SITE: Scott Stadium

TIME: Saturday, 12:00 PM ET

WEATHER: 60 degrees, Rain (70% Chance of Precipitation)

RADIO: Georgia Tech ISP Network (WQXI 790-AM Atlanta, WYAY 106.7-FM Atlanta)

TV: Raycom

RECORDS: No. 11 Georgia Tech 6-1, Virginia 3-3

COACHES: Georgia Tech – Paul Johnson (15-5, second season), Al Groh (59-47, ninth season)

Georgia Tech Players to watch:

QB Josh Nesbitt (Jr., 6-1, 214), B-Back Jonathan Dwyer (Jr., 6-0, 235), A-Back Anthony Allen (RS Jr., 6-0, 225), A-Back Roddy Jones (RS So., 5-9, 192), WR Demaryius Thomas (RS Jr., 6-3, 229), OG Cord Howard (RS Sr.,6-5, 300), DE Derrick Morgan (Jr., 6-4, 270), DB Morgan Burnett (Jr., 6-1, 210), DB/PR Jerrard Tarrant (RS So., 6-0, 202)

Virginia Players to watch:

QB Jameel Sewell (Sr, 6-3, 219), RB Mikell Simpson (Sr., 6-1, 200), RT Will Barker (Sr., 6-7, 315), DT Nate Collins (Sr., 6-2, 290), LB Steve Greer (RS Fr., 6-2, 225), DB Ras-I Dowling (Jr., 6-2, 200)

Georgia Tech keys to the game

Josh Nesbitt. He has been instrumental to Tech’s improvement on offense in the last three games. Nesbitt is on a roll rushing the ball, having run for 262 yards and six touchdowns over the last two games. He has put himself within reach of several Georgia Tech records. Nesbitt now has 1,658 rushing yards for his career and needs only 102 yards to break Joe Hamilton’s career rushing mark by a quarterback. He can also surpass Hamilton’s single season mark of 734 yards rushing if he goes for at least 110 yards against Virginia. Nesbitt has already tied the single season mark of 9 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback and four more will allow him to pass Shawn Jones’ career record of 19. There is still room for improvement in other parts of his game with crisper pitches on the triple option and better decision making in the passing game.

All the way turnt up. Last week the Jackets brought the intensity on defense, which will need to carry over on the road. GT has allowed a startling 36 points per game on the road compared to only 18.5 per game at home. UVA’s offense is not very good, ranking 10th in the ACC with 24 points per game and 11th in the ACC with 304 total yards per game. Tech will need to hold them to those totals. The Jackets also need to continue to get pressure with their front four as they did last week against VT because there is no way that Sewell dances all over the field to avoid sacks as Tyrod Taylor did.

Killer Instinct. GT should have put VT away in the third quarter, but then Nesbitt made a poor read in the passing game and threw an interception. Early in the fourth quarter GT had another opportunity to put them away, but Nesbitt again gave the ball away on a bad pitch. Three of their four ACC victories have come by five points or less. If the offense continues to play with fire, the defense will eventually get burned at the end of the game.

Virgnia keys to the game

Red Zone Offense. The Cavaliers lead the ACC in red zone offense, having scored every time they entered the red zone this season. The problem being that they are also next to last in total opportunities with only 17 chances. They will be up against GT’s red zone defense, which is second best in the ACC, as their opponents only have a 75 percent success rate. UVA will need to continue their streak if they expect to be successful against the Jackets.

Turnovers. After losing their first three games of the season, including an embarassing home loss to William & Mary, UVA has turned it around with three straight wins. The key has been forcing turnovers. The Cavaliers have taken the ball away nine times in the last three games while only turning it over once. Their defense has only given up an average of six points per game during these contests. Their run defense has been especially strong during these wins, giving up an average of 82.3 yards per game with a long of only 12 yards. This is not likely to continue against GT, but the Cavaliers will have a strong chance if they win the turnover battle and limit big plays by the Jackets.

Health concerns? Virgnia’s two best offensive weapons, Sewell and Simpson, may not play in the game. The loss of Sewell would especially hurt, considering that that he has been very effective during the three wins. He has now thrown 109 straight passes without an interception. His potential replacement, Mark Verica, is no stranger to the Yellow Jackets. Last year he orchestrated a victory against GT to ruin their homecoming weekend. He was an impressive 29-39 with 270 yards passing and two touchdowns.

Third Down Efficiency

Georgia Tech leads the ACC and ranks fourth nationally with a third down conversion rate of 52.6 percent on offense. Virginia, on the other hand leads the ACC and ranks tenth nationally on third down defense as their opponents only convert 29.4 percent of the time. The Jackets will look to put themselves in third and short situations in order to help them win this battle.

