Virginia Tech edges Georgia Tech in OT on Cody Journell’s FG

BLACKSBURG, Va. — For starters, what a finish.

Back from suspension, and coming off a 38-yard miss earlier in the fourth quarter, junior Cody Journell hit a 41-yard field goal on the final play of regulation and an 17-yarder in overtime to give Virginia Tech a thrilling 20-17 win over Georgia Tech in a key Atlantic Coast Conference football game, the season opener for both squads.

“He kicked a big one against Blacksburg High School way back in the day and he kicked a big one there tonight,” Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “He’s a good kicker.”

Journell’s game-winner was set up by a huge mistake by Georgia Tech senior quarterback Tevin Washington on the Yellow Jackets’ overtime possession. Pressured by Hokies senior linebacker Bruce Taylor, Washington flung a pass near the sideline that junior cornerback Kyle Fuller intercepted.

“We kind of gift-wrapped it for them in overtime,” Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said.

That meant the Hokies needed only a field goal to win the matchup that has decided the ACC’s Coastal Division for the past seven years.

“That was a tough game to lose,” Johnson said. “It would have been tough for either team to have lost.”

Virginia Tech had to stage a dramatic rally just to get to overtime.

With the Hokies trailing 17-14, junior quarterback Logan Thomas connected with senior Corey Fuller for a 22-yard completion, with Fuller dragging tacklers to the 24-yard line to set up Journell’s game-tying kick.

Thomas played a tremendous fourth quarter, finishing 21 for 38 for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Fuller had five catches for 82 yards and redshirt freshman tailback Michael Holmes rushed for 54 yards on 13 carries.

“I knew I had it in me,” Fuller said. “I just had to step up and make plays.”

Journell’s game-tying kick came after Georgia Tech’s own surge.

Washington connected on two big completions in the final minutes to put the Yellow Jackets up 17-14, stunning a packed house of orange-clad fans at Lane Stadium.

Facing fourth-and-6 at the Virginia Tech 47-yard line with 3:03 left and the Hokies leading 14-10, the Yellow Jackets came out in punt formation before Johnson called a timeout.

After the timeout, Georgia Tech went for the first down and picked it up when Washington avoided the rush of J.R. Collins and found B.J. Bostic, who made a catch near the sideline for a first down.

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