Thursday Night ACC Football

WASHINGTON and SMITH (AP Photo/Billy Weeks)

GEORGIA TECH 63 , Western Carolina 21 – Western Carolina failed to capalize on six Georgia Tech fumbles as the Yellow Jackets put up impressive numbers in the air and on the ground in their season opener.

Orwin Smith scored two of Georgia Tech’s four first-quarter touchdowns and Stephen Hill caught two touchdown passes from Tevin Washington.   

Georgia Tech’s yardage total was the second-highest in school history behind a 706-yard performance against The Citadel in 1948, but the Yellow Jackets struggled throughout the night to hold on to the football, losing two of six fumbles and allowing a second-quarter field goal attempt to get blocked and recovered for a touchdown.

Georgia Tech also showed flashes of a formidable passing game after ranking 119th in the nation last year.

Washington completed eight of 13 passes for 271 yards and three TDs. No. 2 quarterback Synjyn Days was 3 of 3 passing for 94 yards. Hill caught four passes for 181 yards. The yardage totals were career highs for all three players.

Georgia Tech had more yards passing in the first quarter (148) than it had in any game last season (130 in an Oct. 2 win over Wake Forest).

The Yellow Jackets, who led the nation in rushing last year, racked up 260 yards on the ground. Smith finished with 84 yards, which included a 77-yard score, on just four carries.

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Syracuse 36, WAKE FOREST 29  OT– Tanner  Price threw  touchdown passes of 60 and 22 yards to Chris Givens and a crushing 16-yard score on third-and-goal to Michael Campanero, but the Deacons lost in overtime in the Carrier Dome.

  

PRICE (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)

“It’s disappointing,” said Price, who was 18 of 31 for 289 yards who was injured and never returned. 

“I tried to get back in there,” said Price, who had his helmet on and was running on the sideline in hopes of returning. “The doctors said I’d be all right, but the coaches said it’s a long season and there’s no point in further hurting yourself.”

 After Syracuse scored a touchdown in overtime, the Demon Deacons got the ball one last time, but the Syracuse defense forced a fourth-down incompletion from the 19 from Ted Stachitas to Givens in the right corner of the end zone.

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