Tech falls in the bowl to Vandy, game marred by bad officiating and weather

Tech’s defense struggled without middle linebacker Kyle Efford but E.J. Lightsey had six tackles and a half a TFL in his place. Defensive tackle Zeek Biggers in his final game had a sack and cornerback Zachary Tobe had two TFLs, though he was picked on several times by Pavia in the passing game as he split reps with Ahmari Harvey and Warren Burrell

Making things worse was a lightning delay with 7:17 left in the game and Tech trailing 35-13 delayed almost one full hour. Tech scored back-to-back touchdowns after that delay but failed in two onside kick bids late allowing Vanderbilt to run out of the clock.

Quarterback Haynes King threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns, but a costly interception thrown to CJ Taylor set up an 11-yard touchdown drive by Vanderbilt to go up 28-13 on the Jackets. King also fumbled the ball three times but did not lose any of those fumbles.

Junior running back Jamal Haynes ran for 136 yards on 17 carries and had five catches for 32 yards and a touchdown catch in the loss. It was his second-best rushing performance of the season just behind the 170 yards he ran for against North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

The Jackets outgained Vanderbilt 394 to 306 in the game running just 10 additional plays overall 69-59. It was the third time this season the Jackets lost a game in which they outgained their opponent.

“There was dialogue and we have control over what we can control as a football team,” Key said after the game. “I think anyone who knows me or has seen me as a head coach knows I never let emotions become a part of the game with me. Everyone knows how I coach on the sideline and the reason why I coach that way on the sideline.”

Tech fell to 7-6 on the season with the loss and finished the year with back-to-back controversial losses due to officiating calls swinging momentum in the second half both to SEC programs, Georgia and Vanderbilt.

Vandy won the toss and deferred to the second half. After a touchback, Tech started at their own 25. King’s first down pass was tipped at the line for an incomplete pass. Jamal Haynes second down run picked up four yards to set up third and six. King was forced out of bounds on a run for a loss to force a punt. David Shanahan’s short punt went out of bounds at the Vandy35.

Junior Sherrill ran for seven yards on first down and Sedrick Alexander picked up six yards on second down to the Vandy 49 to pick up the first down. Diego Pavia picked up one yard on the QB keeper on first down. Alexander was stuffed on second down and Pavia threw an incomplete pass on third down to force a punt. Vandy’s punt rolled into the end zone for a touchback.

Jamal Haynes ran for 15 yards on first down to the GT35. Haynes lost a yard on first down to the GT34. King hit Rutherford for 10 yards on the next play. King picked up the first down on a QB sneak. King threw to Zion Taylor for one yard on first down. Haynes ran for three yards on the next play. On third down King underthrew Rutherford under pressure to force a Tech punt. Shanahan’s 35-yard punt was fielded at the Vandy 14 and Will Kiker tackled the return man for a one-yard loss to the 13.

A deep shot on first down missed Boski Barrett. Pavia ran for five yards on second down to set up third and five. Pavia hit Alexander for 14 yards and a first down at the Vandy32. Pavia escaped a sack by Josh Robinson and ran to the GT48 for 16 yards. Pavia’s deep shot to Loic Fouonji picked up 40 yards. Alexander was stuffed on first and goal at the GT8, but Pavia hit tight end Cole Spence on a jump pass to score the first touchdown of the game.

After a touchback on the Vandy kickoff, Jackson Hawes caught a first down pass for seven yards to the GT32. Jamal Haynes ran for 17 yards on the next play for a first down and then followed that with another strong run of 11 yards to the Vandy40. Chad Alexander ran for no gain on first down on a jet-sweep. King couldn’t connect on an under thrown ball for Abdul Janneh on second down setting up third and long. Bailey Stockton took a jet-sweep eight yards to the Vandy32 to end the first quarter and set up a fourth and two. King hit Rutherford on a screen pass for two yards and a first down at the Vandy30. A hold on Jackson Hawes wiped out a first down run by Haynes to the Vandy19. Tech instead had first and 15 at the Vandy35. Haynes on a swing pass picked up 11 yards thanks to a spin move and Alexander ran for five yards to convert on second down to the Vandy19. Alexander fumbled the ball on the next play and left tackle Ethan Mackenny caught the ball and picked up four yards. Janneh caught a ten yard pass to set up first and goal at the Vandy6. King ran for three yards on first down and Haynes ran for one yard on second down to the Vandy2. Ryland Goede caught the King pass for a touchdown on the next play to tie the game at 7 on the Aidan Birr PAT.

