Georgia Tech got the result it needed Saturday, knocking off Duke and giving its ACC standing a much-needed boost. The Yellow Jackets still have work to do, but the win gives them something to build on if they can carry it forward the right way.
The bigger picture in the conference is still crowded, messy, and very much unsettled. Miami remains the only undefeated team in the ACC, and with Pittsburgh and Duke both taking losses over the weekend, the Hurricanes now sit alone at the top as the clear favorite to reach Charlotte and win the league for a College Football Playoff bid.
Behind Miami, though, there’s a long line of one-loss teams, Georgia Tech included. And that’s where the road ahead gets interesting for the Yellow Jackets. They still have Wake Forest, Clemson, and Pittsburgh left on the schedule, giving them a real chance to climb the standings or knock another contender off course before the year is out.
For Georgia Tech, though, the focus can’t drift too far ahead. The Duke win mattered, and it showed what this team can look like when things click. But it also left plenty to clean up, especially on defense.
That becomes the next test this weekend, when Georgia Tech heads on the road to face Virginia Tech. The Hokies are coming off a rough stretch after starting 4-0 just two weeks ago and drawing plenty of attention as a possible Charlotte team. Since then, they’ve dropped games to Pitt at home and Cal last weekend, even with Cal missing its starting quarterback and best defensive player.
Road games are never easy, but Virginia Tech is beatable.
To pull it off, Georgia Tech will need to find a way to slow down Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who has looked like one of the ACC’s best, and tight end Luke Reynolds, who is drawing plenty of first-round NFL draft buzz.
Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech will kick off at 3:30 this weekend on ACC Network.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech's Next ACC Test Just Got A Lot More Real
Georgia Techs next chance to steady things in the ACC now has a time slot attached to it, with the league setting Boston Colleges visit for a midafternoon kickoff at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. The matchup lands on October 24 and gives the Yellow Jackets another conference game with some early-season weight, especially with both teams trying to climb back toward .500.
The details also sharpen the picture of where each program stands entering the stretch run. Georgia Tech has the slight edge in league play, while Boston College is still looking for its first ACC win, and the stage will be set on the ACC Network in a window that should give the game a little more attention than a typical late-October noon start. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech May Finally Be Turning A Corner At The Right Time
Georgia Techs win over Duke offered another sign that the Yellow Jackets may be settling in at the right moment. The victory pushed their streak against the Blue Devils to six straight, and it came with a cleaner, more complete showing on both sides of the ball than Tech has managed at other points this season. The offense was steadier, the defense held up well enough to support it, and the overall performance gave the coaching staff something to build on heading into the next stretch.
There were encouraging signs throughout the lineup, from improved efficiency through the air to a ground game that found the end zone repeatedly. Still, the bigger question is whether this was a one-game lift or the start of something more sustainable, especially with Virginia Tech up next. The Jackets have reasons to feel better about where they are now, but there are still enough gaps to keep the spotlight on how they follow it up. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Just Got A Homecoming Setup Fans Will Notice
Georgia Techs recent home win over Duke gave Brent Keys team a little breathing room and a reminder of what steady play can look like when the Yellow Jackets are connected on both sides of the ball. The schedule now sends them to Blacksburg for Virginia Tech, but the next date that will matter to plenty of fans back in Atlanta is the return to Bobby Dodd Stadium, where homecoming against Boston College is taking shape as one of the more noticeable spots on the fall calendar.
The matchup with the Eagles has now been placed in the afternoon window, with the league and television slot giving it a familiar feel for a fan base that will be watching closely. Keys message after the Duke win centered on the same themes Georgia Tech has leaned on all season - consistency, effort and doing the work together - and the homecoming setting should add another layer of attention when the Yellow Jackets come back home. [Read more 🡒]