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ATLANTA — Georgia Tech coaches believed the best way to beat Cam Ward and No. 4 Miami was to keep the ball away from the quarterback.

Despite losing their top two running backs and having their starting quarterback operate primarily as a runner, the Yellow Jackets’ game plan was successful.

Ward and Miami finally ran out of second-half comebacks as Haynes King led Georgia Tech to a 28-23 win over the previously unbeaten Hurricanes on Saturday for the Yellow Jackets’ first victory over a top-five team in 15 years.

Fans rushed the field, toppling both goalposts, after the game.

Miami (9-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) was denied its first 10-0 start since 2017. Georgia Tech (6-4, 4-3) became bowl-eligible and ended a two-game losing streak.

“We just didn’t play Miami football,” safety Mishael Powell said. “We didn’t do a good job getting turnovers today.”

King rushed for 93 yards and ran and passed for touchdowns as Georgia Tech held the ball almost 10 minutes longer than Miami. The Yellow Jackets held the Hurricanes to a season low in points — less than half of their top-ranked average of 47.4.

King threw only six passes, completing them all for only 32 yards, in his return after missing two games with a right shoulder injury. The Yellow Jackets outrushed the Hurricanes 271-88.

“The way they ran the football, knowing that they were banged up at quarterback, they did a better job than we did,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said.

“Extremely, extremely disappointing. I think, as you can imagine, the entire locker room is really sad, down, disappointed. You have to own it.”

The Yellow Jackets overcame 347 passing yards and three touchdown passes by Ward, a Heisman Trophy contender.

“Good football game, if you believe in running the ball and stopping the run and time of possession,” Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said. “Those type of things still work.”

The Yellow Jackets held the ball for 17 plays on a monstrous 75-yard touchdown drive capped by King’s 5-yard screen to Malik Rutherford in the second quarter. The drive put Tech up 14-10 and chewed 10 minutes, 45 seconds off the clock.

Ward’s 38-yard scoring pass to Xavier Restrepo cut the lead to 28-23 in the fourth quarter. Miami’s final possession started at its 19 with 1:52 left. Ward fumbled when sacked by Romello Height, and Jordan van den Berg recovered for Georgia Tech.

“Our guys played,” Key said. “They didn’t bat an eye. They didn’t flinch.”

Georgia Tech’s Jamal Haynes broke through Miami’s defensive front for a 65-yard run on the second play of the game and added a 16-yard scoring run two plays later as the Yellow Jackets took a 7-0 lead.

Ward answered with a record-setting 74-yard scoring pass to Elijah Arroyo. It was Ward’s school-record 30th touchdown pass of the season. Ward had been tied with Steve Walsh, who threw 29 scoring passes in 1988.

Injuries at running back

Haynes left the game following a big hit from safety Jaden Harris in the first quarter and didn’t return. Haynes’ backup, Chad Alexander, left with an apparent left leg injury late in the first half.

Another backup running back, Trey Cooley, lost his helmet on a hit from Miami defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. late in the third quarter. Moten was flagged for targeting and ejected from the game.

Comeback magic ends

Miami’s unbeaten run through its first nine games included three second-half comebacks. Miami beat Duke 53-31 last week after the Blue Devils led 28-17 in the third quarter. Against Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes’ only lead was 10-7 and they trailed after the Yellow Jackets went up 14-10 in the second quarter.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Franco faces weapons charges after altercation

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Franco faces weapons charges after altercation

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco will face charges of illegal use and possession of a firearm related to his arrest in an armed altercation in the Dominican Republic countryside, public prosecutors said Tuesday.

Franco, 23, was arrested in San Juan de la Maguana, 116 miles west of Santo Domingo after what police said was an altercation Sunday in the parking lot of an apartment complex in which guns were drawn. He had been held for questioning by police but is expected to be granted provisional release Tuesday, with terms of his bail yet to be defined.

Prosecutors said a Glock with its magazine and 15 rounds of ammunition but no registration papers was found in Franco’s black Mercedes-Benz at the time of the altercation.

Police said the firearm was registered to Branly Fernando Lugo Rodríguez, who Franco said was his uncle.

The armed altercation occurred Sunday between Franco, another man and the father of that man over Franco’s relationship with a woman prosecutors said lived in the apartment complex. The dispute took place in the parking lot of the apartment complex after Franco arrived there.

There were no injuries, and the involved parties agreed they will not press charges.

