Virginia - Georgia Tech Postgame Notes
Story Links
Virginia – Georgia Tech Postgame Notes
The Cavaliers won their third straight game, their longest winning streak since they won the first three games of 2005.
Virginia has won all three ACC games this season, its first three-game conference winning streak since the Cavaliers won their first three league games in 2003.
Virginia retakes the series lead with a 15-14-1 advantage.
Today’s game marks the first time an opponent scored more than seven points in a quarter against Georgia Tech.
Virginia’s 21 first-quarter points were the most by the Cavaliers in a quarter since scoring 21 in a 51-3 win vs. Temple on Nov. 5, 2005. It marked the first time UVa scored 21 points in the first quarter since doing the same vs. Maryland in a 31-23 win on Oct. 7, 2000.
Today’s game marked the third consecutive contest the Cavaliers have scored on their opening drive.
Chris Gorham (WR) had his first start on offense today for Virginia. He has nine previous starts as a Cavalier playing cornerback.
Jeffrey Fitzgerald’s first quarter interception was the fourth in his UVa career, which ties the school record for most interceptions by a defensive lineman. He ties DE Butch Powers (1973-76) with four career interceptions. Fitzgerald leads active Cavaliers in career interceptions also.
The INT was Fitzgerald’s second of the season. It also marked the second time in his career he scored a touchdown in a game. He returned a fumble 23 yards for a TD vs. Duke in 2006.
Fitzgerald’s INT marked the first turnover by Georgia Tech this season. Tech entered the game as the only team in the nation without a turnover.
Ryan Weigand’s 58-yard punt in the second quarter and 54-yarder in the third quarter marked the 7th and 8th times this year he has booted a kick more than 50 yards. He entered the game averaging a NCAA best 49.4 yards per punt.
Virginia tight end Tom Santi’s 45-yard catch in the first quarter was his longest reception since the 2005 Music City Bowl where he had a 55-yard reception. Santi’s catch was the longest by a Cavalier this season.
Travis Bell’s 51-yard field goal in the third quarter is the longest against the Cavaliers since Georgia Tech’s Luke Manget booted a 51-yarder in 2001.
Dontrelle Inman’s 31-yard reception in the third quarter was his longest catch of the season. It marked the first time this year a UVa wide receiver had a reception of more than 20 yards.
Cedric Peerman eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the third consecutive game today. He is the first UVa back to rush for 100+ yards in three consecutive games since Alvin Pearman did it in 2004 (223 vs. Duke -Oct.23 / 170 vs. Maryland – Nov.6 & 106 vs. Miami – Nov.13).
Staton Jobe recorded his first career TD catch today … a 26-yard catch to give UVa a 28-23 lead in the fourth quarter.
Virginia entered today’s game with no pass plays of more than 20 yards to a tight end or wide receiver, but got four such plays today: Tom Santi had 45- and 20-yard receptions, Dontrelle Inman had a 31-yard catch, Staton Jobe had a 26-yard TD reception and Jonathan Stupar had a 23-yard catch.
DE Chris Long recorded his sixth sack of the season. He has had at least one sack in every game this year.
Long also finished with a season-high nine tackles and also broke up two passes. He also deflected the pass that was returned for a touchdown by Jeffrey Fitzgerald.
Georgia Tech Notes
Georgia Tech’s loss today gives the Yellow Jackets…
… a record of 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the ACC
… back-to-back losses in September for the first time since 2003
… consecutive ACC losses for the first time since losing to Virginia Tech and NC State in back-to-back games in 2005
… an 0-2 start in ACC play for the first time since 2003 when opening league play with losses to Florida State and Clemson
… a 1-1 record on the road this season
… their first loss to an unranked team since losing at Georgia last season on Nov. 25th
… a 39-29 record under sixth-year head coach Chan Gailey
… a 14-15-1 all-time record vs. Virginia
… eight consecutive losses in Charlottesville and no wins at Scott Stadium since 1990
… a 2-9-1 all-time record in Charlottesville
… a 2-4 record vs. Virginia under Gailey
… a record of 16-8 in September under Chan Gailey
… an all-time record of 648-438-43 in 115 seasons of football
** Georgia Tech lost when taking a lead into the fourth quarter for the first time since Oct. 8, 2004 vs. Virginia Tech. The Yellow Jackets had won 15 consecutive games when they took a lead into the fourth quarter.
