Oct 24, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Lance Austin (17) returns a blocked kick for a game winning touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Georgia Tech defeated Florida State 22-16. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
ATLANTA — Lance Austin recovered a blocked field goal attempt and returned it 78 yards as time expired as Georgia Tech stunned No. 9 Florida State 22-16 on Saturday night to dramatically end the Seminoles’ 28-game ACC winning streak.
Florida State drove the ball to the 46-yard line after a 22-yard reception by tailback Dalvin Cook and a 9-yard catch by wide receiver Jesus Wilson to set up a 56-yard field goal try by Roberto Aguayo. But the interior of the Georgia Tech line blocked the ball and it rolled over to Austin, who picked it up and realized the play was alive.
Austin had blockers in front of him and cut across the field and down the sideline, outrunning the final Florida State defender at the 5 to score the winning points.
Georgia Tech didn’t allow Florida State to score in the second half. The Yellow Jackets tied the score on Harrison Butker’s third field goal, a 35-yarder with 54 seconds left.
Georgia Tech (3-5) got 68 yards passing and 88 yards rushing from quarterback Justin Thomas. The Yellow Jackets ran for 261 yards and ended their five-game losing streak.
Florida State (6-1) was led by quarterback Everett Golson, who completed 20 of 30 passes for 210 yards but threw his first interception of the season. Cook rushed 17 times for 82 yards and one touchdown.
Georgia Tech cut the lead to 16-13 with a 40-yard field goal from Butker in the third period.
Florida State answered by driving to the Georgia Tech 5 before being turned away. On third-and-goal from the 10, Golson threw into the end zone, only to have the ball bounce off receiver Trevor Rudolph and into the arms of Georgia Tech’s Jamal Golden for his eighth career interception. It was Golson’s first pick of the season.
Georgia Tech responded with the game-tying drive that ended with Butker’s final field goal of the night.
The teams exchanged field goals is the first quarter.
Florida State opened with a 20-yard field goal by Aguayo, a drive set up when linebacker Josh Sweat intercepted a pass from Thomas and returned it to the Georgia Tech 19. The Yellow Jackets stopped the Seminoles at the 2-yard-line to force the field goal.
Georgia Tech answered with a 53-yard field goal by Butker, which matched his career best, and tied the score 3-3.
Thomas had a pass intercepted in the second quarter by Lamarcus Brutus, who returned the ball to the Georgia Tech 2. Cook ran it in from there on the next play, his 11th rushing touchdown this season, to give Florida State a 10-3 lead.
The Seminoles added a 27-yard Aguayo field goal after a 10-play drive that stalled at the Georgia Tech 10, which extended the lead to 13-3.
Georgia Tech broke through to score thanks to two big plays engineered by Thomas. On second down from his own 3, he escaped pressure in the end zone and threw a 33-yard completion to Ricky Jeune.
Two plays later, Thomas kept the ball on an option to the right and ran 60 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 13-10 with 2:22 left.
Florida State was able to hurry down the field and set up a 38-yard field goal by Aguayo at the gun, which put the Seminoles ahead 16-10.
NOTES: The previous five meetings between the teams have been decided by a total of 17 points. Florida State defeated Georgia Tech 37-35 in the 2014 ACC Championship game. … Georgia Tech played without A-backs Qua Searcy (leg) and Broderick Snoddy (broken hand). The Yellow Jackets started Step Durham at cornerback in place of the injured D.J. White. Florida State started Reggie Northrup at linebacker in place of Terrance Smith. … Florida State cornerback Jalen Parker celebrated his 21st birthday on Saturday. … Seminole cornerback Trey Marshall had surgery to repair a torn bicep sustained in the Louisville game. Recovery time is expected to be three months. … It was a “White Out” game for Georgia Tech, which dressed in white jerseys, white pants and white helmets. The school distributed 30,000 white shakers to fans.