No court date has yet been set for Franco’s arraignment. The use and possession of illegal firearms carries a maximum sentence of three to five years plus a fine.

Franco, who was placed on indefinite administrative leave from Major League Baseball on Aug. 22, 2023, is due to stand trial in the Dominican Republic on Dec. 12 in a separate case involving charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking that could result in a sentence of up to 20 years.

Franco was placed on MLB’s restricted list in July, sources had told ESPN, after prosecutors in the Dominican Republic accused him of having a sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old girl.

He is also under an MLB investigation under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy until the case is resolved.

The court summoned Franco and the mother of the girl for the trial after an investigation that opened in 2022. The case will be heard by a panel of three or five judges.

Franco cannot leave the Dominican Republic under his bail agreement as he awaits the trial, but he is free to travel within the country, police confirmed.

The Rays gave Franco an 11-year, $182 million extension in 2021, just 70 games into his major league career.

He made the All-Star team for the first time in 2023.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Rays’ home can’t be fixed in time for ’25 season

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Rays' home can't be fixed in time for '25 season

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A detailed assessment of the hurricane damage to Tropicana Field concludes that the home of the Tampa Bay Rays is structurally sound and can be repaired for about $55.7 million in time for the 2026 season.

The 412-page report released Tuesday by the city of St. Petersburg, which owns the building, found that the basic structure of the domed stadium “does not appear to have been adversely affected” by Hurricane Milton’s winds, which shredded most of its fabric roof.

“The primary structure is serviceable and capable of supporting a replacement tension membrane fabric roof,” said the report by Hennessy Construction Services.

Eighteen of the ballpark’s 24 fabric panels failed when Milton roared ashore Oct. 9, the report found. There was also damage to interior parts of the Trop, as it’s known for short, from rainwater and other storm-related causes. The ballpark opened in 1990 and has been the Rays’ home since their inception in 1998.

The Rays did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment. Since the ballpark, under this damage and repair assessment, would not be ready until the 2026 season, the Rays must find another place to play next year.

Major League Baseball wants the Rays to remain in the area near their fan base if at all possible, with several Tampa Bay-area spring training sites suggested. These include ballparks in Clearwater (Phillies), Tampa (Yankees), Dunedin (Blue Jays), Sarasota (Orioles), Lakeland (Tigers) and the Rays’ own spring training home in Port Charlotte. Most of these locations host minor league teams in the summer.

Tropicana Field is already scheduled to be demolished when a new, $1.3 billion ballpark is finished in time for the 2028 season. With unforeseen costs to the city and Pinellas County from two hurricanes — vast amounts of debris removal, damage to parks and infrastructure — two of the main financial sources for the new ballpark could reconsider those plans or decide not to repair the Trop at all.

The St. Petersburg City Council will discuss the report at its Nov. 21 meeting.

“We have so much need across the city,” council member Brandi Gabbard said at a meeting last week. “I love the Rays. I love Tropicana Field. It’s not about not wanting to do this. It’s about a balance of priorities.”

The council recently approved $6.5 million to clean up the ballpark and protect it from any further damage, including waterproofing areas such as the press box, seating areas and scoreboard.

The city does have an insurance claim for the damage and repairs, but it includes a $22 million deductible and probably would cover only part of the overall costs. That means taxpayer dollars would have to be used.

The planned new Rays ballpark is part of a $6.5 billion project that will include affordable housing, a Black history museum, retail and office space, and restaurants and bars. The project is known as the Historic Gas Plant District, which was once a thriving Black community but was displaced by construction of the ballpark and an interstate highway.

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BC start QB James over Castellanos against SMU

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BC start QB James over Castellanos against SMU

Boston College will start Grayson James over Thomas Castellanos at quarterback against SMU this weekend, coach Bill O’Brien announced during his press conference Tuesday.

O’Brien said the decision is “what’s best for the team right now” and said Castellanos “wasn’t real thrilled with that. He’s taken a couple days.”

James entered the game last week against Syracuse in the third quarter and helped lead a 37-31 victory.

Boston College hosts ACC leader SMU on Saturday, needing one more win to reach bowl eligibility.

Castellanos was just 2-of-7 for 14 yards with a touchdown an interception at that point in the game. James went 5-of-6 for 51 yards with a touchdown pass.

Castellanos has struggled at times this season, particularly in the passing game. James started one game earlier in the year in place of the injured Castellanos, going 19-of-32 for 168 yards with a touchdown and interception in a 21-20 win over Western Kentucky.

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