It turns out Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson didn’t feel good before Harrison Butker tried one of the biggest kicks in the recent history with Georgia, and Butker didn’t feel good about it when the kick left his foot.

That uncertainly lasted until Butker’s 53-yard kick just cleared the crossbar and officials signaled it was good. The field goal with no time left in regulation forced overtime, and the Yellow Jackets won 30-24 in overtime at Sanford Stadium.

“It didn’t feel good,” Butker said. “But as soon as I looked up, it was going straight. I had to make sure I had the distance. ‘Does it have the distance?’ They (the officials) finally put their hands up.”

It was the Butker’s longest field goal in two seasons at Tech and his second game-winner. Butker also beat Virginia Tech with a 24-yard field goal as time expired Sept. 20.

But it’s been an inconsistent season for Butker, who was a key recruit for the Jackets out of Westminster. He entered the game 10-for-16 on field goals, with four misses on six attempts from 30 to 39 yards.

Butker said he thought about redemption as he trotted out for the 53-yard try.

“I’m not having as good of a season as I wished I was, and not as good as I felt like I’d worked (for) in the summer,” he said. “So I’m just thinking I want to get this for the seniors, for the whole Georgia Tech team, for coach Johnson. I’m just really happy I could help the team — especially against Georgia.”

Johnson was worried about Butker’s kick, but not because of the distance. He said Butker and special-teams coach Ray Rychleski told him before the game that Butker’s limit was 54 yards.

Rather, Johnson was concerned about the protection for the field-goal try because Georgia blocked a 37-yard attempt in the second quarter.

“It was a little scary,” Johnson said. “Of course, there at the end you didn’t have much choice.”

Before Butker tied the score, he helped give the Jackets a chance to win it in regulation. Butker hit a short kickoff that was recovered by Lawrence Austin at Georgia’s 27-yard line when the Bulldogs failed to cover it.

The Jackets gave the ball back to Georgia on Justin Thomas’ fumble. Georgia scored a touchdown for a 24-21 lead with 18 seconds left before Thomas ran 21 yards to set up Butker’s tying field goal.

“When we got the little pooch and got the ball, I thought the game might have been over there,” Butker said. “I thought we were going to stop them right before the end of the game; instead, they scored. Then it was like, ‘Oh, no, this might come down to a field goal.’ I just kind of prepared myself.”