Georgia Tech walked out of Saturday with more than just a win over Duke. The Yellow Jackets snapped into their best all-around showing of the season, stretched their winning streak against the Blue Devils to six, and gave Brent Key another clean mark against this opponent: he is now 4-0 against Duke and 3-0 against Manny Diaz.
The performance still had some rough edges, but this was the kind of outing that can settle a team down. Now Georgia Tech heads to Virginia Tech this weekend, with the Hokies coming off back-to-back losses to Pitt and Cal.
Alberto Mendoza looked far more comfortable when the offense gave him help on the ground. He wasn’t dodging pressure on every snap, and the result was one of his sharpest games yet.
Mendoza completed 23 of 30 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, and he also chipped in 16 yards rushing. His best work came on the game-winning drive, when he stayed composed and guided Georgia Tech down the field for the go-ahead score against a Duke defense that has been one of the ACC’s tougher units.
The run game was even more important. Georgia Tech piled up 165 rushing yards on 27 carries, a healthy 6.1 yards per attempt, and Trelain Maddox turned in the best game of his Yellow Jackets career.
He ran for 81 yards and three touchdowns, including a 60-yard score in the second half. Justice Haynes added 69 yards on 14 carries, though neither back was involved much as a receiver.
Georgia Tech got a huge day from Jordan Allen, and that mattered because the rest of the receiving production was limited. Allen was excellent, catching all 10 of his targets for 99 yards and a touchdown. He kept showing up when the offense needed a play.
Beyond him, the passing game was quieter. Isaiah Fuhrmann had two catches for 27 yards, Debron Gatling grabbed a 21-yard reception, and Dalen Penson added one catch for 13 yards.
The tight ends were not major factors, and the blocking from that group was shaky. Chris Corbo, Kevin Roche Jr, and Gavin Harris each had two catches, but nobody in that group topped 18 receiving yards. For run blocking, the grades were:
Gavin Harris- 47.8
Chris Corbo- 47.4
Kevin Roche Jr- 54.5
Up front, Georgia Tech’s offensive line turned in its best outing of the year, even with injuries still hanging over the group. Duke came in looking to create chaos and get after the quarterback, but the Yellow Jackets kept Alberto Mendoza clean.
Duke never sacked him and finished with only four tackles for loss. Virginia Tech brings another defense that can heat up the pocket, so the line is headed for another real test.
The defensive line did enough to help limit Duke to 4.5 yards per carry, but it wasn’t a night for individual standouts. Georgia Tech finished with five tackles for loss and still couldn’t get to Walker Eget for a sack. Jordan Walker and Noah Carter were both out, and the Yellow Jackets are hoping to have them back this week against Virginia Tech, which has one of the ACC’s most talented quarterbacks.
Two defenders who did stand out were E.J. Lightsey and Melvin Jordan IV, the highest-graded players on the Georgia Tech defense per Pro Football Focus. The run defense is still a problem, and there was poor tackling on Duke’s final drive, but this was still one of the better defensive showings Georgia Tech has put together this season.
The secondary also had pieces back, with Jaylen Mbakwe and Savion Riley returning while Daiquan White remained out. It was a decent performance overall. Georgia Tech didn’t give up many explosive passes, but it also didn’t come away with a takeaway.
Riley posted a 64.5 overall PFF grade, though his tackling grade was just 26.3. Tae Harris finished with a 59.8 overall grade, and Mbakwe came back with a 60.7 overall grade in his return.
That group now gets another difficult assignment against Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and the Hokies’ offense.
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 Just Kept Its ACC Path Alive In A Crowded Race
Georgia Techs win over Duke did more than add another ACC victory to the ledger. It kept the Yellow Jackets squarely in the mix in a conference race that suddenly has no shortage of one-loss teams chasing unbeaten Miami, and it gave the program a little more room to dream as the schedule tightens.
The path ahead, though, is anything but simple. Wake Forest, Clemson and Pittsburgh all loom as games that could reshape Techs place in the league and its postseason outlook, and first comes a trip to Virginia Tech, where the Hokies have dropped two straight but still lean on quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and tight end Luke Reynolds to drive the offense. [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 🡒]