Georgia Tech: 35
Maryland: 22

Having won five straight games to improve to 8-2 on the season, Georgia Tech would travel to College Park, Maryland to wrap up ACC play with a battle against the Maryland Terrapins. Maryland entered the game at 5-5 after suffering a tough 13-10 loss to North Carolina and needed to beat the Jackets in their final game to become bowl eligible. Tech had won the previous three meetings in convincing fashion to improve to 9-3 in the all-time series, with Maryland’s last win coming in the form of a 13-10 victory in College Park in 1996.

After opening the game with a 54 yard drive to Maryland’s 26 yard line, Georgia Tech would come away empty when Joe Burns was stopped short of the first down on 4th-and-1.

But the Tech defense forced a quick punt, and the Jackets would take back over just 22 seconds later at their own 33 yard line.

Godsey connected on consecutive 29 yard passes to Kerry Watkins and Nate Curry en route to the Maryland 6 yard line. Joe Burns then pushed to the 2 on back-to-back runs, and George Godsey picked up the remaining yards for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter, Tech would increase its lead to 14-0 after marching 80 yards in 8 plays to score on a 1 yard run by Burns. Godsey setup the score with a 64 yard strike to Watkins at the 2 yard line for a first-and-goal, and Burns would run four straight times before scoring on a dive play.

Maryland gave the ball right back on the ensuing kickoff when Sean Gregory forced and recovered a Scooter Monroe fumble at the Terrapin 11 yard line. Burns would then find the end zone for his second score after three straight runs to increase the Yellow Jacket lead to 21-0 shortly thereafter.

The Terps pushed into Tech territory on the drive that followed, but eventually stalled at the Tech 44 and punted dead at the Georgia Tech 2 yard line.

Godsey hit Kelly Campbell for 34 yards on first down to get Tech out of trouble and Burns methodically carried the Jackets into Maryland territory on five straight runs. The Goose found Watkins for 15 yards several plays later before Burns followed up with an 18 yard run for a first-and-goal at the Maryland 8. Godsey eventually found Campbell for a 5 yard touchdown pass to cap off the 13 play, 98 yard drive that further increased Tech’s lead to 28-0 at halftime.

Maryland finally cracked the scoreboard in the third quarter when Shaun Hill found Guilian Gary for a 32 yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-3 to make it 28-7 with 4:12 to play in the period.

Tech increased the lead back to four scores at 35-7 on the second play of the fourth quarter with an 18 yard touchdown pass from Godsey to Campbell.

The Terps cut it back to 21 with less than five minutes to play on an 11 yard touchdown pass from Hill to Gary, and would eventually cut the deficit to 13 when the two hooked up on the game’s final play for their third touchdown of the day. Hill found Moises Cruz for the two-point conversion to reach Maryland’s 22 point final.

With the victory, Tech improved to 8-2 on the season and handed Maryland a losing record at 5-6, keeping them out of a bowl game for the tenth straight season.

Statistics:

First downs:
GT – 27
MD – 18

Rushing yards:
GT – 193
MD – 20

Passing (Comp-Att-Yds):
GT – 19-30-354
MD – 29-46-318

Interceptions thrown:
GT – 0
MD – 1

Fumbles (Total-Lost):
GT – 1-1
MD – 3-2
Penalties (Total-Yds):
GT – 7-56
MD – 6-50

References:
Game Summary: http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/gah.at.maj.box.html