Johnson & Johnson lead Georgia Tech over Wolfpack

Nov 5, 2006, 4:30 GMT

Raleigh, NC - Calvin Johnson caught nine passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns and James Johnson also caught two passes for scores as 20th-ranked Georgia Tech defeated ACC-foe North Carolina State, 31-23.

Reggie Ball threw for 215 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions for the Yellow Jackets (7-2, 5-1 ACC), who currently stand atop of the Coastal Division of the ACC.

Tashard Choice rushed 34 times for a season-high 164 yards for Georgia Tech.

Patrick Lowery ran a pick back for a touchdown, while Darrel Blackman ran a kickoff back 95-yards for a score for the Wolfpack (3-6, 2-4), who have dropped four straight by eight points or less.

Quarterback Daniel Evans completed 21-of-53 passes for 270 yards with no touchdowns and no picks.

Powered by Calvin Johnson's two touchdowns in the first quarter, Georgia Tech held a 14-3 lead after the opening 15 minutes.

With a 1st-and-10 on the Wolfpack 25-yard line, Ball lofted a pass up to Johnson near the goal line and the explosive wideout out-jumped two NC State defenders for the ball and fell into the end zone for a touchdown.

The Wolfpack got on the board via a 33-yard field goal by John Deraney, but the Yellow Jackets responded with another scoring drive.

Ball hooked up with Johnson for a 17-yard gain and one play later, an unsportsman-like conduct penalty on NC State gave Georgia Tech a first down on the Wolfpack 43-yard line.

On the next play, NC State bit on a play-fake and Ball found a wide-open Johnson for a 43-yard touchdown with 1:28 left in the first.

Pass completions of 17, 32 and 15 yards by Evans to start the second quarter gave the Wolfpack a first-and-goal on the Yellow Jackets eight-yard line.

However, after three straight incompletions, NC State had to settle for a 25- yard boot by Deraney to make it 14-6.

On Georgia Tech's next possession, Lowery stepped in front a Ball pass and then deked out the Yellow Jackets QB for a 26-yard return for a touchdown, making it 14-13 with 11:51 left in the second quarter.

The Yellow Jackets, though, came right back with a quick scoring drive that made it 21-13. Choice broke free for a 41-yard gain on the first play of the drive and, two plays later and Georgia Tech faced with a 3rd-and-7, Ball hooked up with James Johnson and he managed to cross the goal line with three defenders dragging him down.

The score remained the same going into halftime, but the Wolfpack came out with a bang to start the third quarter as Blackman returned the opening kickoff 95 yards to paydirt to bring NC State back within a point.

Deraney then missed on potential go-ahead kicks of 49 and 53 yards that would have put the Wolfpack in front before finally connecting on a 33-yarder as time expired in the third quarter. The last field goal attempt came courtesy of Garland Heath, who picked off Ball with 3:55 left in the third.

Georgia Tech answered with a 16-play, 63-yard scoring drive to start the fourth quarter that resulted in Travis Bell's 26-yard boot to put the Yellow Jackets up 24-23.

Then, after forcing NC State to go three-and-out, Georgia Tech built an eight- point advantage with a 65-yard scoring drive.

Four straight runs by Choice and then two by Rashaun Grant brought the Yellow Jackets down to the Wolfpack 41-yard line. Ball then hooked up with Calvin Johnson for a 34-yard gain and one play later, Ball found James Johnson in the end zone for a TD that made it 31-23 with 2:24 left to play.

NC State marched down to the Georgia Tech 30-yard line on their final possession, converting a 4th-and-7 at midfield. However, faced with a 4th- and-3, Evans' pass to Anthony Hill fell incomplete and the Yellow Jackets were able to run off most of the clock.

The Wolfpack got the ball back with seven seconds left on their own seven-yard line, but Evans' deep pass attempt fell incomplete as time expired.

Game Notes

Andre Brown was NC State's leading rusher, running nine times for 19 yards.

Hill caught six passes for 72 yards, while Blackman had four catches for 72 yards.

© 2006 The Sports Network