Georgia Tech A-back Deon Hill was called for a critical penalty that wiped out an 80-yard touchdown run by quarterback Justin Thomas in the third quarter. The impact of the call was magnified when the Yellow Jackets came up empty on the possession after a missed 30-yard field goal by kicker Harrison Butker.
On Thomas’ play, which was the first from scrimmage after Chris Milton blocked a Virginia Tech field-goal try, Thomas ran a keeper around the left end and worked his way to the sideline and then outran the Virginia Tech defense, burning the Hokies with his speed. It would have tied the game at 16.
However, as Thomas ran, Hill attempted a downfield cut block on a Hokies defender from the side. On downfield blocks, a player may execute a block below the waist if he is coming at a defender from the front, but not the side or rear.
It’s not clear if the defender could have brought down Thomas.
After the penalty, Tech drove as far as the Hokies’ 13-yard line. However, Butker missed from 30 yards, the third miss inside 35 yards that he has had this season in his first six attempts. Butker made a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter.
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