Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes celebrates with Jordan Brown after scoring a touchdown. (Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
The first game of the 2024 college football season provided the first surprise as well.
The Yellow Jackets were 10.5-point underdogs coming into the game, but didn’t play like it for a second and led the majority of the game.
Haynes King had moved Georgia Tech into field goal range on the game-winning drive before a calamitous botched shotgun snap pushed the Yellow Jackets back to the FSU 38-yard line. But on third-and-long, he found Eric Singleton for an 11-yard gain to put them back into field goal range for Birr’s winning kick.
King finished 11-for-16 for 146 passing yards to go along with 54 rushing yards. RB Jamal Haynes rushed 11 times for 75 yards and two touchdowns.
Playing in his FSU debut, D.J. Uiagalelei was 19-for-27 with 193 passing yards and made two clutch fourth-down completions on the drive that tied the game midway through the fourth quarter. But he wouldn’t see the field again as King and Co. bled the final 6:33 off the clock on their game-winning drive.
Saturday’s slate includes four games involving six FBS teams. Here’s a look at what’s on tap for the rest of the day.
Full schedule:
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Sat, August 24, 2024 at 8:37 PM MST
Final: SMU 29, Nevada 24
SMU gets the stop on 4th down and kneels it out and that completes the 11-point comeback! As a 27.5-point favorite, Mustangs avoid a massive upset to open the season.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 8:29 PM MST
SMU takes the lead!
Touchdown Mustangs! Preston Stone drops a 35-yard dime to RJ Maryland for the go-ahead score. After a failed 2-point try, SMU now leads 29-24 with 1:18 to play.
Can Nevada respond?
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 8:25 PM MST
SMU is driving and has the ball into Nevada territory, still trailing 24-23, as we hit the 2-minute timeout in Reno. Another fun finish on the way!
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 8:12 PM MST
Nevada 24, SMU 23
It’s a safety for the SMU defense! Anthony Booker Jr. stops Nevada’s Savion Red in his own end zone after the Wolf Pack botched the kick return and started on their own 1. Disaster for Nevada. Life for SMU with 7:19 to play.
Here was the strange kick return that set up the safety:
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 8:07 PM MST
Nevada 24, SMU 21
SMU caps an impressive and fast-paced 98-yard drive with a 4-yard TD run by Brashard Smith. The successful 2-point try cuts the Wolf Pack lead to a field goal. 8:01 to play.
We’ve got a ballgame here!
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 7:27 PM MST
Nevada 24, SMU 13
Savion Red takes a direct snap for a 1-yard TD run and the Wolf Pack extend their lead! The drive was kept alive by a big unsportsmanlike penalty on SMU when Nevada was punting. Mustangs have a big problem here.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 5:44 PM MST
Halftime: Nevada 17, SMU 10
We’re very much on upset watch in Reno. Wolf Pack (27.5-point underdog) score the go-ahead TD on Brendon Lewis’ 10-yard pass to Cortez Braham Jr. just before halftime. SMU has work to do coming out of the break.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 5:29 PM MST
SMU-Nevada getting heated
Hard to imagine there could be bad blood between two teams that haven’t faced off since 2009, but we’ve got some early fireworks after the whistle in Reno.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 4:27 PM MST
FINAL: Montana State 35, New Mexico 31
The Bobcats rally from 17 down in the 4th quarter to stun New Mexico in Albuquerque. We have our first FCS over FBS victory of the season!
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 4:23 PM MST
Montana State takes the lead!
MSU marches down and Scottre Humphrey punches it in from 4 yards out to take a 35-31 edge over New Mexico with 10 seconds left! What a rally by the Bobcats.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 4:07 PM MST
New Mexico 31, Montana State 28
Whoa! Adam Jones goes 93 yards to the house for the Bobcats to cut the lead to 3 and this thing is not over yet! 4:35 to play.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 3:42 PM MST
Montana State still fighting
Bobcats score to cut the New Mexico lead to 31-21 early in the 4th. Is there enough time for an MSU comeback?
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 2:29 PM MST
New Mexico 24, Montana State 14
Who has the ball!? It’s the guy running untouched to the end zone 😏
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 2:18 PM MST
New Mexico 17, Montana State 14
MSU scores again and this thing is getting interesting.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 2:08 PM MST
Montana State answers with a TD
Bobcats get a needed TD to halt New Mexico’s momentum. Lobos lead cut to 17-
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 1:54 PM MST
New Mexico 17, Montana State 0
Keep in mind, Montana State, an FCS power, entered this game as a 13.5-point FAVORITE at BetMGM. Lobos aren’t having any of that so far.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 1:19 PM MST
Defensive TD for New Mexico!
We’ve still got more college football today, and New Mexico got the scoring started against Montana State by returning a fumble 41 yards for a score!
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 12:19 PM MST
Here’s the game-winning 44-yard kick by Aidan Birr:
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 12:14 PM MST
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 12:09 PM MST
IT’S GOOD! Georgia Tech wins it!
