Nesbitt runs for three touchdowns to spark upset

Josh Nesbitt rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns and No. 19 Georgia Tech defeated No. 4 Virginia Tech, 28-23, Saturday night.

It was the Yellow Jackets’ first win at home against a top-five team since a victory over top-ranked Alabama in 1962.

“This is the biggest thing that’s happened since I’ve been here,” said Nesbitt, a junior quarterback who plays more like a running back out of Georgia Tech’s spread option offense.

Virginia Tech (5-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) endured another doomed trip to Atlanta. A season-opening 34-24 loss to Alabama at the nearby Georgia Dome was followed by a second defeat on the return trip south, this one hurting the Hokies’ ACC hopes and probably ruining their shot at a national title.

“What happened out there wasn’t because of lack of effort,” Coach Frank Beamer said. “Now is the time to come back and let’s go get the next one. There’s a lot of football to be played.”

Georgia Tech (6-1, 4-1) completed only one pass but ran for 309 yards, all but 37 coming in the second half.

“Their offense,” Beamer said, “was just hard to stop. Their quarterback was doing a great job, and we got into a little bit of a guessing game.”

Nesbitt has run for six touchdowns over the last two weeks, also scoring three times in Georgia Tech’s 49-44 victory over Florida State.

“We already have a loss and I don’t think you can win our side with two,” Coach Paul Johnson said. “One loss is going to win it.”