Field Level Media
Nov 21, 2019
Georgia Tech quarterback James Graham threw for three touchdown passes and ran for another score in the Yellow Jackets' 28-26 win over North Carolina State on Thursday in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech (3-8, 2-6 ACC) broke a three-game losing streak. North Carolina State (4-7, 1-6) nearly erased an 18-point deficit in the second half.
The Wolfpack closed the gap to 28-13 when Christopher Dunn kicked a 29-yard field goal late in the third quarter. They narrowed the difference to 28-20 after Larrell Murchison recovered a fumble, leading to a 4-yard touchdown pass from Devin Leary to Cary Angeline with 11:53 to play.
NC State pulled within 28-26 with 5:17 remaining when Ricky Person Jr. scored on a 1-yard dive. However, the two-point conversion pass failed when pressure from Georgia Tech's Christian Campbell forced Leary's pass to go long. The Yellow Jackets took the ensuing kickoff and ran out the clock.
Graham set the tone on the game's first offensive play when he threw a 54-yard pass to Malachi Carter. Two plays later, he fired a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ahmarean Brown.
Graham completed 7 of 15 passes for 129 yards and ran 14 times for 112 yards. Teammate Jordan Mason carried 22 times for 141 yards.
NC State's offense was led by Leary, who completed 19 of 31 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown. Zonovan Knight rushed 18 times for 100 yards and one touchdown.
Georgia Tech went ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter when Graham found Tobias Oliver, who began the season as the starting quarterback, for a 13-yard touchdown.
NC State drove 93 yards on 18 plays to the Georgia Tech 3 but had to settle for a 20-yard field goal from Christopher Dunn.
The Wolfpack forced Georgia Tech to go three-and-out, but Thayer Thomas fumbled the punt and Jaytlin Askew recovered for the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech scored three plays later when Graham found Brown for an 11-yard touchdown for a 21-3 halftime lead.
NC State took the second-half kickoff and scored on a 12-play drive that was capped by Knight's 7-yard run. But the Yellow Jackets answered with a 67-yard drive that culminated with Graham scoring on a 26-yard keeper, giving the hosts a 28-10 lead.
--Field Level Media