Georgia Tech: 38
Virginia: 39

After winning consecutive games over UNC and N.C. State, Tech would travel to Charlottesville, Virginia, where it had not won since defeating the top ranked Cavaliers 41-38 en route to the 1990 National Championship.

The opening quarter was relatively uneventful, with the Jackets adding the only points on a 51 yard Luke Manget field goal just over four minutes into the game.

The Jackets looked to be pulling away as the game moved into the second quarter. Godsey first scored on a two yard sneak with 13 minutes to play, then Luke Manget hit from 30 yards out midway through the period to extend Tech’s lead to 13-0.

Virginia scored shortly thereafter when Bryson Spinner hit Tavon Mason for a 19 yard score with 11:19 to play, but Godsey added another touchdown on a one yard sneak as the first half came to a close to give Tech a 20-7 lead at intermission.

Tech looked to have the game in hand as the second half began, but the Yellow Jacket offense fell asleep in the third quarter just as the Cavaliers’ woke up. Spinner cut the Tech lead to 20-14 on the only score of the third quarter when he hit Bill McMullen for a 14 yard touchdown to cap off a 10 play, 70 yard drive midway through the period.

Spinner then gave the Cavs the lead at 21-20 when he connected with McMullen again on a nine yard strike early in the fourth quarter to wrap up a 79 yard drive.

The game quickly turned into a shootout, as Godsey led the Tech offense on a 9 play, 80 yard drive to regain the lead. Joe Burns accounted for the Ramblin’ Wreck touchdown, punching the ball in from one yard out, but failing on a two point conversion attempt to hold the Yellow Jacket lead at 26-21.

Virginia answered as quickly as it could when Mason returned the kickoff 100 yards for the score. But Tech’s missed two point attempt began a chain reaction that would continue throughout the remainder of the contest, and a missed Wahoo two point conversion kept the margin at one with Virginia leading 27-26.

Tech’s senior quarterback promptly took control again to lead the Jackets 80 yards for another score. Sean Gregory gave Tech the lead on an 18 yard touchdown run, and another missed conversion made the Yellow Jacket lead 32-27 with just under six minutes remaining in the game.

Spinner took the field again and marched Virginia 65 yards, hitting Tyree Foreman on an 8 yard strike for the go-ahead score. The Cavs led 33-32 after the missed two point attempt.

The Goose came right back to hit Kerry Watkins for a 36 yard touchdown with 1:45 remaining, and Tech led 38-33 after another missed conversion.

The Ramblin’ Wreck looked to have the game in hand when its defense had avoided surrendering a big play and had Virginia standing at the Yellow Jacket 37 with roughly 30 second remaining. But the Cavs then executed a brilliant play to sting O’Leary’s Yellow Jackets. Spinner threw a strike to McMullen and Tech’s defense swarmed for the tackle. But just as he was being hit, the junior receiver tossed a lateral to Alvin Pearman, who sprinted the remaining 27 yards to the end zone for the go-ahead score with 22 seconds to play.

When the final missed conversion put the score at 39-38, Tech had one last shot to get within field goal range for the win. But the Yellow Jacket offense was unable to do so much with so little time and the Cavs went on to defeat the 20th ranked Yellow Jackets in a thriller of a football game.

Virginia improved to 4-6 with the win and would split their final two contests to finish at 5-7 on the season.

Statistics:

First Downs:
GT – 29
UVA – 27

Rushing Yards:
GT – 74
UVA – 134

Passing (Comp-Att-Yds):
GT – 39-55-486
UVA – 32-46-327

Fumbles (Total-Lost):
GT – 3-0
UVA – 1-1

Interceptions thrown:
GT – 1
UVA – 1

Penalties (Total-Yards):
GT – 11-86
UVA – 8-91

References:
Game Summary: http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/111001aaa.html