2012 Sun Bowl: Georgia Tech defense finishes strong

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets used a stifling defense to defeat the USC Trojans, 21-7, in the Hyundai Sun Bowl on Monday, allowing just 205 yards of total offense to the Pac-12 powerhouse. This, after the Jackets held the Florida State Seminoles scoreless in the second half of the ACC Championship Game.

In talking to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Ken Sugiura after the game, Georgia Tech defensive back Jamal Golden praised interim defensive coordinator Charles Kelly for the defense's late-season turnaround, stating that Kelly is "the reason we played like we did in the second half of the Florida State game and the bowl game."

The Yellow Jackets shut down USC despite the absence of leading tackler Isaiah Johnson. In addition, Georgia Tech lost linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu, arguably the team's best defensive player, for a large chunk of the game due to an arm injury.

Georgia Tech allowed just seven points over the final six quarters of the season after going through a stretch in which it gave up at least 40 points in six of the team's final nine regular season games.