2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 24-21 Florida State Seminoles
Aidan Birr’s last play field goal saw the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets edge out the Florida State Seminoles in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
It was a day of pomp, pageantry and ceremony at the Aviva Stadium that could only signal the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. On a beautiful summer’s day in Dublin, the famous old streets of the Irish capital were thronging with fans in the garnet and gold of Florida State and the navy and gold of Georgia Tech.
Many of those fans were making their way to College Green where the famous College Gameday were broadcasting live on ESPN with the streets behind them full to bursting. This was after the legendary presenter and ex-NFL star Pat McAfee had hosted a live version of his own show bearing his name in JR Mahon’s pub last night.
As the afternoon wore on, fans made their way across town to Lansdowne Road on the Luas or by foot and the stadium was packed to the rafters. Although the game was technically a ‘home’ game for the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech, the fans of the Seminoles greatly outnumbered those from Atlanta.
The pre-match festivities saw plenty of American patriotism sprinkled with Irish flavour and the game got underway with the Noles on top. After making 75 yards without GT so much as touching the ball, Lawrence Toafili went over for a touchdown from seven yards after four minutes. Not content with the extra point, Florida State went for the extra two and got it thanks to Brian Courtney.
Faced with a 8 point deficit early, the Jackets finally got the ball in hand and, after sustained pressure, Quarter Back Zach Pyron forced his way over from close range and Aidan Birr added the extra point to reduce the deficit to one after seven in the first quarter.
FSU’s new Quarter Back DJ Uigelelai wasn’t having things all his own way after a good start and failed after four downs on more than one occasion. Ahmari Harvey was a particular menace for the former Clemson and Oregon State man.
While Ryan Fitzgerald got the first points of the second quarter with a field goal to nudge the FSU led up to four, they were soon behind when Georgia Tech squeezed over from close range again with Jamal Haynes the man with ball in hand this time. Birr was again successful with the kick and it was 14-11 to the ‘hosts’. We would go into the half level, however as Fitzgerald split the uprights with the last play of the first half.
There was no score added for either side in the third quarter but there was still a large roar and a few “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd as Rodney Shelley waited to return a punt from Alex Mastromanno. The ball arrived in Shelley’s arms but also arriving at the same time was Edwin Joseph who promptly put the Jackets’ number 6 horizontal with a massive hit.
The third quarter did end with Georgia Tech again on 1st and goal and they began the final stanza with Haynes leapfrogging in for his second score of the day as his side’s joy from close range continued. Birr was again accurate with the boot to make it 21-14 with a quarter of an hour remaining.
The Noles’ early offense seemed a long time ago as the Tech defence was looking hungry. However, Uigalelei’s arm was beginning to hit targets as the fourth wore on, including a pair of brave fourth down throws, which found their target under pressure. The latter of these got his men to within a couple of yards and Roydell Williams waltzed over untouched followed by another good Fitzgerald kick to see this thrilling game level with six and a half minutes remaining.
The FSU fight song and famous Tomahawk Chop were raining down from the stands at the Aviva but Tech would bounce back yet again as a beautiful sunset began to descend upon the Fair City.
Just when it looked like we were heading for overtime, up stepped Birr to slot the highest pressure of field goals with the clock at zero. The first man to leap on him was Kerry’s own David Shanahan who was victorious on home soil as the Yellow Jackets are now two out of two in Dublin after beating Boston College also by a three point margin 17-14 in 2016.
Malik Rutherford performed somewhat of a jig on the pitch as the GT players ran to their jubilant fans to celebrate as another wonderful day of College Football in Dublin came to a close but the 2024 season is only getting going. And what a way to start it.