Sherril returned Birr’s kickoff out of the end zone to the Vandy18. Pavia threw a short pass to Eli Stowers for six yards. Pavia was stuffed for no gain by Sylvain Yondjouen and Jordan van den Berg on second down. Pavia hit Spence for six yards to the Vandy30 and a first down. Alexander ran for four yards on the next play. Sherrill converted with a seven-yard run to the Vandy41. After a short run on first down, E.J. Lightsey on a delayed blitz forced an incomplete pass. Pavia escaped pressure by Kevin Harris and picked up the first down to the GT48. LaMiles Brooks nearly sacked Pavia on the next play forcing a throw away. A terrible call by the officials on a facemask that was against Vanderbilt and was instead called on Warren Burrell gave Vandy a free first down at the GT33. Quincy Skinner on a reverse picked up 22 yards to the GT11. Alexander lost two yards on a TFL by Lightsey and Omar Daniels. Spence caught a short pass from Pavia for five yards to the GT9 to set up third and eight. Pavia connected with Stowers for seven yards to the GT2. The two-minute timeout hit after that play with Vandy looking at fourth and one at the GT2. Pavia scored on a rollout to convert the fourth down to put the Dores up 14-7 with 1:55 left in the half.

After a touchback, King hit Avery Boyd for a short gain and then Chase Lane for a first down to the GT36. Haynes ran for three yards on first down and then King hit Haynes for six yards on a pass to set up third and short. King picked up the first down on a QB keeper and Tech used their first timeout with 35 seconds left at midfield. A defensive hold on first down gave the Jackets 10 yards to the Vandy41. Kolbey Taylor was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play to move the ball to the Vandy26. Vandy was offsides on the next play to the Vandy21. King lost two yards on the next play on a QB Draw. King was sacked on second down forcing the Jackets to use a timeout with 18 seconds left. King couldn’t connect with Isiah Canion on a deep shot forcing a 43-yard field goal attempt from Birr. Birr connected to make it 14-10 Vanderbilt with eight seconds left in the half.

Sherrill took the Birr kickoff out to the Vandy 27. Pavia hit Alexander for five yards on a swing pass. Pavia picked up the first down on the next play on a run off the right side. Zeek Biggers sacked Pavia on first down and he intentionally grounded the pass moving Vandy back to the 29 setting up 2nd and 19. Alexander caught a throwback for 12 yards to set up third and 7 at the Vandy41. Omar Daniels flushed Pavia and deflected a pass to force a punt. Stockton fielded the punt on a hop and returned it 28 yards to the GT38.

Haynes ran for a one yard loss on first down. King flipped the ball to Rutherford for 20 yards to the Vandy43. Haynes ran for three yards on first down and King hit Avery Boyd for 20 yards on the next play to the Vandy20. Chase Lane caught a screene for three yards to the Vandy17. Alexander ran for one yard on second down setting up third and six from the 16. King fumbled the ball on the next play and Joe Fusile recovered the ball for no gain setting up a 33-yard field goal from Aidan Birr to make it 14-13 Vanderbilt.

Sherrill returned the kickoff only 13 yards to the Vandy15. Alexander was stuffed on first down by Daniels for no gain. Joshua Robinson stopped Sherrill after two yards to bring up third and long. Sherrill caught a 10-yard pass to the Vandy 27 for a first down. Pavia was stopped on first down by Tah’j Butler after a two-yard run. A second down pass was defended downfield and then Warren Burrell broke up the third down pass to force a punt. Stockton was tackled on the play before fielding the punt, Tobe fielded the ball at the GT2 and the refs picked up the flag giving the Jackets the first down at the two.

