Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said he was told by an official that linebacker Paul Davis had swung at a Georgia Southern player to draw a critical personal-foul penalty early in the third quarter.
“The official told me that ’40 swung at somebody,’” Johnson said, referring to Davis’ jersey number. “That’s what he told me.”
On the opening drive of the third quarter, Georgia Southern faced a third-and-8 from the Tech 33 when a shotgun snap got past quarterback Kevin Ellison, who recovered the ball at the Eagles’ 44-yard line for a 23-yard loss. The Eagles would have faced a fourth-and-31, but the penalty gave them a first-and-10 on the Tech 41. Georgia Southern was in the end zone four plays later on a 32-yard run by Ellison.
The Eagles scored touchdowns on their next three possessions to climb out of a 35-10 halftime deficit.
“It was a killer,” Johnson said of the penalty. “It changed the whole game.”
