On a misty and overcast afternoon far from Atlanta, Georgia Tech and quarterback Justin Thomas pulled out a game that hearkened back to 2014.
Thomas led the Yellow Jackets on a game-winning 59-yard touchdown drive, capped with a four-yard touchdown run by B-back Dedrick Mills with 35 seconds left, to beat Boston College 17-14 in the season opener at Aviva Stadium. The drive was kept alive by a 22-yard pass play on a fourth-and-19 to A-back Qua Searcy.
In their first-ever game off American soil, the Jackets revived with 10 points on their final two drives after picking up nary a first down over the previous seven possessions. The Tech defense was plundered on two second-half touchdown drives that gave Boston College a 14-7 lead with 11:46 left, but secured a three-and-out in the waning minutes to set up the Jackets’ game-winning drive.
Tech lost games in this manner a year ago, going 1-6 in games decided by one possession. The Jackets were 3-3 in one-possession games in 2014, with notable last-minute escapes against Georgia Southern and Virginia Tech that set the tone for the 11-win season.
Tech (1-0 overall, 1-0 ACC) benefited from two missed Eagles field goals. Boston College (0-1, 0-1) lost despite limiting the Jackets to 240 yards of total offense.
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