Haynes King rushed for a go-ahead 45-yard touchdown with 1:07 left on Friday, propelling visiting Georgia Tech to a 27-20 victory over Colorado.
King, who lost two fumbles and threw an interception in the first quarter, completed 13-of-20 passes for 143 yards and ran for 156 yards and three scores.
Georgia Tech (1-0), which won the first all-time meeting between the schools, outgained Colorado 463-305.
Kaidon Salter completed 17 of 28 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown for Colorado (0-1), while Micah Welch led the Buffaloes with 64 rushing yards.
After trailing 13-10 at halftime, Colorado evened the score on Alejandro Mata’s 29-yard field goal with six minutes left in the third.
Georgia Tech answered with an 11-play, 75-yard drive that was finished with King’s 17-yard rushing score to give the Yellow Jackets a 20-13 lead entering the fourth.
Colorado finally found its offensive rhythm on the ensuing drive, tying the game with a 15-play possession, tying the game on Salter’s seven-yard rush with 8:25 remaining.
After King’s go-ahead score, Salter’s 50-yard hail mary attempt fell incomplete in the end zone as time expired.
King’s botched handoff resulted in a Georgia Tech fumble on the Yellow Jackets’ second play from scrimmage, turning the ball over to the Buffaloes just 20 seconds in.
Welch’s 16-yard rush to Georgia Tech’s 16-yard line was followed three plays later by Salter’s eight-yard touchdown pass to DeKalon Taylor, giving Colorado a 7-0 lead at the 12:08 mark of the first quarter.
Georgia Tech’s next drive ended the same way, as King couldn’t hold onto a high snap, which was recovered by Colorado’s Martavius French at Colorado’s 48-yard line.
After a three-and-out, King committed his third turnover of the first quarter, as the sixth-year senior was picked off by DJ McKinney at the Buffaloes’ 45-yard line.
Following Colorado’s punt, Georgia Tech pieced together a 13-play, 84-yard drive that resulted in Aidan Birr’s 32-yard field goal, cutting the Yellow Jackets’ deficit to 7-3 with 13:31 left in the first half.
Colorado’s third consecutive punt was followed by Georgia Tech’s 80-yard scoring drive, stamped with King’s four-yard rushing score with 4:33 remaining.
Colorado knotted the score at the 1:39 mark as Mata drilled a 42-yard field goal. Georgia Tech answered with Birr’s 43-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Yellow Jackets a 13-10 halftime lead.
