After an exhausting eight overtimes, Brent Key’s gaze was fixed.

Following Georgia’s intense 44-42 victory over Georgia Tech on Friday night, the Yellow Jackets’ head coach was captured on camera near the middle of Sanford Stadium, fixating on the scoreboard for almost a minute while “Nowhere to Run” by Martha and the Vandellas echoed through the stadium. Even when approached by a Georgia staffer for a handshake, Key remained focused on the screen.

This moment perfectly illustrated how close Georgia Tech came to achieving a stunning upset, which could have significantly impacted the College Football Playoff standings, highlighting the enduring significance of rivalry games.

The Yellow Jackets initially surged to a 20-0 lead over Georgia but saw it dissolve by the end of regulation. The teams exchanged scores during the numerous overtimes until Bulldogs running back Nate Frazier found the end zone in the eighth overtime, just one short of the national record set by Illinois and Penn State in 2021.

Key faced backlash regarding the team’s strategy in overtime, especially for opting not to attempt a two-point conversion after Georgia Tech scored during the first overtime’s second possession. He shared with reporters later that this was the hardest loss of his coaching career, expressing, “I’ve never experienced anything like that in the locker room.”

Despite the loss, Georgia Tech (7-5) has secured bowl eligibility for the second consecutive year under Key and could achieve its highest win total since 2016 with a bowl victory.

“This pain will transform into motivation, and we will harness that power,” Key stated late Friday night.