Virginia Football vs. Georgia Tech Game Preview, Score Prediction

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-3, 2-1 ACC) host the Virginia Cavaliers (2-4, 0-3 ACC) in a Thursday-night ACC conflict in Atlanta. Each UVA and Georgia Tech are coming off of a bye week, however these two Coastal rivals are trending in reverse instructions as they start the second half of their seasons. Virginia is available in on a three-game dropping streak and has but to win an ACC recreation or a street recreation, whereas Georgia Tech has flourished since parting methods with head coach Geoff Collins in late September and enter this week on a two-game profitable streak. 

Learn on for a full preview of Virginia at Georgia Tech, together with particulars on how one can watch, stat comparisons, offensive and defensive scouting reviews, and a rating prediction. 

Sport Particulars

Who: Virginia Cavaliers (2-4, 0-3 ACC) at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-3, 2-1 ACC)

When: Thursday, October twentieth at 7:30pm

The place: Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

Learn how to watch: ESPN

Learn how to stream: fuboTV (Begin your free trial)

All-time collection: Tied 21-21-1

Final assembly: Virginia defeated Georgia Tech 48-40 in Charlottesville final season.

Unfold: Georgia Tech -3

Over/Below: 47

Stat Comparisons

Opponent Snapshot: Georgia Tech

2021: 3-9, 2-6 ACC

2022: 3-3, 2-1 ACC
Wins: vs. Western Carolina 35-17, at Pittsburgh 26-21, vs. Duke 23-20 (OT)
Losses: vs. Clemson 41-10, vs. Ole Miss 42-0, at UCF 27-10

Geoff Collins had the most well liked seat within the ACC coming into the season after profitable simply 9 whole video games in his first three seasons at Georgia Tech. A 1-3 begin to the season sealed his destiny and, because it seems, the destiny of Georgia Tech athletic director Todd Stansbury, as each Collins and Stansbury have been dismissed on September twenty sixth. Assistant head coach Brent Key was named the interim head coach and he and the Yellow Jackets have finished nothing in need of an outstanding job responding to this problem. 

Because the firing of Collins, Georgia Tech has gained every of its final two video games, together with a surprising 26-21 upset win on the street in opposition to then-No. 24 Pittsburgh adopted by an exhilarating 23-20 extra time win in opposition to a stable Duke group on October eighth. New life has been injected into the Yellow Jackets’ season as they’ve already matched their win whole from every of the earlier three years on the midway level of this season. Georgia Tech will look to maintain the ball rolling at residence in opposition to a struggling Virginia squad. 

Georgia Tech Offense vs. Virginia Protection

Twin-threat quarterback Jeff Sims is the engine of the Georgia Tech offense. Sims has accomplished 104 of 188 passes (58.8%) for 1,068 passing yards and 5 touchdowns, however he’s extra harmful together with his legs. Not accounting for sack yards, Sims is the group’s main rusher with 430 dashing yards and a landing. With sack yards included, he’s Georgia Tech’s second-leading rusher with 287 yards, which trails Hassan Corridor, a switch from Louisville who has 330 dashing yards and averages 5.4 yards per rush. UVA could be very acquainted with Corridor, as he rushed for 162 yards and a landing in a recreation in opposition to Virginia when he was with Louisville final season. 

Within the receiving recreation, Sims’ prime goal is sophomore receiver Nate McCollum, who has 29 catches for 283 yards and a landing up to now this season. The Yellow Jackets have the ACC’s worst passing offense within the nation, although, averaging simply 178.8 passing yards per recreation and so they have scored solely 5 passing touchdowns. Sims has been higher of late, nevertheless, throwing for 232 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to Duke. Georgia Tech additionally rushed for 180 yards in what was a breakthrough offensive recreation within the win over Duke. 

The Yellow Jackets rank final within the ACC in scoring offense at 17.3 factors per recreation, slightly below Virginia (17.8), however the Georgia Tech offensive unit is taking part in with confidence now, whereas the Virginia protection has struggled mightily within the final couple of video games after beginning the season off robust. Virginia had not allowed 400 yards of whole offense in a recreation by means of the primary 5 weeks of the season, however then gave up 473 whole yards to Louisville and backup quarterback Brock Domann in week 6. 

Massive performs have been the bane of the UVA protection in 2021, however the Cavaliers had improved considerably in that space early on this season beneath new defensive coordinator John Rudzinski. Virginia relapsed in opposition to Louisville, although, surrendering 11 performs of 15 or extra yards to the Cardinals, together with six performs of 20 or extra yards and touchdowns of 32 and 44 yards. 

