# 2017 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

The 2017 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Yellow Jackets were led by tenth-year head coach Paul Johnson and played their home games at Bobby Dodd Stadium. They competed as a member of the Coastal Division in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 5–6, 4–4 in ACC play to finish in third place in the Coastal Division.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 8:00 p.m. | vs. No. 25 Tennessee* | Mercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, GA (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, rivalry) | ESPN | L 41–42 $^{2OT}$ | 75,107 |
| September 9 | 12:30 p.m. | No. 5 (FCS) Jacksonville State* | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | ACCRSN | W 37–10 | 50,161 |
| September 16 | 7:30 p.m. | at UCF* | Spectrum StadiumOrlando, FL | ESPNews | Cancelled | |
| September 23 | 12:20 p.m. | Pittsburgh | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | ACCN | W 35–17 | 40,211 |
| September 30 | 12:00 p.m. | North Carolina | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | ESPN2 | W 33–7 | 42,805 |
| October 14 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 11 Miami (FL) | Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, FL | ABC | L 24–25 | 55,799 |
| October 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Wake Forest | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | ESPNU | W 38–24 | 45,224 |
| October 28 | 8:00 p.m. | at No. 7 Clemson | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC (rivalry) | ABC/ESPN2 | L 10–24 | 80,346 |
| November 4 | 3:00 p.m. | at Virginia | Scott StadiumCharlottesville, VA | ACCRSN | L 36–40 | 38,448 |
| November 11 | 12:20 p.m. | No. 17 Virginia Tech | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA (rivalry) | ACCN | W 28–22 | 47,909 |
| November 18 | 3:30 p.m. | at Duke | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC | ACCRSN | L 20–43 | 20,141 |
| November 25 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 7 Georgia* | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA (Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate) | ABC | L 7–38 | 55,000 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### vs Tennessee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| No. 25 Volunteers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 41 |
Georgia Tech controlled the clock and dominated most of the game yardage wise, but gave up a key score in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. Georgia Tech had 2 missed field goal attempts that sent the game to overtime. During the second overtime, Coach Paul Johnson opted to try for a 2-point conversion to win the game there instead of kicking a point after try to tie the game and continue overtime play. Tennessee's defense came up with the stop and the Volunteers held on to the 1 point victory.

### Jacksonville State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 (FCS) Gamecocks | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Yellow Jackets | 3 | 7 | 20 | 7 | 37 |
Georgia Tech had a poor offensive performance during the first half. Their only score was a touchdown after an interception gave the offense a short field. After some half time adjustments, Tech came storming out and put up 27 unanswered points to win the game.

### at UCF

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Yellow Jackets | | | | | 0 |
| Knights | | | | | 0 |
The game was canceled due to the cleanup for Hurricane Irma.

### Pittsburgh

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
Coach Pat Narduzzi of Pittsburgh a few days prior to the game criticized Georgia Tech's use of cut blocks during their offensive possessions calling them "dangerous." After Georgia Tech's win, Coach Paul Johnson criticized the Yellow Jacket offense for causing 4 turnovers and said they would not have won had they played a good team as what was described as a "snide" response to Narduzzi.

### North Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tar Heels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 33 |
Georgia Tech received the opening kickoff and traded a few short drives with the Tar Heels before scoring on an 18-play drive. From then on, the Jackets dominated on both sides of the ball against a severely injured UNC team by using time of possession to their advantage and smothering the UNC offense. The Tar Heels scored late in the 4th quarter, against Tech's backup defenders, to end a 5-quarter shutout streak. Both TaQuon Marshall and Kirvonte Benson tallied over 130 yards rushing each on the day. This was Tech's first win against UNC in 4 years.

### at Miami (FL)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 24 |
| No. 11 Hurricanes | 3 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 25 |
Tech led most of the game until the 4th quarter when Miami kept its chances alive with a long pass and miraculous catch. Miami would eventually kick the game winning field goal giving the Jackets their 2nd loss of the season.

### Wake Forest

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Demon Deacons | 7 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
| Yellow Jackets | 3 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 38 |

### at Clemson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Yellow Jackets | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| No. 7 Tigers | 14 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 24 |

### at Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 7 | 14 | 8 | 36 |
| Cavaliers | 3 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 40 |

### Virginia Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hokies | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 22 |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |

### at Duke

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Yellow Jackets | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Blue Devils | 3 | 17 | 10 | 13 | 43 |

### Georgia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 38 |
| Yellow Jackets | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Despite coming within a touchdown near the end of the first half, Georgia Tech would go on to lose as Georgia would score 24 unanswered points in their way to a victory. Tech was officially disqualified from bowl eligibility with the loss causing their final record to be one win shy of qualifying.

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | RV | RV | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | RV | — | — | — | — |
| Coaches | RV | RV | — | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFP | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |

## Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Seasons at Georgia Tech | Alma mater |
| Paul Johnson | Head coach | 10 | Western Carolina (1979) |
| Craig Candeto | Quarterbacks/B-Backs | 1 | Navy (2004) |
| Lamar S. Owens Jr. | A-Backs/special teams coordinator | 10 | Maryland (2008) |
| Al Preston | Wide Receivers | 10 | Hawai'i (1982) |
| Mike Sewak | Offensive Line | 10 | Virginia (1981) |
| Ted Roof | Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers | 5 | Georgia Tech (1986) |
| Andy McCollum | Safeties/Recruiting Coordinator | 8 | Austin Peay State (1981) |
| Mike Pelton | Defensive Line | 5 | Auburn (1999) |
| Joe Speed | Cornerbacks | 8 | Navy (1996) |
| Ron West | Co – Offensive line coach | 2 | Clemson (1979) |
| Reference: ||||