Georgia Tech Defeats Mercer 44-11, Earns First Win
12 sourcesUpdated Sep 19, 2026
Georgia Tech earned its first victory of the season Saturday, defeating Mercer 44-11 in Atlanta and avoiding its first 0-3 start in 37 years. Justice Haynes led the Yellow Jackets with 141 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including two rushing scores and one receiving touchdown. Quarterback Alberto Mendoza threw for 249 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Jaiven Plummer and Debron Gatling, while Georgia Tech’s defense forced multiple turnovers and recorded three sacks. The Yellow Jackets pulled away with 10 points in the final two minutes of the first half and controlled the second half despite Mercer out-rushing them 188-156. Georgia Tech was missing six starters because of injuries and continued to show offensive inconsistencies, including early three-and-outs and penalties that erased potential touchdowns, leaving concerns ahead of next week’s ACC opener at Stanford.
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“Georgia Tech Defeats Mercer 44-11, Earns First Win”The first half was still too uneven even in a blowout. They need to fix that before ACC games or it won't hold up.
Haynes running for 141 yards and three scores was the difference maker today. Nice to finally see a win after that rough start.
