Georgia Tech is accustomed to earning a big advantage in time of possession as its triple-option offense churns out rushing yards with long scoring drives.
The Yellow Jackets couldn’t concoct that formula in two consecutive games before Saturday but they were back to being stingy with the ball against North Carolina. While building a 21-14 halftime lead, Tech held the ball for 21:15 compared to 8:45 for North Carolina and the Jackets finished with a 38:45 to 21:15 edge in time of possession.
It wasn’t enough to avoid a 38-31 defeat at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
“We played the game the way we needed to play. They didn’t have the ball much,” Tech coach Paul Johnson said. “But when they had it we couldn’t stop them.”
That Jackets couldn’t get big time of possession advantages in the losses to Notre Dame and Duke because they struggled with turnovers and had too many short or negative gains that created long third downs. The Jackets had the ball 32:52 to Notre Dame’s 27:08 and Tech possessed the ball for 35:35 against Duke compared to 24:25 for the Blue Devils.
Against the Tar Heels Tech had no turnovers in the first half and converted important third and fourth downs.
Tech had a third-and-eight from its 17 on its second drive when quarterback Justin Thomas scrambled 11 yards for a first down. The Jackets ran 11 more plays on the drive, which was finished by Clinton Lynch’s 14-yard TD run. The 14-play, 85-yard TD drive used 7:40 on the clock.
The Jackets converted two fourth downs on their third drive. The first, Lynch’s eight-yard run on an option pitch, gave Tech a first down at North Carolina’s 38-yard line. Six plays later the Jackets went for it again on fourth down at the one-yard line, and Thomas powered in for a touchdown to complete a 13-play, 68-yard drive that lasted 7:44.
Tech couldn’t keep up the edge in time of possession after halftime. The Tar Heels scored on four of four of their six second-half offensive possessions while the Jackets ended two drives on downs and one with a lost fumble before throwing an interception on the final play.
About the Author
