Duke vs Georgia Tech final score 31-25: Blue Devils hold on for key win
A pair of touchdowns from Thomas Sirk bolted Duke to a 31-12 lead, yet the Blue Devils had for fend off a furious late rally by Georgia Tech for a 31-25 win improved their record to 5-1 overall, as the win also marked the first time since 2003 that the Blue Devils defeated the 22nd-ranked Yellowjackets, who fall to 5-1.
Inclement weather delayed the start of the second half for nearly an hour, but once Duke got back on the field, the Blue Devils used a power running game to earn their first win at Bobby Dodd Stadium in 20 years.
Leading 14-12 at intermission, Duke cashed in on a Zack Laskey fumble when Josh Snead (14 carries, 102 yards) scored on a 4-yard run to extend the margin to 21-12. After a 34-yard field goal from Ross Martin stretched the lead for the Blue Devils, Jeremy Cash’s interception of Justin Thomas set the stage for Sirk’s 1-yard run to make it 31-12 with 8:44 remaining.
Thomas was benched in favor of Tim Byerly, who marched Georgia Tech on a 73-yard drive that he capped off with an 11-yard touchdown run to trim the deficit to 31-18, as the Yellowjackets missed the two-point conversion. Byerly then led an 89-yard drive, which included a 30-yard pass to Max McCaffery on a 3rd and 18 at the Georgia Tech 3, that ended when Byerley scored from a yard out with 1:27 left.
Any chance of a miracle was snuffed when Ryan Smith recovered the ensuing onside kick, allowing the Blue Devils to run out the final 1:25.
Georgia Tech’s loss now leaves Virginia as the only undefeated team in the ACC Coastal Division.
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