𝖦𝖾𝗈𝗋𝗀𝗂𝖺 𝖳𝖾𝖼𝗁 𝖡𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗌 𝖮𝗎𝗍 𝖥𝗅𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖺 𝖲𝗍𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖥𝗈𝗋 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨 𝖶𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝖱𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖨𝗌𝖺𝖺𝖼 𝖮𝖻𝗋𝗈𝗄𝗍𝖺

Georgia Tech’s stunning 24‑21 triumph over No. 10 Florida State in Dublin’s Aer Lingus Classic on August 24, 2024, was nothing short of a cinematic shocker, an instant “Miracle on the Pond,” which thrust the Yellow Jackets firmly into the ACC’s national spotlight. In a game cloaked in underdog mystique, Georgia Tech executed a rock‑solid game plan: capitalize on a punishing ground game, lean heavily on a dominant offensive line, and let gritty clock‑management speak louder than flashy aerial fireworks. Head coach Brent Key’s squad notoriously out‑rushed the Seminoles 190‑98, while FSU’s ground attack mustered a meager 3.2 yards per carry . This bulldozing run‑heavy approach was meticulously orchestrated, and Georgia Tech drained massive chunks of game time—their 14‑play, 7:53 march before halftime was emblematic of their newfound identity . That kind of methodical clock control wasn’t just a strategy—it was a statement: Georgia Tech refused to let Florida State’s explosive offense back into the game.

It began early: FSU grabbed an early lead on a 28‑yard TD run by Lawrance Toafili, even tacking on the point‑after to make it 8‑0 . But Tech answered in kind, crafting a swift six‑play drive capped by a 1‑yard QB sneak from backup Zack Pyron that made it 8‑7 . The theme was set: when Florida State pushed, Georgia Tech answered. Ryan Fitzgerald later tied it with a long 52‑yard field goal—but Georgia Tech wasn’t deterred, countering with a controlled 75‑yard, 14‑play drive that consumed 7:53 and resulted in a one‑yard TD plunge by Jamal Haynes, giving Tech their first lead, 14‑11 .

As halftime neared, Florida State knotted it again with a jaw‑dropping 59‑yard FG—an ACC record—leaving the game tied 14‑14 at the break . Yet instead of panic, Georgia Tech doubled down. After a scoreless third, Tech’s offensive line, described as utterly dominating, paved the way for another TD early in the fourth, with Haynes plowing ahead for a 1‑yard run, extending the lead to 21‑14 . Their physicality was clear—Georgia Tech outgained FSU 336‑291 overall and emphatically controlled the trenches .

Florida State clawed one back on a patient 15‑play drive featuring two key fourth‑down conversions from DJ Uiagalelei, culminating in a touchdown that tied the game at 21‑21 with just 6:33 left . But Tech seized its moment: they responded with a 12‑play, 49‑yard drive that chewed the clock and set up Aidan Birr’s climactic 44‑yard field goal as time expired .

Birr, previously untested in pressure scenarios, calmly delivered—marking the Yellow Jackets’ first win over a top‑10 opponent since 2015 . That 2015 win, also against Florida State, ended with a dramatic blocked FG return, and many are likening Dublin’s result to that legendary moment . Indeed, Georgia Tech snapped a 15‑game skid against top‑10 foes .

The heroics didn’t end there. Multiple sources highlighted Tech’s offensive line as the game’s unsung MVP—shredding FSU’s defense, completely neutralizing Florida State’s vaunted front four, which failed to record a sack or TFL . Quarterback Haynes King embodied resilience: completing 11-of-16 passes for 146 yards, rushing for 54 more, avoiding turnovers, and delivering a clutch 12‑yard screen to Eric Singleton Jr. on 3rd‑and‑18 to salvage the final drive . Meanwhile, Haynes (no relation) powered the ground attack with 75 yards and two TDs on 11 carries, proving indispensable .

Reaction poured in across social platforms. A SportsCenter tweet exulted, “What a way to start the college football season,” captioning footage of the walk‑off FG . Reddit fans were ecstatic: in r/ACC a user said,

> “GT earned this win in every facet of the game. Straight up out schemed, out coached, and outplayed for 60 minutes.”

Another summed it up light‑heartedly:

“The last time GT beat a top 10 team was Florida State in 2015. Wow!”

This landmark win resonated at the conference and national levels. It early‑on shattered preseason projections of FSU dominance and bolstered Georgia Tech’s CFP hopes under the newly minted 12‑team playoff . For Brent Key, who in just his second year had reinvigorated Tech with tenacity and tactical prowess, this was a defining moment .

In short, Georgia Tech’s 2024 season‑opening victory over Florida State was more than a shocker—it was a showcase of disciplined execution, bone‑crunching running, stout defense, and ice‑cold late‑game composure. They won in the trenches, they managed the clock, and they swept the momentum. It wasn’t merely an upset; it was a redemptive, confidence‑fueling war cry for the Yellow Jackets—a sign that this program, under Key’s watch, can compete at elite levels.