Jamal Haynes ran for a game-high 170 yards, including the go-ahead 68-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left, as visiting Georgia Tech beat North Carolina 41-34 in Atlantic Coast Conference play Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The game-winner was one of two rushing scores for Haynes, who helped the Yellow Jackets (5-2, 3-2) to their second straight win. Haynes King completed 11 of 22 passes for 127 yards, adding 107 rushing yards and a pair of scores on the ground for Georgia Tech.
Jacolby Criswell completed 17 of 31 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown for North Carolina (3-4, 0-3), which dropped its fourth straight game. Criswell added 73 yards and two scores on the ground. Omarion Hampton led the Tar Heels with 137 rushing yards.
The Yellow Jackets took a 27-14 lead with an eight-play, 67-yard drive that ended with King’s 7-yard touchdown run with 6:46 left in the third quarter. Noah Burnette cut into the Tar Heels’ deficit with a 50-yard field goal at the 2:53 mark.
After forcing a three-and-out, Alijah Huzzie scored on a 69-yard punt return for North Carolina, trimming Georgia Tech’s lead to 27-24 with 1:10 left in the third.
The Yellow Jackets answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that Haynes capped with a 4-yard touchdown run with 11:18 remaining in the fourth quarter. Criswell’s 1-yard score on fourth-and-goal pulled North Carolina within 34-31 with 3:27 to play.
The Tar Heels then forced a punt and drew even at 34-34 on Burnette’s 26-yarder with 44 seconds left. Haynes rushed for the winning score on the second play of Georgia Tech’s ensuing drive.
The visitors scored first after a six-play, 38-yard drive, stamped with Chad Alexander’s 2-yard run with 6:12 left in the first quarter.
Later in the first quarter, Criswell connected with J.J. Jones for a 53-yard pass to the Yellow Jacket 25-yard line. Criswell ran in the Tar Heels’ first score from 1 yard out two plays later.
Aidan Birr made a 26-yard field goal for Georgia Tech at the 7:36 mark of the second quarter. King rushed for a 20-yard touchdown with 1:54 left in the first half, extending the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 17-7.
Hampton broke off a 71-yard run to begin North Carolina’s next possession, which led to Criswell’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Jones with 34 seconds left. Birr’s 29-yard field goal with three seconds left put Georgia Tech ahead 20-14 at halftime.
–Field Level Media