Alexander ran for no gain on first down. King hit Isiah Canion for seven yards on second down and then King was stopped after a yard on the QB keeper on third down to force a Tech punt. Shanahan’s punt went 53 yards to the Vandy37, Martel Hight returned it seven yards to the Vandy44.

Alexander ran for four yards on first down to near midfield. Pavia’s deep shot to Sherrill bounced off his hands setting up third and six at the Vandy 48. A bad pass interference call on Tren Tatum led to Brent Key getting called for unsportsmanlike conduct putting the Dores at the GT22. Ahmari Harvey was called for defensive holding. Pavia picked up four yards on a run. Pavia ran for three more yards and then hit Stowers on third down for the touchdown to put the Dores up 21-13.

Daylon Gordon returned a short kickoff to the GT19. King’s first down pass was intercepted by CJ Taylor 22-yards to the GT11.

Pavia picked up decent yards on first down and then was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Pavia ran for 15 yards on the next play to set 3rd and six at the GT7 to end the third quarter. Pavia hit Skinner for an eight-yard touchdown to put the Dores up 28-13 with 14:55 left in the game.

After a loss of one on a short kickoff by Zion Taylor, Haynes ran for 24 yards on first down to the GT38. Haynes ran for six yards on the next play. Rutherford ran for 29 yards on the next play, but Miles Caper forced a fumble and Aeneas DiCosmo recovered the ball at the Vandy27.

Alexander ran for two yards on first down and Pavia picked up 13 on the next play to the Vandy42. Alexander ran for 14 yards to the GT45 on the next play. Pavia hit Stowers for 39 yards on a deep short to set up a short touchdown by Pavia to make it 35-13 with 9:59 remaining.

King hit Canion after the touchback for 12 yards to the GT37, and Haynes caught a pass for four yards. Stockton caught a pass and went 11 yards to the Vandy 48. Alexander ran for no yards on first down. King couldn’t connect with Haynes on second down and then King fumbled the third down play. King scrambled for 14 yards on fourth down, but a penalty on Vanderbilt gave the Jackets a first down at the Vandy24. After just under one hour of delay, Tech started back up on offense and Mackenny was called for a false start. Haynes ran 28 yards to the Vandy1. A false start on Jackson Hawes backed the Jackets up to the Vandy7. Haynes picked up two yards on first down and then King was sacked on second down. King hit Haynes for a nine-yard touchdown on the next play to make it 35-20 with 5:03 left in the game.

Vandy recovered Birr’s onside kick at the GT48. A hold on first down was declined resulting in a two yard run by Alexander. Alexander was stuffed on second down and Key used his first timeout with 4:24 left. Pavia ran for four yards to the GT41 setting up fourth and three as Key burned his second timeout with 4:19 left. Vandy took a delay of game and punted to the GT17.

King hit Haynes for a short gain of two yards on first down. King connected with Janneh for 11 yards and a first down at the GT30 and then Lane on a 15-yard pass to the GT45. King couldn’t connect on first down with his target and then hit Boyd for a two-yard gain on second down to set up third and eight. Haynes ran for the first down to the Vandy45. A false start moved the ball back to midfield. King hit Janneh for eight yards to the Vandy37 at the two-minute timeout. Haynes picked up the first down with a six-yard run to the Vandy28. King couldn’t connect with him on the next pass. Anthony Carrie caught a 12-yard pass to the Vandy 16. A pass interference gave Tech first and goal at the Vandy2. Stockton caught his first career touchdown pass and Birr’s PAT made it 35-27.

Birr’s onside kick went out of bounds with 1:30 left. Pavia took a knee and Tech used their final timeout with 1:26 left.

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