Coastal lead slides away

The rainbow that popped up over Scott Stadium in the second half on Saturday was short-lived and ill-timed.

Thanks to Georgia Tech’s time-consuming offensive prowess, however, the product of Mother Nature was the lone bright spot on a rain-soaked afternoon for Virginia.

The Cavaliers were stifled on offense, stuck on the field over 70 percent of the game on defense and manhandled 34-9 by the Yellow Jackets as 43,016 fans attempted to weather the storm.

With the loss, Virginia (3-4, 2-1 ACC) lost its perch atop the league’s Coastal Division standings, had its three-game winning streak snapped and lost to Georgia Tech (7-1, 5-1) at home for the first time since 1990.

“Very disappointed in the result, obviously,” Virginia coach Al Groh said. “We knew we had to enhance the performance we turned in last week because we were playing the best team we’ve played.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t do that today.”

Georgia Tech did, namely in the second half, as it ran for 225 of its game-high 362 rushing yards and converted 6 of 9 third-down opportunities.

The Yellow Jackets set the second half tone on its opening drive, using an 18-play, 82-yard possession to reach the end zone on a 1-yard plunge by A-back Anthony Allen.

In staggering fashion, the drive that pushed Georgia Tech’s lead to 20-6 lasted 10:47 and nearly killed the entire third quarter.

“It really didn’t [feel that long],” Virginia linebacker Denzel Burrell said. “Actually, I remember talking to [safety] Brandon Woods, in specific, once we got off the drive and I think I looked at the clock and it said three or two minutes on the game clock in the third and I said, ‘Wow, that drive was that long?’

“It was definitely moving fast and I didn’t think it was that long.”

The Cavaliers attempted to answer the score on their first possession of the second half and had the ball at the Georgia Tech 6 after a defensive pass interference penalty was called on free safety Dominique Reese.

On the following play Virginia quarterback Jameel Sewell connected on what appeared to be a touchdown pass to the back of the end zone to wideout Kris Burd.

The play was quickly ruled incomplete, a ruling that was confirmed by instant replay.

“Had they not stopped it, I would have challenged it,” Groh said.

After Sewell was sacked and threw another incompletion in Burd’s direction, the Cavaliers were forced to settle for a 30-yard field goal from Robert Randolph with 14:51 left in the game.

It marked the third time that Virginia had reached the red zone and kept out of the end zone.

“It was a performance issue,” Groh said. “We had two instances where we just didn’t finish off the play. Had the plays been executed more cleanly, then there are two red-zone conversions.

“We have to do a better job of converting.”

Sewell added: “I definitely feel like if we punched it in it could have took some of the air out of their defense. They were feeding off their offense, just like how we play. We feed off our defense.”

Trailing 20-9 and needing to hold on defense, Virginia appeared to accomplish the feat on third-and-7 play at the Georgia Tech 37, but a confusing personal foul was called on a Virginia player just feet from the Yellow Jackets’ sidelines seconds after the play was over.

Given that referee Ron Cherry’s microphone was not working due to water damage, it turned into a phantom penalty.

“I am looking forward to reviewing that,” Groh said. “I’d say you gotta have a real conscience to make that call. We’ll look forward to taking a look at that particular one.

“I don’t have an explanation as to what it was.”

Players on the field were just as baffled by the call that came with 12:59 left.

“From the looks of everybody on our sidelines kinda seemed like it was definitely questionable,” Burrell said. “I don’t even know what the call was, helmet-to-helmet or whatever.”

Another player thought it was a taunting call on Virginia cornerback Ras-I Dowling, but no one spoke with certainty.

Regardless, it was costly — Georgia Tech scored seven plays later as Allen took an option pitch from quarterback Josh Nesbitt, sliced two defenders and sprinted 20 yards into the end zone, padding the cushion to 27-9.

The Yellow Jackets finished the game’s scoring a drive later, using a 10-play, 71-yard drive to punish a defense that was on the field for 79 plays and 42:43.

“That’s been the story of every team that’s played them,” Groh said. “Last week, [Virginia Tech] had the ball for just 22 minutes. It’s those three players — [Demaryius] Thomas, [Jonathan] Dwyer and Nesbitt — who have done a remarkable job of making that the case.”

In the first half, Georgia Tech opened the scoring with a 24-yard field goal from Scott Blair, but lost its lead on back-to-back field goals from Randolph. The latter of the kicks came from 49 yards out, Randolph’s career long, and bounced off the support beam that connects to the crossbar.

After being slowed early, Georgia Tech picked up steam in the second quarter and scored the session’s final 10 points on a 1-yard run from Nesbitt with 9:34 left and a 23-yard field goal from Blair as time expired.

“We didn’t play very well in the first half and you have to give Virginia some credit,” Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. “They showed up and played hard. I thought we played much better in the second half. We controlled the game on offense, and once we got in the red zone on defense, not to give up a touchdown was big.

“As long as you do that, you’re going to win a lot of football games.”

Despite the horrid weather, Virginia elected to abandon its running game in the second half and finished the contest with just 30 yards rushing on 12 attempts. Mikell Simpson, who made his return after missing the Maryland game, and Rashawn Jackson combined for just seven carries.

“I thought we were going to run the ball a little more, but that’s just the decision that was made,” said Sewell, who threw for 168 yards on 18-of-32 passing. “Whatever is called we have to make the best out of it and do it. We don’t have a problem with whatever it is.

“We just need to execute better on everything. Execution was a factor in the game and not putting the ball where it needed to be. In these conditions it is tough to catch the ball when it is behind or too high. It has to be perfect.”

Georgia Tech finished the contest with 362 yards rushing, 125 of which came from Dwyer on 25 attempts. Allen finished with 103 yards and two scores and Nesbitt added 82.

Virginia returns to action Saturday as it hosts Duke (4-3, 2-1) at 3:30 p.m. Georgia Tech travels to Vanderbilt on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. contest.