Dalton's Jahmyr Gibbs makes big play to help Georgia Tech beat Louisville

AP photo by Hyosub Shin / Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a freshman from Dalton, celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of Friday's home game against Louisville. Gibbs had a touchdown run and a touchdown catch as the host Yellow Jackets won the ACC matchup 46-27.
AP photo by Hyosub Shin / Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a freshman from Dalton, celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of Friday's home game against Louisville. Gibbs had a touchdown run and a touchdown catch as the host Yellow Jackets won the ACC matchup 46-27.

ATLANTA - Geoff Collins knew Georgia Tech's rainy day would come.

The coach had the Yellow Jackets prepared.

Jeff Sims threw a go-ahead 19-yard touchdown pass to fellow freshman Jahmyr Gibbs midway through the fourth quarter as Georgia Tech rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to beat Louisville 46-27 late Friday night.

With the rain falling, Louisville running backs lost three fumbles. The Jackets did not commit a turnover, and Collins looked back to their preparation for an explanation.

"Even though we have a great indoor facility, we intentionally when we experienced rain, we would make the offense go out and practice in the rain," Collins said.

Gibbs, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back who was starring for Dalton High School at this time last fall, said the wet practices are common.

"We practice in the rain all the time," he said. "When it rains, we just keep practicing outside to get used to it."

Georgia Tech (2-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) snapped a two-game losing streak. Sims passed for 249 yards with two touchdowns, including a 34-yarder to Malachi Carter to extend the lead with less than three minutes remaining. Dontae Smith added a 12-yard touchdown run in the final minute.

Louisville (1-3, 0-3) lost for the third straight game despite a strong performance by Malik Cunningham, who threw for 229 yards with touchdown passes Marshon Ford and Tutu Atwell and ran for two scores.

Javian Hawkins rushed for 155 yards for the Cardinals, but his fumble in the fourth quarter was costly. Jordan Domineck's recovery near midfield set up Sims' scoring pass to Gibbs, who vaulted defensive back Isaiah Hayes at the goal line to give the Jackets a 32-27 lead.

"I saw one man in front of me, and so I had to do what I had to do and I just jumped over him," said Gibbs, who had 13 carries for 61 yards but scared his quarterback with the leap into the end zone.

"I was like 'Oh my goodness!'" said Sims, who rushed for 64 yards in the game, adding "At first I thought he was going to get hurt when he was in the air."

The Cardinals had a 471-450 edge in total yards, but the lost fumbles were the difference.

"They did a good job of moving the football," said Louisville coach Scott Satterfield. "But I think it really came down to turnovers. We get a good kickoff return, we fumble. We're driving the ball, we fumble past midfield. Those are taking away opportunities."

Cunningham's second touchdown run, an 11-yarder late in the third quarter, gave the Cardinals a 27-26 lead.

Georgia Tech trailed 21-7 before suddenly finding its offense in the final minute of the first half.

Sims completed a pass to Gibbs for 41 yards, starting a string of three consecutive completions that moved the Jackets to the Louisville 9. Sims then handed off to Ahmarean Brown on an apparent reverse before Brown, running right, stopped and passed to Jalen Camp for a touchdown.

Louisville running back Hassan Hall lost two fumbles, including one on a kickoff return that was forced and recovered by Bruce Jordan-Swilling. The play set up Sims' 22-yard run for a 26-21 lead in the third quarter.

Mistakes, including false starts and the blocked extra point on a low kick by Gavin Stewart, continue to hurt the Jackets. Even so, Sims continues to show promise as the new leader of an improving team that faces a big challenge when five-time reigning ACC champion Clemson visits Bobby Dodd Stadium next Saturday.

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