Aidan Birr makes the game-winner to start the season off with a bang!
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 12:07 PM MST
Eric Singleton makes a move in the flat and gets GT back into field goal range with 21 seconds left. It’ll be a 44-yarder to win it.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 12:06 PM MST
Oh my goodness! Haynes King fumbles the shotgun snap and the Yellow Jackets went backwards to the FSU 39.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 12:03 PM MST
GT facing 2nd-and-7 at FSU 28 as the Seminoles call a timeout.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:58 AM MST
Now 1:11 left to play. Georgia Tech is on the edge of field goal range.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:53 AM MST
Just 2 minutes left in this one and Tech has the ball at the FSU 39-yard line.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:51 AM MST
The Yellow Jackets are on the move and past midfield with just four minutes left in the game. Haynes King has made some clutch plays throughout this one, including a third-down conversion to keep GT’s drive alive.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:42 AM MST
Touchdown Noles!
The Seminoles are in the end zone on a one-yard plunge from Roydell Williams. That was a 15-play, 84-yard drive that included two clutch fourth-down throws from DJ Uiagalelei. We have a ballgame in Ireland folks.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:39 AM MST
The Seminoles are cobbling together a decent drive of their own here. They just went for it on fourth down and got it, moving the ball inside GT’s red zone.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:30 AM MST
Touchdown Georgia Tech!
It’s Jamal Haynes again, jumping over bodies at the goal line to give Tech the lead to start the fourth quarter.
Haynes gets into the end zone for the second time of the afternoon and Georgia Tech leads #10 FSU 21-14 early in the fourth quarter. 👀 #CFB pic.twitter.com/5bGzct0oW7
GT’s Haynes King rips off a 21-yard run on a draw and gets the ball all the way down to the FSU 1-yard line to end the quarter.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:22 AM MST
The Yellow Jackets are moving the ball at will with chunk plays through the air. They’re inside FSU’s red zone now.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:18 AM MST
FSU’s last punt may have delivered the highlight of the game though. GT’s Rodney Shelley decided to catch it without waving for a fair catch and got blasted by FSU’s Edwin Joseph.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:15 AM MST
They’re trading punts now. Both offenses have slowed to a crawl as the third quarter hits the midway point.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 11:04 AM MST
The Seminoles moved the ball into GT territory but were forced to punt. Tech will have the ball back at its own 20.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 10:54 AM MST
The drive stalls out at the FSU 34 though, and GT’s Aidan Barr misses the 51-yard FG attempt. We’re still tied up at 14.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 10:52 AM MST
We are back for the second half and Georgia Tech’s Jamal Haynes just broke one outside for 36 yards to start things off.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 10:42 AM MST
D.J. Uiagalelei has been efficient so far in his FSU debut (12-14, 96 yards), but he hasn’t thrown the ball downfield much. The Seminoles may need to open up the playbook in the second half because the Yellow Jackets have been feisty.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 10:29 AM MST
Halftime: Georgia Tech 14, Florida State 14
FSU’s Ryan Fitzgerald drills a 59-yard field goal to tie the game up! What a kick.
FSU kicker Ryan Fitzgerald good from 52 and 59 already today.
The Seminoles are trying to get on the board before halftime. We’re just under the two-minute mark and they have the ball at their own 30.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 10:07 AM MST
Georgia Tech 14, Florida State 11
QB Haynes King did a lot of legwork on that drive on the ground, but it’s Jamal Haynes that pushes his way into the end zone for the TD and the lead.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 10:03 AM MST
GT is moving the ball once again with chunk plays. They’re now into FSU’s red zone with a chance to take the lead.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:54 AM MST
Florida State 11, Georgia Tech 7
GT’s defense firms up but FSU’s Ryan Fitzgerald drills a 52-yard field goal to extend the lead.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:51 AM MST
Georgia Tech just bailed out FSU with a facemask penalty on third down and now the Seminoles are in GT territory.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:42 AM MST
Georgia Tech can’t do anything with the possession and punts it back to FSU.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:37 AM MST
FSU goes for it on fourth down in GT territory and DOES NOT GET IT! What a stop by the Yellow Jackets. They’ll have the ball at their own 34-yard line.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:25 AM MST
Touchdown Georgia Tech!
Zach Pyron hammers into the end zone to cap off a 6-play, 79-yard drive. Game on!
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:24 AM MST
Georgia Tech has marched right down the field in response. Haynes King passed to Malik Rutherford for a 42-yard chunk play, but the Yellow Jackets are moving the ball with ease.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:17 AM MST
Florida State 8, Georgia Tech 0
The Seminoles tried a swinging gate play on the two-point conversion and they get it! That’s one way to start the season.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:15 AM MST
Touchdown Noles!
Lawrance Toafili sprints through the Georgia Tech defense for a 28-yard touchdown.
Sat, August 24, 2024 at 9:14 AM MST
The Seminoles are on the move and nearing the red zone after a few first downs on the ground.
