AP

Pyron rallies Georgia Tech past Virginia Tech 28-27

Nov 5, 2022, 1:21 AM | Updated: 3:26 pm

Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron (14) is pressured by Virginia Tech defenders J.R. Walker (19) a...

Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron (14) is pressured by Virginia Tech defenders J.R. Walker (19) and Mansoor Delane (23) in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)

(Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)


              Georgia Tech's Malachi Carter (7) makes one-hand catch in front of Virginia Tech's Jalen Stroman (26) and Mansoor Delane (23) in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Wells (6) hands off to running back Keshawn King (23) for a touchdown run in the first half during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Virginia Tech's Virginia Tech's quarterback Grant Wells (6) runs for a first down in the first half during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Wells (6) throws in the first half during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Georgia Tech's Dontae Smith (4) scores a touchdown past Virginia Tech's Chamarri Conner (1) in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Virginia Tech's Kaleb Smith (80) runs the ball past Georgia Tech's Charlie Thomas (1) and Kyle Kennard (9) in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Virginia Tech's Tucker Holloway (11) runs past Georgia Tech punter David Shanahan (43) as he returns a punt for a touchdown in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron (14) throws in the first half during an NCAA college football game against Virginia Tech, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)
            
              Georgia Tech quarterback Zach Pyron (14) is pressured by Virginia Tech defenders J.R. Walker (19) and Mansoor Delane (23) in the first half during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 5 2022, in Blacksburg, Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Zach Pyron threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score in his first career start to lift Georgia Tech to a 28-27 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.

Pyron’s 9-yard touchdown run with 3:30 remaining was the game winner, as the Yellow Jackets (4-5, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) rallied from a 27-16 deficit to snap a two-game losing streak.

“I still knew we could win the game, honestly,” Georgia Tech safety Clayton Powell-Lee said minutes after recovering a fumble by Virginia Tech’s Grant Wells on the Hokies’ final series to seal the game. “It was a matter of who was going to take it, who was going to buckle down for the ride and who was going to step up and make plays when the opportunity came. … I feel like me and a lot of my teammates stepped up.”

Virginia Tech (2-7, 1-5), which has lost six straight games, turned the ball over three times in the fourth quarter, two of which led to Georgia Tech touchdowns.

The Hokies wasted a chance to put the game away early in the fourth. They led by 11 and were inside the Georgia Tech 10, but Keshawn King fumbled, and Georgia Tech recovered. That led to a 56-yard touchdown pass from Pyron to Nate McCollum with 9:02 remaining that pulled the Yellow Jackets to 27-23 after they failed on the two-point conversion.

Pyron accounted for 319 yards in place of injured starter Jeff Sims, who missed his second consecutive game with a sprained foot. Pyron completed 19 of 32 for 253 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and he rushed for 66 yards.

“He’s got ice in his veins for a young kid like that, whether it’s sitting in there, standing in there and making the throws when he has to make the throws or lowering his shoulder to get the first down,” Georgia Tech interim coach Brent Key said.

Wells threw for 164 yards and rushed for 32 yards and a touchdown for Virginia Tech, which finished with just 308 yards and turned the ball over four times.

“We didn’t make plays when we needed to,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “We let momentum slide a little bit. We’ll get there. It’s a process that we believe in and we’re going to stick to it. There’s so many good lessons and so many things to be encouraged about.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets, who continue to be competitive under Key, may have a quarterback controversy on their hands. Pyron, a freshman, was playing in just his second game this season, and he played well in the Yellow Jackets’ loss to Florida State in their previous game, throwing for 198 yards and a score. Key will have an interesting decision in advance of Saturday’s game against Miami.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies scored in all three phases of the game, but four turnovers doomed them in their second consecutive one-point loss. Virginia Tech hadn’t lost six games in a row since 1987 and is on its way to its worst season since going 2-8-1 in 1992.

SHOWING SOME METTLE

Pyron showed his toughness on his game-winning touchdown run. He split the tackle attempts of Virginia Tech’s Dax Hollifield and Chamarri Conner at the 3 — the Hokies’ two best defensive players — and barreled into the end zone. …. Under Pyron, the Yellow Jackets finished with a season-high 463 yards of offense. They hadn’t amassed more than 264 in their previous two games.

OWNING THE FOURTH

Georgia Tech’s defense, behind the play of Powell-Lee and D’Quan Douse, also had a season-high five sacks and shut out Virginia Tech in the fourth quarter. Douse had 2.5 sacks, and Powell-Lee, who missed most of practice this week with an illness, had an interception, along with his fumble recovery.

UP NEXT

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets host Miami next Saturday.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies play at Duke Saturday.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Pyron rallies Georgia Tech past Virginia Tech 28-27