Miscellaneous
… Virginia’s 21 first-quarter points marked the first time this season an opponent has scored more than seven points in a quarter against the Yellow Jackets
… for the second straight week, Georgia Tech downed a Durant Brooks punt on the 1-yard line
… Georgia Tech recorded its first turnover of the season (the Jackets were the last team nationally to record their first turnover)
… the Yellow Jackets intercepted a pass for the first time this season
Streaks
123 consecutive games without being shut out (last time came on Oct. 18, 1997 a 38-0 loss at No. 3 Florida State
112 consecutive PATs without a miss by senior Travis Bell entering today’s game
38 consecutive starts by senior guard Matt Rhodes
30 consecutive starts by Andrew Gardner, Adamm Oliver, Nathan McManus and Kevin Tuminello
Taylor Bennett’s 56-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the first quarter was…
… Georgia Tech’s first touchdown via passing this season
… Tech’s longest pass completion of the season
… the longest pass completion of Bennett’s career and obviously the longest pass reception in Thomas’ brief career
Virginia’s INT return for a touchdown in the first quarter…
… was the first INT returned for a touchdown by a Yellow Jacket opponent since Nov. 4, 2006 when NC State’s Pat Lowery returned a Reggie Ball pass 28 yards for a Wolfpack touchdown
… was Georgia Tech’s first turnover of the season its first since last in the fourth quarter of the Gator Bowl vs. West Virginia
… Tech had played 194 minutes, 40 seconds consecutive, dating back to last season, without a turnover
… was the first interception thrown this season by Taylor Bennett his first since 2:41 remaining in the Gator Bowl
… Bennett had attempted 79 consecutive passes dating back to last season without throwing a pick
Morgan Burnett, Fr., S
… recorded his first career interception and the team’s first interception of the season
Vance Walker, Jr., DT
… after ending the first half with a sack (3.5 for the year), Walker recovered a fumble for the first time this season, the second time in his career
Durant Brooks, Sr., P
… his first punt today a 54-yarder was his 35th career punt of 50 yards or more
… his 61-yard punt in the fourth quarter was his longest of the season (two yards short of tying his career long of 63)
Philip Wheeler, Sr., LB
… his first sack today was the 15th of his career, putting him alone in 11th place on Tech’s all-time career sacks list
Tony Clark, Jr., LB
… forced a fumble for the second time this season and recovered a fumble for the first time in his career
Greg Smith, So., WR
… Matched his season high with five receptions (two straight games with 5)
Taylor Bennett, Jr., QB
… threw his first touchdown pass of the season and the longest completion of his career with a 56-yard TD strike in the first quarter to Demaryius Thomas
Jonathan Dwyer, Fr., RB
… has scored at least one touchdown in all four games of his collegiate career
… his second-quarter touchdown was his sixth touchdown of the season
Demaryius Thomas, r-Fr., WR
… made his second career start
… made his first career touchdown reception and had the longest reception of his career with a 56-yard TD pass from Taylor Bennett in the first quarter
Correy Earls, r-Fr., WR
… made two catches in the first quarter after entering the game with just one career reception
Travis Bell, Sr., K
… kept his streak of consecutive PATs alive he entered the game having made 113 consecutive PATs without a miss
… went over 250 career points today; he entered the game with 248
… has kicked at least one field goal in every game this season
… his 51-yard field goal in the third quarter was the longest of his career (previously 48 yards as a sophomore his longest last season was 47 yards)
Georgia Tech Game captains: Rashaun Grant, Nate McManus, Travis Bell