The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets handled the Kentucky Wildcats 33-18 in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. Georgia Tech improves to 9-4 on the season, while Kentucky falls to 7-6 on the year.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets would take a convincing 20-3 lead into halftime of the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl over the Kentucky Wildcats down at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.
Georgia Tech got on the board early thanks to defensive lineman Patrick Gamble forcing a strip sack on Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson. Yellow Jackets linebacker P.J. Davis would grab the loose ball and take it to the house to give Georgia Tech at 7-0 after the made Harrison Butker PAT. Butker would sink a 23-yard field goal to give the Yellow Jackets at 10-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Kentucky would get on the board early in the second quarter thanks to a 37-yard field goal from kicker Austin MacGinnis to make it 10-3 Yellow Jackets. The big play from the second quarter saw Georgia Tech quarterback Justin Thomas take it in himself on a 21-yard touchdown run to make it 17-3 after the made Butker PAT.
Butker would have one more stellar kick in his legs during the first half. He drained a 52-yard field goal as time expired heading into halftime with the commanding 20-3 lead on Kentucky.
Blocked kicks and a field position battle was the trend of the third quarter in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. The only points to go up in that frame came from Butker’s leg on a 44-yard field goal.
Kentucky would finally get into the end zone early in the fourth quarter on an awesome touchdown pass from Johnson to wide receiver Dorian Baker to make it 23-10 Georgia Tech after the made MacGinnis PAT. Georgia Tech would respond by chewing up a ton of clock on an 12-play drive resulting in another Butker field goal, this one from 26 yards out to make it 26-10 Yellow Jackets.
Johnson would help Kentucky march down the field on a quick, nine-play drive. He could cap it off with a soaring 21-yard touchdown run himself. Kentucky would have to go for two down 10 to the Yellow Jackets. The Wildcats would convert the two-point attempt by tossing it to tight end C.J. Conrad to make it 26-18 Georgia Tech.
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Kentucky would attempt a pathetic onside kick, where Georgia Tech’s Brad Stewart would call for a fair catch. Thomas would complete a huge pass on third and four to wide receiver Ricky Jeune to stifle the Kentucky defense to force a first and goal situation. Mills would eventually pound it in to give the Yellow Jackets the deciding score to make it 33-18 Yellow Jackets.
Three Stars
- Dedrick Mills: Mills had a monster day on the ground for the Ramblin’ Wreck. He had 31 carries for 169 yards and a game-sealing touchdown run.
- Harrison Butker: Butker made every kick he attempted. He was 4-4 on field goals, including a 52-yarder at the end of the first half. Butker totaled 17 of Georgia Tech’s 33 points in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
- Stephen Johnson: Johnson did his best to keep the Wildcats in this game with a decent game from the Kentucky dual-threat signal caller. He completed 19 of 34 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown. He had 13 carries for 52 yards, a touchdown, and a fumble.