Rushing Offense

Sean Bedford has won the ACC offensive lineman of the week award twice and Cord Howard has won it once, paving the way for the second best rushing offense in the nation. Tech averages 282 rushing yards per game this season and scores 32.4 points per game, good for 24th nationally. They also have three of the top seven rushers in the ACC in Nesbitt, Dwyer, and Allen. Allen averages an astonishing 11.5 yards per carry this season and the three players have combined for 17 rushing touchdowns.

First Quarter Domination

GT is outscoring their opposition 76-28 in the first quarter, while UVA has outscored their opponents 37-7. The Cavaliers have not allowed an opponent to score in the first quarter for five consecutive games. They have also not allowed a touchdown in the first half in their three victories. GT will need to maintain their first half dominance and take a lead into halftime. They are now 12-1 under CPJ when they accomplish this.

Curse of Scott Stadium

Name the longest standing road losing streak for the Jackets against an ACC team. FSU? VT? Miami? No, the correct answer is UVA. Tech has not won at Scott Stadium since 1990, which ammounts to eight straight losses. Good thing the Jackets have CPJ, who has already broken long standing losing streaks against both UGA and FSU.

Injury Update

Out: DE Robert Hall (knee), LB Kyle Jackson (foot), WR Kevin Cone (ankle)

Questionable: DB Cooper Taylor (undisclosed)

Prediction

SITE: Bobby Dodd Stadium

TIME: Saturday, 6:00 PM ET

WEATHER: 53 degrees, Partly Cloudy

RADIO: Georgia Tech ISP Network (WQXI 790-AM Atlanta, WYAY 106.7-FM Atlanta)

TV: ESPN2/ESPN360

RECORDS: No. 19 Georgia Tech 5-1, No. 4 Virginia Tech 5-1

COACHES: Georgia Tech – Paul Johnson (14-5, second season), Frank Beamer (182-90-2, twenty third season)

Georgia Tech Players to watch:

QB Josh Nesbitt (Jr., 6-1, 214), B-Back Jonathan Dwyer (Jr., 6-0, 235), A-Back Anthony Allen (RS Jr., 6-0, 225), WR Demaryius Thomas (RS Jr., 6-3, 229), OG Cord Howard (RS Sr.,6-5, 300), DE Derrick Morgan (Jr., 6-4, 270), LB Brad Jefferson (Jr., 6-2, 236), DB Morgan Burnett (Jr., 6-1, 210), DB/PR Jerrard Tarrant (RS So., 6-0, 202)

Virginia Tech Players to watch:

QB Tyrod Taylor (Jr., 6-1, 216) RB Ryan Williams (RS Fr, 5-10, 206), WR Jarett Boykin (So., 6-2, 215), LG Sergio Render (Sr., 6-3, 313), LT Ed Wang (RS Sr., 6-5, 309), DE Jason Worilds (RS Jr., 6-2, 262), LB Cody Grimm (RS Sr., 5-11, 210), CB Rashad Carmichael (RS Jr., 5-11, 186), CB Stephan Virgil (Sr., 5-11, 189) FS Kam Chancellor (Sr., 6-4, 230)

Georgia Tech keys to the game

Contain the freshman. Running back Ryan Williams has the ability to run for 200 yards against GT. He’s just that good. Williams easily leads the ACC in rushing and he ranks sixth nationally with 122 rushing yards per game. He has also run for 9 touchdowns, which ties him for fourth place in the nation. He is a tough runner with a low center of gravity, but also has the ability to make people miss in the open field. GT will need to limit him to small chunks rather than large gashes. This is most easily achieved with penetration by the defensive line and solid tackling by the linebackers.

Early Lead. GT would do well to score a touchdown on the first drive in order to put some pressure on Tyrod Taylor and the Virginia Tech offense. The more that the Yellow Jackets can force him to pass, the better they will be. Taylor has had a breakout season so far with eight touchdowns against only one interception because they don’t ask him to do too much within the offense. He only averages 17 pass attempts per game and he completes 55 percent, which is pedestrian for a quarterback. Where he does the most damage is by scrambling around in the pocket, buying time for his wide receivers to get open. Everybody remembers the play he made against Nebraska to beat them at the last second. The more that GT makes him pass, the more likely he is to try and force the issue, which will provide interception opportunities.

Continue the offensive momentum. The offense is on a tear right now and at the moment it doesn’t seem like anybody can stop the Ramblin’ Wreck. Nesbitt’s progress has been instrumental to the success of the Yellow Jackets and he will need to continue playing at a high level. He made several big plays against FSU last week and made intelligent reads in the triple option all game long. Last year GT had several missed opportunities against VT which ended up costing them the game. They will need to capitalize this year if they expect to take down the Hokies.

Virginia Tech keys to the game

Red Zone Defense. The Hokies have given up only six touchdowns this year in 22 attempts by the opposing offense. This ranks them fourth best nationally in touchdown efficiency defense behind only Ole Miss, Florida, and USC. GT on the other hand has been a force to be reckoned with in the red zone over the last two games, scoring touchdowns on eight of their ten offensive chances. VT will need to limit GT to field goal attempts in order to come away with victory at Bobby Dodd.

