Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson entered the season knowing his team had a small margin for error. He hoped his experienced special-teams units would produce dividends, especially early in the season, while his young players on offense developed.
That didn’t happen against Pittsburgh on Saturday.
The Panthers owned a significant advantage in almost every phase of special teams in their 31-28 win over the reeling Yellow Jackets. Pittsburgh kicker Chris Blewitt made a 56-yard go-ahead field goal with 1:09 to play that ended up being the difference. Blewitt’s kick, which was almost blocked, was the longest in school history. The Panthers also blocked a field goal, with Khaynin Mosely-Smith getting a hand on Tech kicker Harrison Butker’s 50-yard attempt at the end of the first half.
“It’s like I told the guys after the game, we had a chance to kick the go-ahead field goal there right before the half. They make their 56-yard field goal at the end of the game,” a frustrated Johnson said after the Jackets’ fifth consecutive loss.
“The way that game ended was just kind of like the perfect way that the season has gone. Guy makes it from 56 yards. We got a guy running free right up the middle, and the ball kind of goes right through his arms.”
Panthers punter Ryan Winslow placed all four of his kicks inside the Jackets’ 20-yard line, including a 60-yard boot that flipped the field position in the first half. The Jackets were unable to return any of Winslow’s punts and ended up with an average starting field position of their own 17-yard line.
The Panthers also got a hand on a Butker extra-point attempt in the first half, but the ball caromed over and through the goal posts.
“We had all our kickers and holders and everybody coming back,” Johnson said. “And that’s been abysmal. And when I say abysmal, last week we got beat pretty good (against Clemson), but other than that we’ve had a chance to be in every game. We get down to the end, and we can’t make plays.”
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