The 2023 Gasparilla Bowl showcased an exhilarating clash between the UCF Knights and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, with Georgia Tech emerging victorious with a final score of 30-17. The game was a testament to the resilience and skill of both teams, as they battled it out on the field in front of a roaring crowd.
From the opening kickoff, it was evident that this would be a hard-fought contest. UCF's offense displayed their trademark explosiveness, led by their star quarterback who orchestrated several impressive drives. However, Georgia Tech's defense proved to be formidable, consistently pressuring UCF's quarterback and forcing turnovers at crucial moments.
While the Yellow Jackets managed to get to UCF’s side of the field after the turnover, the defense held them to a 27-yard field goal to make it 14-3 after the first 15:00. The Knights had an opportunity for an 18-point lead, but the wide-open score was dropped by Hudson. It was after that when Georgia Tech started to exploit the weakness in the UCF run defense.
Both teams ran for better than 110 yards before heading into the locker room tied at 17. Harvey gained 78 of his 120 yards on 15 carries in that time while the Jackets moved the ball with a pair of Haynes on the field.
As for the Jackets, Georgia Tech lost to top-ranked Georgia in a 21-23 loss at Dodd Stadium to end the regular season. Although they lost the game, it was a competitive effort against the then-undefeated Bulldogs, while Georgia Tech is also bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018.
It was the run game that made this offense move. Jamal Haynes (Bowl MVP) had 128 yards on just 18 carries. Haynes King added 89 yards on 12 carries. Dontae Smith joined with 65 yards on 16 carries. This offensive line was opening up huge holes and all of the GT runners were hitting them with conviction.
The defense struggled early on, but after Lockett forced that fumble things changed. The defensive backs weren’t giving up the easy looks they were early on. The defensive line and especially the linebackers stiffened up against the run. The pass rush still struggled, but made a few huge plays including a huge sack by Noah Collins (for his first sack of the year) who got hurt on the play.
the 2023 Gasparilla Bowl provided fans with an enthralling display of college football at its finest. Both teams exhibited determination and skill throughout the game. While UCF fought valiantly until the end, it was Georgia Tech's superior execution that ultimately led them to triumph in this memorable matchup.
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