Beamer Ball. Virginia Tech is once again one of the better teams nationally on special teams. They rank in the top 40 in net punting, kick returns, and kick return defense. In what will likely be a close game, a big play on special teams such as a kick/punt return or a blocked punt/field goal could decide the outcome. VT should have the decided advantage against Georgia Tech, who ranks in the bottom 25 nationally in both punt and kick return defense.

Turnovers. Both teams are good at creating turnovers with GT ranking first in the ACC and VT ranking second at slightly less than one turnover gained per game. VT will need to win this battle if they expect to win on the road in a hostile environment. About the only time the triple option has been stopped lately is when it has stopped itself with fumbles. Last week FSU nearly stole a win from the Jackets by forcing three fumbles and then recovering all three of them for turnovers. On the season GT averages 3 fumbles per game and only loses only one of those. VT needs to recover at least two in order to help their chances.

Another Shootout?

GT has won their last two games by an average score of 46-38. Both teams will once again bring high powered offenses to the field on Saturday. VT is first in the ACC with 34.2 points per game while GT ranks third with 33.2 points per game. The biggest difference, however, may be VT’s defense, which ranks second in the ACC giving up only 17.7 points per game. The key to that statistic has been their red zone defense as previously described.

B. Thomas

Demaryius Thomas or as his jersey indicates, “B Thomas”, leads the ACC with 103 receiving yards per game which also ranks him 15th nationally. He appears in my report just about every week, which won’t stop until any cornerback in the ACC is able to shut him down. This week he once again will have a huge size advantage against the Hokie cornerbacks, who are both listed at around 5-11, 190. Bay-Bay is 6-3, 230 and should again be able to feast on man coverage when his number is called.

Third down efficiency

The Jackets top the ACC at converting on third down with a 52.4 percent success rate. This is mostly due to the fact that GT puts themselves in very manageable third and short situations. Nesbitt has been extremely successful this season at running the mid-line option in order to pick up a first down. If he ever comes up short, the Jackets will usually go for it where they are a perfect six for six on fourth down conversions. VT on the other hand tops the ACC in third down defense, with their opponents only converting 27.7 percent of their attempts. GT will need to get the upper hand in this category so that they can continue to dominate the time of possession battle as they have so far this season.

Explosive Passing Attacks

GT leads the ACC and ranks fourth nationally with 277 rushing yards per game, while VT is second in the ACC and ranks 16th nationally with 208 rushing yards per game. Not the way to start a passing attack segment right? But get this, GT also leads the nation with 12 passing yards per attempt and VT is tied for third nationally with 9.9 yards per attempt. This can mostly be attributed to the success of their running games. Both teams do not need to pass much and when they do the opponent is usually not expecting it, which results in huge gains through the air.

Coastal Division Leader

Either Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech has represented the Coastal Division in the ACC Championship game every year since its inception. This year Miami is also in the hunt which makes this game even larger so that GT can potentially control their own destiny once again. A win would put them in a three-way tie for first place. The scenarios for who would go to the championship game become complicated with a three way tie so that break down will have to wait for another day if necessary.

Injury Update

Out: DE Robert Hall (knee), LB Kyle Jackson (foot), Kevin Cone (ankle)

Doubtful: Anthony Egbuniwe (undisclosed illness)

Questionable: DB Cooper Taylor (undisclosed)

Prediction

SITE: Doak Campbell Stadium

TIME: Saturday, 8:00 PM ET

WEATHER: 78 degrees, Scattered T-Storms (40% Chance of Precipitation)

RADIO: Georgia Tech ISP Network (WQXI 790-AM Atlanta, WYAY 106.7-FM Atlanta)

TV: ESPN2/ESPN360

RECORDS: No. 22 Georgia Tech 4-1, Florida State 2-3

COACHES: Georgia Tech – Paul Johnson (13-5, second season), Bobby Bowden (311-94-4, 34th season)

Georgia Tech Players to watch:

QB Josh Nesbitt (Jr., 6-1, 214), B-Back Jonathan Dwyer (Jr., 6-0, 235), A-Back Anthony Allen (RS Jr., 6-0, 225), A-Back Roddy Jones (RS So., 5-9, 192), WR Demaryius Thomas (RS Jr., 6-3, 229), OG Cord Howard (RS Sr.,6-5, 300), DE Derrick Morgan (Jr., 6-4, 270), DB Morgan Burnett (Jr., 6-1, 210), DB/PR Jerrard Tarrant (RS So., 6-0, 202)

Florida State Players to watch:

