Georgia Tech gets Boston College at home on Saturday, and the Yellow Jackets have a few paths they can press if they want to bounce back from last week’s road loss to Virginia Tech. The Eagles are riding into this one off a win over Pittsburgh, but Georgia Tech has spent the week talking about one theme in particular: consistency. That has been the issue, and that’s what the Jackets are trying to clean up before kickoff.
One place Georgia Tech can attack is through the air. Alberto Mendoza just posted a career-high 335 passing yards against Virginia Tech, and the offense looked as if it was finally finding its rhythm.
Georgia Tech is averaging 254.7 passing yards per game, good for No. 44 nationally, and the pieces around Mendoza have started to pop. Jordan Allen has emerged, Kevin Roche Jr and Dalen Penson have been reliable targets, and Javien Plummer and Debron Gatling have both supplied explosive plays.
Boston College has been vulnerable in that area too, ranking No. 92 against the pass and allowing 210.3 yards per game.
Turnovers are another swing point, especially because Georgia Tech has not created many of them this season. The Jackets have just six turnovers on the year, including one interception and five fumble recoveries.
Boston College quarterback McKenzie, meanwhile, has thrown seven interceptions and had two picks in the win over Pittsburgh. He can also get locked into where he wants to go with the football, which gives Georgia Tech a chance if it can get enough pressure and tighten up in coverage.
Tae Harris, Jaylen Mbakwe, Kelvin Hill, Trae Stevenson Jr, and Cayman Spaulding are among the players who could be in position to capitalize. Georgia Tech’s defensive front found success in the second half against Virginia Tech, and Key said on Tuesday that the Jackets changed looks more than anything else to affect the passer.
That kind of approach could matter again here.
“I definitely feel like those turnovers are coming and I feel like with us just keep doing what we're doing and keep putting more pressure on the quarterback each week and getting better and better. I feel like those pressures are and sacks and all that definitely going to come,” said Bradford.
The ground game gives Georgia Tech another opening. The Jackets are only No. 110 nationally in rushing offense, but the last few weeks have shown signs of progress, and the offensive line has clearly been trending in the right direction. Brent Key praised that group after the last game, saying:
“The first time I saw an offensive line, they came out and played competitive football together. I think that those guys played the best game they've played.
Played collectively, played together. They played their absolute tails off.
And y'all know, and everybody knows, that I'm the first one to get here and say if they don't, especially that group, right? But that took time.
That took time because every week was new,” said Key.
That matters because Georgia Tech appears to be getting healthier up front, and the run game reflected it against Virginia Tech. Trelain Maddox averaged nearly nine yards per carry in that game, and if the Jackets keep building on that performance, they could post their best rushing output of the season. Boston College comes in with the No. 94 rush defense, giving up 159.5 yards per game, so this is another area Georgia Tech can lean on if it wants to control Saturday’s matchup.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Faces A Tough Homecoming Depth Test Against Boston College
Georgia Techs homecoming week has brought a familiar kind of concern, with the teams injury report offering a clearer picture of just how much depth will be tested against Boston College. The Yellow Jackets are still dealing with several unavailable or questionable players, and the list comes at a time when every healthy body matters as the schedule tightens and the atmosphere around homecoming usually raises expectations on both sides of the ball.
One of the bigger names on the report is defensive contributor Tawfiq Thomas, who is unavailable for the game, leaving another hole for Georgia Tech to fill on a unit already navigating its share of uncertainty. On the other side of the ball, there is some relief in the backfield, where Justice Haynes is expected to return as the starter, giving the Yellow Jackets at least one important answer as they sort through the rest of the roster heading into Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Georgias Backfield Problem Could Be Bigger Than Tech Fans Realize
Georgias running game was a clear issue in the loss to Auburn, and the problem went beyond one sluggish afternoon. Injuries have thinned the backfield, with Chauncey Bowens and Dante Dowdell both dealing with issues, leaving the Bulldogs short on their usual depth and forcing them to piece together production on the fly.
Nate Frazier was back in the lineup, and Kirby Smart made a point of praising his effort and toughness, but the return did not translate into much on the stat sheet. Georgia is now leaning on the bye week to help heal up and get the ground game moving again, though there is still uncertainty about how quickly the room will get back to full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Faces A Big Test They Cant Keep Failing
Georgia Tech heads into its game with Boston College still trying to find something close to a reliable identity on either side of the ball. The Yellow Jackets have shown flashes this season, but the inconsistency has been hard to ignore, and the next step is obvious: clean up the offense, tighten the defense and turn more possessions into points when the field shrinks in the red zone.
There is at least a blueprint from the recent Virginia Tech game, where the Jackets showed stretches of sharper defensive football that gave the staff reason for optimism. The larger challenge now is carrying that into another week and making the operation simpler and more efficient, especially with a conference win at home carrying plenty of weight in a season that still feels like it is searching for traction. [Read more 🡒]