threw off his back foot right to Pitt linebacker Braylan Lovelace, who was waiting at the goal line.

Lovelace was off to the races in the other direction for a 99-yard pick-6.

On the next offensive series, the Jackets went for it on fourth down from their own 40 and King’s pass was broken up by Atlanta native Rashad Battle.

Tech went into the final period down 35-14. It got a 4-yard touchdown run from Jamal Haynes, then an inexcusable mistake from the Panthers.

On fourth-and-9 from its own 41, Pitt called a fake punt with a direct snap to wide receiver Cataurus Hicks. Hicks slipped and fell at his own 39.

It was the glimmer of hope the Jackets needed, and King’s second TD of the night to Canion made it 35-28 with 4:51 remaining.

Tech’s defense couldn’t get one more stop.