QB Christian Ponder (Jr, 6-2, 217), WR Bert Reed (RS So., 6-4, 205), C Ryan McMahon (RS Jr., 6-3, 282), LG Rodney Hudson (Jr., 6-2, 285), LT Andrew Datko (So., 6-6, 283), LB Dekoda Watson (Sr., 6-2, 226), LB Nigel Bradham (So., 6-2, 235), DB Patrick Robinson (Sr., 5-11, 194), DB Greg Reid (Fr., 5-9, 175)

Georgia Tech keys to the game

Special Teams. GT gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown last weekend against Mississippi State that allowed the Bulldogs to jump right back into the game. Blair also struggled again with his kickoffs, even though it was his only responsibility of the game. Tech does not have anybody else that can kick the ball deep so he will be expected to step up and do his job correctly. Freshman Chris Tanner handled field goal duties, but Tech never even attempted one. He made all of his point after attempts last week, but has yet to be tested with a field goal attempt. Tech’s kick return defense currently ranks 108th in the nation and their punt return defense ranks 93rd. FSU has a speedy return man in Greg Reid, so the return defense will need to have a solid game this weekend.

Tackling. Last week the Jackets made Anthony Dixon look like Earl Campbell. Tech still lacks a dominant linebacker that can fill up the stat sheet, but Jefferson and Griffin both played pretty well last week with 8 and 10 tackles respectively. They will need to assert themselves this weekend and make some plays in the backfield. FSU runs a pro-set similar to Miami that is dependent on play action. Play action is most effective when the linebackers buy the fake to the running back, which usually is only effective when the rushing attack is clicking.

Head Start. Tech is tough to catch when they jump ahead early because of the nature of their offense. The Yellow Jackets gobble up huge amounts of clock when the offense is moving the ball effectively and the opponent will always have a limited number of possessions to catch up. They currently lead the ACC in time of possession and rank tenth nationally at 33 minutes per game. Last weekend GT was four for five in the red zone and scored four touchdowns. They will be nearly impossible to stop with that kind of touchdown efficiency.

Florida State keys to the game

Pass the Ball. FSU will need to mix in some running to keep Tech honest, but their bread and butter is their passing attack. They rank 17th nationally in passing offense at 285.4 yards per game, while Tech ranks 77th in passing defense at 227.4 yards per game. Ponder should be able to exploit Tech’s secondary similar to the way that Jacory Harris did. FSU has the offensive line to give Ponder time in the pocket, but even when he is flushed he can make big plays with his feet.

One more for Bobby. There has been a lot of chatter this week about Bobby Bowden being forced into early retirement. This of course is a dead issue until the season is over due to his esteemed reputation, but if FSU loses their third straight game it will put them in a huge hole. The players could rally behind their coach and play extremely motivated. A third conference loss to open 0-3 in the ACC would also all but eliminate FSU from the ACC title race.

Run Defense. FSU is traditionally solid against the run and this year is no exception. They are fifth in the ACC allowing 128.8 yards per game, while Tech leads the ACC and ranks sixth nationally in rushing offense with 252.2 yards per game. Last year FSU gave up 288 rushing yards to the Jackets, including two big touchdown runs by Dwyer where we went untouched through the middle of the defense. FSU will need to play smarter football on defense this year if they expect to stay in this game.

Patrick Robinson and Greg Reid vs. Demaryius Thomas and Stephen Hill

Robinson is one of the best cornerbacks in the ACC, but he was injured last week against Boston College. He says that he will be ready to go for this weekend, but only time will tell. Either way, Bay-Bay should still be able to use his size to take advantage of this match up. He is 4 inches taller and 40 pounds heavier than Robinson. Bay-Bay currently leads the ACC and ranks 15th nationally with 107.2 yards per game. Greg Reid was one of the most highly touted freshmen in the nation coming into this season and so far he has looked impressive at cornerback for FSU. Stephen Hill has also played well as a freshman and he will have a big size advantage at receiver as he is 7 inches taller than Reid. Hill looks to build on his last two weekends where he made his first career reception against UNC and scored his first career touchdown against Mississippi State.

Josh Nesbitt

Nesbitt showed the big play capabilities of the offense in the passing game by throwing for a career high 266 yards passing while completing 11 of his 14 attempts last week against the Bulldogs. Tech did a good job to mix up the play calling by passing on first down when the defense least expected it. They also did a good job calling simple passes into the flat, which were easy completions and allowed Bay-Bay to do what he does best: gain yards after the catch. Nesbitt also had a solid game on the ground with 53 rushing yards, including some tough runs for first downs in short yardage situations. When he is on top of his game the only way that Tech can be beaten is if the other team can win in a shootout.

Turnovers

The Yellow Jackets gained four turnovers last week and now lead the ACC and rank 15th nationally in turnover margin with +1.2 turnovers per game. They have only turned the ball over once during the last three games, despite fumbling the ball nine times during that span. Tech hopes that their fortunes continue against the Seminoles.