Massive performs will probably be one thing to look at on Thursday, as will purple zone execution. Georgia Tech began off the season scoring on simply 4 of its 11 purple zone journeys by means of the primary 4 video games. Within the final two video games, the Yellow Jackets have scored on 10 of their 11 purple zone journeys and have began having extra success throwing the ball in that space of the sector as effectively, recording two purple zone passing touchdowns after having just one such rating within the first 4 weeks. The UVA protection, then again, has allowed its opponents to attain on 19 of their 21 journeys to the purple zone in opposition to the Cavaliers, together with 11 touchdowns. After forcing some key purple zone turnovers early within the season, Virginia has now gone the final 4 video games with out recording a purple zone takeaway. 

One last class to notice is sacks. The UVA cross rush led the ACC in sacks after 4 video games with 14 sacks. Within the final two video games, the Cavaliers have managed only one sack and did not get to the quarterback a single time in opposition to Louisville. The UVA defensive entrance should get again on this observe and that unit may have a stable probability to take action in opposition to a Georgia Tech offensive line that has given up 18 sacks this season, third-most within the ACC. Solely Virginia (20) and Boston School (22) have given up extra sacks. 

Virginia Offense vs. Georgia Tech Protection

That final observe alluded to the struggles of the UVA offensive line and supplies an acceptable transition to the Virginia offense. Sure, the Cavaliers have struggled to guard Brennan Armstrong, however at this level within the season, pocket safety is not even within the prime 5 issues for the UVA offense. Armstrong and the UVA receivers, who mixed to subject among the finest passing models within the nation final season, have recorded simply 5 passing touchdowns this season and common 227.2 passing yards per recreation, eleventh within the ACC. Virginia stays dedicated to the bottom recreation, however ranks twelfth within the ACC at 129.7 dashing yards per recreation. The Cavaliers have begun to have some success shifting the ball down the sector, however proceed to wrestle to complete drives with touchdowns. UVA’s scoring offense ranks thirteenth within the ACC at 17.8 factors per recreation. Drops, turnovers, and penalties proceed to plague what ought to be a gifted Virginia offense. 

Fortuitously for the Hoos, the Georgia Tech protection is not a lot better, rating twelfth within the ACC in each scoring protection – 28.0 factors per recreation allowed – and whole protection – 389.5 yards per recreation allowed. The Yellow Jackets are stronger in cross protection the place they rank 4th within the ACC (208.5 yards per recreation allowed) than in rush protection, the place they permit 181.0 yards on the bottom per recreation, thirteenth within the ACC. So it won’t be shocking to see UVA proceed its efforts to determine the run recreation. The Yellow Jackets do have two of the ACC’s prime tacklers in senior linebackers Ayinde Eley, who leads the convention with 10.8 tackles per recreation (and likewise has 3.5 sacks) and Charlie Thomas, who’s sixth within the ACC at 8.7 tackles per recreation. 

The actual hope for the Cavaliers, although, is that the bye week allowed Tony Elliott, Des Kitchings, Brennan Armstrong, and the Virginia receivers to treatment the afflictions of this once-great UVA passing assault. Keytaon Thompson is the one receiver to not expertise a big decline in manufacturing this season, main the group with 41 catches for 449 yards, though he has but to file a receiving landing. Dontayvion Wicks lastly hauled in an extended receiving landing on a deep ball from Armstrong in opposition to Louisville, however drops proceed to be a difficulty for the 2021 First-Staff All-ACC choice. Lavel Davis Jr. ranks among the many nation’s greatest in yards per catch, however he has solely 14 receptions on the season. And UVA has additionally sorely missed Billy Kemp IV, who has missed important time with quite a lot of illnesses, most not too long ago an ankle damage suffered early within the recreation at Duke. The fifth-year slot receiver is anticipated to be accessible at Georgia Tech, per this week’s UVA soccer damage report. 

With very robust opponents awaiting the Cavaliers within the again half of the schedule, this may be the final alternative for them to get right into a rhythm offensively earlier than they face defenses that may gladly reap the benefits of UVA’s offensive weaknesses. The second half of the season generally is a contemporary begin for the Virginia offense, however it should begin instantly on Thursday night time in Atlanta. 

Prediction

The sentiment across the Cavaliers this week is that each one six video games remaining on their schedule are winnable. The arrogance is admirable and is an encouraging signal that the perspective of the group is in the precise place regardless of the 2-4 begin to the season. I’ve picked Virginia to win all six video games up to now this season, as I genuinely believed the Hoos may win in the event that they put forth their greatest effort. The identical might be true for UVA on this recreation at Georgia Tech and it is totally potential that is the week Virginia pulls all of it collectively to safe the primary ACC win of the Tony Elliott period. Nevertheless, I’ve predicted Virginia to win six instances and 4 instances I’ve been flawed, together with in every of the final three video games. Till the Cavaliers present one thing on the sector, I will be going with the developments that present UVA going downhill quick and Georgia Tech on the rise with all the momentum. I hope I am flawed once more. 

Rating Prediction: Virginia 17, Georgia Tech 20

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