Last year, the Kansas Jayhawks ambushed the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in September, sending the (then) defending ACC champions on a downward spiral that never truly ended.

Until now.

One year after a humiliating loss in America’s Breadbasket, Georgia Tech welcomed Kansas to Atlanta in the second game of a home and home series.   Georgia Tech made sure there was not a repeat performance of last year’s clunker in Lawrence, Kansas.

KU’s promising young offense played fairly well, but the defense was no match for the reinvigorated triple option attack of the homestanding Jackets.   Tech coach Paul Johnson presided over an offense that seemed to hit a wall last year, but quarterback Tevin Washington is showing that he can run the triple option as well as Joshua Nesbitt once did, but he is showing that he is also a more accurate passer than his predecessor.

Neither team is defense-minded, but both teams field at least a passable defense.   That makes Georgia Tech’s offensive performance against Kansas all the more impressive.   The Yellow Jackets set a school record with a mind-boggling 768 yards gained, over 600 of them on the ground. 

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The fireworks started quickly for Georgia Tech.   After Kansas pinned the Yellow Jackets at their own five-yard line on a punt, Tech’s Orwin Smith ran 95 yards to paydirt on the Jackets’ first play from scrimmage.   The Jackets finished the first half with only a 24-17 lead, but the second half saw Georgia Tech score a touchdown on every possession except for the very last one, the one which ran out the clock in a 42-point contest.

Georgia Tech averaged a mind-boggling 12.1 yards per carry on Saturday afternoon.   Smith led the team with 157 yards rushing on only five carries.   He also led the team in receiving with two receptions for 108 yards, a cool 54 yards per reception, one of which was a touchdown.   Roddy Jones had four carries for 72 yards for 18 yards per carry; he added a reception of 52 yards for a touchdown.    Washington completed only four passes on the day (on seven attempts) but had 164 yards passing, for a 23.4 yards per attempt.   All in all, twelve different Yellow Jackets carried the ball, six of whom had rushing touchdowns.

This game doesn’t mean Georgia Tech is fully back. The Rambling Wreck needs to show it can execute the triple-option with the same seamlessness and fluidity against Miami, Virginia Tech, and the other stout defenses that exist in the ACC’s Coastal Division. Nevertheless, this performance against Kansas has injected fresh life into the program, and the tonic of hope which can always kick-start something special in a college football locker room.