Doak Campbell

Georgia Tech broke one streak last year by winning against Bobby Bowden for the first time. It was also their first win against FSU since 1975. This year they will look to defeat the Seminoles for the first time at their stadium. Tech is 0-6 all time in Tallahassee. Doak Campbell is the largest stadium that Tech will play in this season with a capacity of 82,300.

Injury Update

Out: DE Robert Hall (knee), LB Kyle Jackson (foot)

Doubtful: DB Cooper Taylor (undisclosed)

Questionable: DB Dominique Reese (shoulder)

Prediction

SITE: Davis Wade Stadium

TIME: Saturday, 7:30 PM ET

WEATHER: 70 degrees, Partly Cloudy

RADIO: Georgia Tech ISP Network (WQXI 790-AM Atlanta, WYAY 106.7-FM Atlanta)

TV: CSS/ESPN360

RECORDS: No. 25 Georgia Tech 3-1, Mississippi State 2-2

COACHES: Georgia Tech – Paul Johnson (12-5, second season), Dan Mullen (2-2, first season)

Georgia Tech Players to watch:

QB Josh Nesbitt (Jr., 6-1, 214), B-Back Jonathan Dwyer (Jr., 6-0, 235), A-Back Anthony Allen (RS Jr., 6-0, 225), A-Back Roddy Jones (RS So., 5-9, 192), WR Demaryius Thomas (RS Jr., 6-3, 229), OG Cord Howard (RS Sr.,6-5, 300), DE Derrick Morgan (Jr., 6-4, 270), DB Morgan Burnett (Jr., 6-1, 210), DB/PR Jerrard Tarrant (RS So., 6-0, 202)

Mississippi State Players to watch:

RB Anthony Dixon (Sr, 6-1, 235), WR Brandon McRae (Sr., 6-4, 205), LB KJ Wright (Jr., 6-4, 245), LB Jamar Chaney (Sr., 6-1, 240), DB Marcus Washington (Sr., 5-10, 195), DB Zach Smith (Jr., 5-11, 200)

Georgia Tech keys to the game

Kicking. Points and field position will be huge for the Jackets on the road. If GT can score 30 points, their defense is good enough to hold the Bulldogs’ offense in check and they will win the game. Tech is currently averaging 27 points per game and they would have scored 30 against UNC if it wasn’t for two missed field goals by Scott Blair, both of which were easy attempts from inside the red zone. He also booted two kickoffs out of bounds to set UNC up with great field position. The kicking battle has been opened back up this week during practice, but Blair is Tech’s best option and he needs make his kicks when called upon this weekend.

Defensive Intensity. Last week the Jackets played with a passion and energy that they had lacked in the previous three games. Part of this was due to the fact that the defense was only on the field for 18 minutes, but it also had to do with less thinking and more reacting. The switch to the 4-3 was an important factor because it kept things simple and more familiar for the players. Tech also went a lot deeper down the depth chart, which was partly due to injuries, but it also served to keep the starters fresh throughout the game.

Run Defense. Tech boasts one of the top run defenses in the nation, currently ranking 30th overall at 106 yards per game. This will need to continue if they are going to stop the spread option attack deployed by Mississippi State, who currently ranks 26th in rushing offense at 204 yards per game. The Bulldogs also have one of top running backs in the nation, Anthony Dixon, who currently ranks 14th nationally with 107 yards per game. State also rotates two quarterbacks that combine for 77 rushing yards per game. Head coach Dan Mullen was the offensive coordinator at Florida before becoming the head coach at Mississippi State, so they will run a similar offense. Luckily for Tech, they defend against mobile quarterbacks every day at practice, so they should be prepared fairly well for the task at hand.

Mississippi State keys to the game

Protect the football. The Bulldogs are -6 in turnover margin in their two losses this season and they are +4 in their two victories. Last week against a top 10 opponent in LSU, they completely dominated the game statistically, except for one category: turnovers. They turned the ball over four times during the game, including one interception that was returned for a touchdown. If it wasn’t for their own mishaps, they would have won the game.

Payback. GT showed last week versus UNC the importance of playing with a chip on their shoulder. Mississippi State was embarrassed last year by the Yellow Jackets, losing 38-7 at Bobby Dodd Stadium. This year the Bulldogs will look to prove that they are a better team than they showed last season after they allowed 438 yards rushing by Georgia Tech. State will come in riding a wave of confidence after proving that they can play with a top level opponent such as LSU.

Early Lead. Grabbing the lead early will be essential if State expects to win this game. They have shown some resilience this year by coming back from a deficit against LSU and Auburn, but in the end they wound up losing both of those games. That also wasn’t against an offense like Tech that will gradually wear you down as the game goes along with their lethal rushing attack. It is worth noting that the Yellow Jackets are 10-1 under CPJ when taking a lead into halftime.

