Nate Frazier, the running back, found the end zone in the eighth overtime, leading No. 7 Georgia to a thrilling 44-42 victory against Georgia Tech at home.
The Bulldogs rallied with 14 points in the last four minutes of regulation, pushing the game into an overtime period that seemed to stretch on endlessly. The eight overtimes rank as the second-highest in FBS history, following Illinois’ nine-overtime win against Penn State in 2021.
Frazier found the end zone following an incomplete pass from Georgia Tech to kick off the eighth overtime. In college football, teams are required to alternate attempts at two-point conversions beginning in the third overtime period. The teams managed to find the net in only two of the last six overtimes.
In the first overtime, both teams found the end zone with touchdowns, and in the second overtime, they each scored touchdowns again, but without the two-point conversions. Both players made their initial two-point attempts in the third overtime, but they remained scoreless for the next four overtimes until Frazier finally reached the end zone.
“No, I have not experienced anything like this,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart stated when asked if he had ever participated in a game of this nature.
The Bulldogs were behind 27-13 with 5:37 remaining after Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King rushed for his second touchdown of the evening. A struggling Georgia offense suddenly surged, covering 75 yards in just eight plays, with Carson Beck connecting with Dominic Lovett for a 17-yard touchdown, narrowing the deficit to seven.
Georgia Tech was close to securing the victory with a few first downs, but Georgia safety Dan Jackson disrupted the play, causing King to lose the ball just as he seemed to have gained enough yards for a first down with two minutes remaining.
With just 1:01 left on the clock, Beck connected with Lovett once more, bringing the game to a tie after Georgia’s comeback. Georgia Tech’s last attempt in regulation fell short of reaching field goal territory.
Beck completed 28 of 43 passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns, while King went 26 of 36 for 303 yards and two touchdowns. He made 24 attempts, gaining a total of 110 yards. Only one player from either team had more than 13 carries in the game.
Georgia Tech will regret its missed chances, particularly a field goal at the conclusion of an 18-play drive that lasted more than 10 minutes in the second half. A touchdown would have put the Yellow Jackets ahead by three scores. The field goal increased the lead to 14, but Georgia narrowed it down to seven just six minutes later.
