ATLANTA, Ga. – Coming off a thrilling come-from-behind win at Western Carolina on opening week, the Gardner-Webb football team heads to Atlanta, Ga. to take on the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The meeting marks the second in the all-time series between the Runnin' Bulldogs and Georgia Tech with the Yellow Jackets taking a 10-7 win in Atlanta on October 11, 2008.
In a breakout performance, transfer quarterback Nate Hampton put together one of the more memorable games in recent history, leading the Dawgs back from a 35-7 deficit in the second quarter for a thrilling 52-45 win. Hampton threw for 263 yards and two scores while also adding 132 yards on the ground with four rushing touchdowns, the most in a single game since 2009. His efforts earned him National Offensive and Big South/OVC Player of the Week.
Graduate wide receiver Anthony Lowe was a prime target for Hampton, hauling in five passes for 80 yards and two scores while redshirt-sophomore Chris Lofton led the Dawgs with 102 yards receiving on three catches. Graduate running back Quasean Holmes chipped in 120 yards on 13 carries, including a 65-yard TD run on the second play from scrimmage for Gardner-Webb.
The 52 points against Western Carolina is the most points scored in a game since a 56-point explosion in 2022 during the season-opening win against Limestone. Gardner-Webb finished with 627 yards of total offense against the Catamounts, averaging seven yards per play while tallying six drives of 60 yards or more.
Defensively, redshirt junior Jamari Young earned Big South/OVC Defensive Player of the Week after an 11-tackle performance, including a sack and tackle for loss. Redshirt junior Sabin McLaughlin pitched in eight tackles, six of the solo variety.
Saturday's opponents, Georgia Tech, was selected fourth in the ACC preseason poll while adding running back Jamal Haynes and guard Keylan Rutledge to the Preseason First Team All-ACC. Quarterback Haynes King finished second in ACC Preseason Player of the Year voting behind Clemson's Cade Klubnik.
The Yellow Jackets opened their 2025 season with a win at Colorado, 27-20. In that contest, GT rushed for 320 yards and three scores, including 160 and all three touchdowns from King. Haynes tallied 67 yards on 16 carries while Bailey Stockton led the receiving corps with four catches and 48 yards, 40 yards after the catch.
Omar Daniels paced the defensive unit with five tackles while placekicker Aidan Birr connected on both of his field goal attempts from 32 and 43 yards out.
Kickoff time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the ACC Network, powered by ESPN. Live stats are available at www.ramblinwreck.com.