Defensive Star Power

In both of Tech’s key wins this season, they have had one of their star players step up on defense. Derrick Morgan came up huge against Clemson by leading the team with 10 tackles and 3 sacks. Morgan Burnett dominated the game against UNC by leading the team with 6 tackles and 2 interceptions. Burnett now has 13 career interceptions, which ranks him fourth on Georgia Tech’s all-time list. The Jackets will need one of these two studs to have another game changing performance on Saturday.

He’s Baaaaack

Jaybo Shaw was cleared for full contact this week and he will be the back-up to starter Josh Nesbitt this weekend. This move allows Quentim Sims to vacate his role as the emergency third string quarterback, so that he can focus on his true position and provide depth at wide receiver. Shaw came up big last year against the Bulldogs after Nesbitt went down early in the game with an injury. If Nesbitt struggles within the offense, do not be surprised if Shaw plays for a possession or two.

Fumblerooski

The Yellow Jackets have fumbled the ball ten times in their first four games and have only lost three of those. To give some perspective, last year Tech fumbled the ball 14 times in their first four games and lost seven of those fumbles. Tech has improved from last year as expected, but they have been lucky to only lose three so far. They need to continue to improve in this area because they are bound to start losing more of those fumbles. A realistic goal would be two fumbles or less per game and only losing one or less of those.

Fresh Faces

Georgia Tech started four new players on defense last week including: DE Anthony Egbuniwe, DT Logan Walls, LB Julian Burnett, and DB Rashaad Reid. They have also continued to rotate in some true freshman including: DE Izaan Cross, DB Rod Sweeting, and DB Jemea Thomas. On offense last week Tech gave WR Stephen Hill his first start and he responded with a solid performance. His 33 yard reception at the end of the first half was the longest by a Tech wide receiver other than Bay-Bay under CPJ’s regime. RB Orwin Smith has done well returning kickoffs, currently ranking fifth in the ACC with 24.2 yards per return, and he also saw his first action in the offense last weekend since the opener against Jacksonville State.

SEC Championship

Tech will begin the quest for their own version of the SEC championship as they play the first of three SEC opponents this season. The Yellow Jackets have only played three times ever against Mississippi State and they have yet to lose. This will be the first time in their storied history, however, that they play a game on Mississippi State’s campus.

Injury Update

Out: DE Robert Hall (knee), LB Kyle Jackson (foot)

Doubtful: DB Cooper Taylor (undisclosed)

Questionable: DB Dominique Reese (shoulder)

Prediction

SITE: Bobby Dodd Stadium

TIME: Saturday, 12:00 PM ET

WEATHER: 72 degrees, Scattered T-Storms – 40% Chance of Precipitation

RADIO: Georgia Tech ISP Network (WQXI 790-AM Atlanta, WYAY 106.7-FM Atlanta)

TV: Raycom

RECORDS: Georgia Tech 2-1, No. 22 North Carolina 3-0

COACHES: Georgia Tech – Paul Johnson (11-5, second season), Butch Davis (15-13, third season)

Georgia Tech Players to watch:

QB Josh Nesbitt (Jr., 6-1, 214), B-Back Jonathan Dwyer (Jr., 6-0, 235), A-Back Anthony Allen (RS Jr., 6-0, 225), WR Demaryius Thomas (RS Jr., 6-3, 229), OG Cord Howard (RS Sr.,6-5, 300), DE Derrick Morgan (Jr., 6-4, 270), LB Brad Jefferson (Jr., 6-2, 236), DB Morgan Burnett (Jr., 6-1, 210), DB/PR Jerrard Tarrant (RS So., 6-0, 202)

North Carolina Players to watch:

RB Shaun Draughn (Jr, 6-0, 205), WR Erik Highsmith (Fr., 6-3, 175), LT Kyle Jolly (Sr., 6-6, 300), DE Robert Quinn (So., 6-5, 260), DT Marvin Austin (Jr., 6-3, 300), LB Quan Sturdivant (Jr., 6-2, 235), CB Charles Brown (Jr., 5-10, 190), CB Kendric Burney (Jr., 5-9, 180) FS Deunta Williams (Jr., 6-2, 205)

Georgia Tech keys to the game

Red zone efficiency. Tech is next to last in the ACC in scoring percentage inside of the 20 yard line going 8-11 this season. The most disturbing part is that they have only scored 3 total touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets have gone on several long drives this season only to see them result in field goals. That has got to change if GT expects to fulfill its offensive potential.

Redemption. Last year the Tarheels beat Tech by the largest margin out of any ACC opponent. To make matters worse, the Tarheels called passing plays late into the fourth quarter after they were already winning by three touchdowns. Butch Davis also complained to the referees about illegal chop blocks by Georgia Tech players leading up to the game last year. CPJ’s displeasure with Butch Davis is well known and he will have Tech fired up for this weekend. This is a game that was circled on the schedule before the season even started.

