Yellow Jackets look for back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they play at Virginia
Georgia Tech defensive back Kenyatta Watson II, left, and defensive back Jaylon King (14) celebrate after defeating North Carolina of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Atlanta. Credit: AP/John Bazemore
Georgia Tech (4-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) at Virginia (2-6, 1-3), Saturday, 2 p.m. (CW Network)
Line: Virginia by 2 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Virginia leads 22-21-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Georgia Tech can move within one win of bowl eligibility with a victory, but the Yellow Jackets will have to end their pattern of alternating wins and losses. Virginia has to win out to attain bowl eligibility and has played better of late, stunning then-No. 10 North Carolina and taking Miami to overtime before losing.
KEY MATCHUP
Georgia Tech QB Haynes King against the Virginia defense. King, only a sophomore, has thrown for 21 touchdowns, the most ever for a Yellow Jackets quarterback through eight games. He broke the record of 19 TD throws in the first eight games set by Joe Hamilton in 1999, when he was the Heisman Trophy runnerup.
Georgia Tech running back Dontae Smith (4) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against North Carolina, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Atlanta. Credit: AP/John Bazemore
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Georgia Tech: RB Dontae Smith. He had 178 rushing yards in Georgia Tech's victory against then-No. 17 North Carolina, the most by a Tech running back since KirVonte Benson’s 196 at Pittsburgh on Sept. 23, 2017.
Virginia: WR Malik Washington. He's 65 yards shy of 1,000 for the season and has six 100-yard receiving games, including three straight. No Virginia receiver has ever had four in a row. His reception total, 68, is 24 more than any other ACC player.
FACTS & FIGURES
Virginia running back Mike Hollins (7) runs into the end zone to score a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Miami, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
The Yellow Jackets are 4-0 against ranked ACC teams under coach Brent Key, who took over during last season and is in his first full year as coach. ... Three of those four wins came on the road. ... Georgia Tech gained 635 yards in the victory against North Carolina, incuding 246 rushing yards in the fourth quarter. ... Despite its record, Virginia has opened double-digit leads in five of its eight games. ... Three of its losses came by three points or less, and they are 1-7 in such games under second-year coach Tony Elliott. ... The Cavaliers are 12th in the league in scoring offense, averaging 23.9 points, and 13th in scoring defense, allowing 30.9.
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