Tech lost to Miami in overtime 42-36 Saturday to drop to 2-2 on the season. The Jackets’ last three losses have now come in overtime, and they have only produced three points in the overtimes combined.
On Miami’s third play from scrimmage, Miami quarterback Stephen Morris hit a wide-open Phillip Dorsett, streaking down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown that put Miami up 7-0.
Tech was unable to respond on their next two drives, and Miami hit a field goal to take a 10-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, senior A-back Orwin Smith appeared to be bringing the ball out of the end zone, then suddenly decided to kneel after already crossing the goal line, resulting in a safety.
Miami would go on top score 19 unanswered points before Tech would muster a response just before the half.
Smith ran for an 8-yard touchdown to cut Miami’s lead to 19-7 early in the second quarter, and on Miami’s first offensive play after the kickoff, redshirt freshman inside linebacker Jabari Hunt-Days recovered a fumble.
The offense then found its stride, rattling off 29 more points to increase the lead to 36-19. Redshirt senior quarterback Tevin Washington had three rushing touchdowns and was 3-8 through the air for 132 yards. With a 36-19 lead in the third quarter and the offense cruising, it appeared Tech would pull away and beat Miami for the first time in four years.
Again, Miami was able to respond to Tech and put up another 17 unanswered points in the second half. In just 1:03, a Mike James had a 10-yard touchdown reception to tie the game with just 23 seconds left.
“When we came out in the second half and scored a couple touchdowns, it seemed like we really had them on the ropes,” said Head Coach Paul Johnson, courtesy of ramblinwreck.com.
Tech got the ball first in overtime, but was unable to score after Washington was stopped on quarterback keeper on a fourth-and-1 play from the two-yard line.
It took Miami just two plays in overtime to score on a 25-yard Mike James rushing touchdown to win the game 42-36. James finished the day with 89 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns to go along with 24 receiving yards and a touchdown.