Intelligent football. Last week against Miami, Tech made too many mental errors on both offense and defense. As a result, Tech missed several opportunities for big plays on offense and gave up several big plays on defense. Missed tackles and missed assignments in pass defense killed the Jackets defensively. Penalties and missed blocking assignments plagued the Jackets on offense. GT had two block in the back penalties negate big gains, including one on a touchdown run, and several false start penalties that set them back in critical situations. The players need to stay focused mentally in order to minimize self-inflicted wounds.

North Carolina keys to the game

Limit Tech’s offensive possessions. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. UNC needs to run the ball effectively in order to win the time of possession battle. This will help to wear down the Georgia Tech defense and also keep the explosive Yellow Jacket offense off of the field. Running the ball well helps to set up third and short situations that make it easier to keep the chains moving. This is turn helps to deflate the crowd and take the twelfth man out of the game.

Force Nesbitt to make plays. So far this season the blue print for defending the triple option has been to let Nesbitt keep the ball in his hands and force him to beat you on the ground. Nesbitt can be a dangerous player with his feet, but he is not a one play touchdown threat like Dwyer, Allen, and Jones. Teams have had success by keying on Dwyer up the middle and then overplaying Allen and Jones outside on the pitch.

Quarterback TJ Yates. He is a junior that when healthy has started every season of the Butch Davis regime. Yates is also a native of Marietta, Georgia which will make this a homecoming game for him as he plays in front of family and friends. Yates probably isn’t even the most physically talented quarterback on the roster but he is very efficient and comfortable in the offense. He will need to continue to show poise and leadership on the field if the Tarheels expect to steal a victory on the road.

UNC Run Defense vs. GT Run Offense

North Carolina ranks first in the ACC and seventh in the nation in run defense, giving up a minuscule 52.3 yards per game. Georgia Tech counters with the ACC’s top rushing offense at 243.7 yards per game which is good for 16th nationally. UNC also allows only 11 points per game while the GT offense scores 28 points per game. Something has got to give on Saturday.

Derrick Morgan and ?

Derrick Morgan is a special player, but as seen last week in the Miami game, he cannot carry the Georgia Tech defense on his shoulders every week. Somebody else along the defensive line must step up and become a threat to get to the quarterback. Anthony Egbuniwe is a player to watch as he will be stepping into the starting defensive end role opposite Derrick Morgan after Robert Hall was hurt last week against Miami. Egbuniwe is a very energetic and athletic player who performed well in fall practice and has the potential to make a big impact on the game.

Rest and Recovery

The Yellow Jackets looked fatigued at times during the Miami game, especially on defense, after playing their third game in only 12 days. The players got an extra two days off this week in preparation for the Tarheels. The team should come out fired up and ready to play on Saturday.

New defensive scheme?

Georgia Tech will play more traditional 4-3 defense than the 4-2-5 scheme that they had been running by adding the wolf position. As a result, true freshman Julian Burnett will step up into the starting role as the third linebacker. It is still yet to be seen whether this is a function of injuries in the secondary or poor defensive play against Miami. Starting safety Cooper Taylor and wolf Dominique Reese were both hurt against Miami. Nevertheless, Burnett has played very well so far this season and deserves the promotion. With another solid performance, it would be difficult to see Coach Wommack leaving him off of the field even when Taylor and Reese return from injury.

Coastal Division Opponent

GT has won nine out of the last eleven games against UNC, including the last four in a row within the confines of Bobby Dodd. Tech will need to continue their mastery over UNC if they expect to have any chance of reaching the ACC championship game.

Injury Update

Out: DE Robert Hall (knee), LB Kyle Jackson (foot)

Doubtful: DB Cooper Taylor (undisclosed)

Questionable: RB Jonathan Dwyer (shoulder), DB Dominique Reese (shoulder)

Prediction

SITE: Land Shark Stadium (previously Dolphin Stadium)

TIME: Thursday, 7:30 PM ET

WEATHER: 83 degrees, Isolated Thunder Storms

RADIO: Georgia Tech ISP Network (WQXI 790-AM Atlanta, WYAY 106.7-FM Atlanta)

TV: ESPN

RECORDS: No. 14 Georgia Tech 2-0, No. 20 Miami 1-0

COACHES: Georgia Tech – Paul Johnson (11-4, second season), Randy Shannon (13-13, third season)

Georgia Tech Players to watch:

QB Josh Nesbitt (Jr., 6-1, 214), B-Back Jonathan Dwyer (Jr., 6-0, 235), A-Back Anthony Allen (RS Jr., 6-0, 225), A-Back Roddy Jones (RS So., 5-9, 194) WR Demaryius Thomas (RS Jr., 6-3, 229), OG Cord Howard (RS Sr.,6-5, 300), DE Derrick Morgan (Jr., 6-4, 270), LB Sedric Griffin (Sr., 5-11, 239), LB Brad Jefferson (Jr., 6-2, 236), DB Morgan Burnett (Jr., 6-1, 210), DB Cooper Taylor (So., 6-4, 195), DB/PR Jerrard Tarrant (RS So., 6-0, 202)

Miami Players to watch:

QB Jacory Harris (So, 6-4, 190), RB/KR Graig Cooper (Jr., 6-0, 205), RB Javarris James (Sr., 6-0, 208), WR Travis Benjamin (So., 5-10, 175), WR Aldarious Johnson (So., 6-3, 215), OG Orlando Franklin (Jr., 6-7, 318), OT Jason Fox (Sr., 6-7, 314), DT Marcus Forston (So., 6-3, 310) DE Marcus Robinson (So., 6-1, 237), LB Sean Spence (So., 6-0, 212), LB Colin McCarthy (RS Jr., 6-3, 242), K/P Matt Bosher (Jr., 6-0, 205)

Georgia Tech keys to the game

Third down efficiency. Tech did not convert a first down in their first nine attempts against Clemson. They didn’t need to after the two special teams plays went for touchdowns. However, after a stagnant second and third quarters the Yellow Jackets went three for five on third downs to finish the game. Tech will not benefit from extraordinary special teams play every game and will need to convert close to half of their third down attempts if they expect to be successful on the road against Miami.

Establish a passing game. The triple option offense is the most effective when passing is an option. The Canes typically have a solid secondary but in their first game against FSU Christian Ponder torched them for 294 yards and two touchdowns. Nesbitt will not get the opportunity to put up those kind of stats but he needs to be efficient with his attempts. Last week he was only 3-14 with two interceptions against Clemson.

Limit big plays defensively. Last week Clemson gained 140 yards and scored two touchdowns on only two plays! Tech has a big play offense as well, scoring on plays that covered 82 and 85 yards respectively, but Miami proved in their opener that they have the weapons to keep up in a high scoring battle. Jacory Harris, Graig Cooper, Javarris James, Travis Benjamin, and Aldarious Johnson all have the ability to take it the distance on any given play, whether it be passing, rushing, or on special teams.

Miami keys to the game

Protect Jacory Harris. Harris had all day in the pocket to throw against FSU in their opener and he picked them apart with 386 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. Tech will most likely look to blitz Miami in order to get some pressure on Harris. Miami has an experienced offensive line that starts two juniors and three seniors and how they handle the pressure will be an important factor.

Revenge. After getting walloped last year on national television to the Yellow Jackets they should be extremely focused coming into this game. Tech ran for 472 yards, which was the fifth most gained in school history and the second most allowed defensively by Miami in their rich football history. This game was likely circled, starred, with an asterisk beside it before the season ever began. They need to carry that motivation with them throughout the game.

Special Teams. Graig Cooper had an important kick return against FSU and his explosive kick returning ability will be an important X-factor for the Canes. On the other hand, Miami will also need to contain Tarrant defensively on punt returns. Tarrant might have been a surprise to everybody except Georgia Tech fans in the first two games of the season, but after returning a punt for a long touchdown in each of his first two games he should no longer be able to sneak up on anybody.

Thursday night football

Georgia Tech is now back to .500 all time with an 11-11 record. However, they will be playing in their first Thursday night road game since 2003 and they are only 1-4 on the road all-time.

Jason Fox vs. Derrick Morgan

Jason Fox is one of the best offensive tackles in the ACC and Derrick Morgan is one of the best defensive ends in the ACC. They will not always be lined up against each other but when they do it will be interesting to see who wins the battle. Clemson tried to solo block Morgan last week and he had the game of his life with 10 tackles, four for a loss of yards, and three sacks.

Killer Instinct

The Yellow Jackets still lack a killer instinct and have been outscored 30-12 in the second half in their first two games combined. After going up 24-0, Tech went eight straight offensive possessions against Clemson without putting points in the board. Eight! That kind of futility was painful to watch.

Offensive Consistency

Georgia Tech has only sustained one touchdown drive longer than seven plays and three minutes this season. They have also been in the red-zone eight times and scored only two touchdowns. One sign of a truly great offensive team is red zone proficiency where they score touchdowns at least half of the time that they enter the red zone. This is a crucial statistic to monitor, especially when playing away from home.

Coastal Division Rivalry

GT has won four straight against Miami and they will need to continue this trend if they hope to win an ACC title. The Yellow Jackets play five Coastal Division games every season and the first one this year is against the Hurricanes. GT lost two of those five games last season, which ended up costing them a chance to play for the ACC championship as they lost the head to head tie breaker against Virginia Tech. The Jackets will need to win at least four of their five Coastal Division games this season in order to have a solid chance of playing for the ACC championship.

Injury Update

Out: WR Tyler Melton (left knee MCL injury – out one week), QB Jaybo Shaw (broken collarbone – out two to four weeks), LB Kyle Jackson (foot)

Prediction