FACTS & STATS: Site: Carter-Finley Stadium (57,583) — Raleigh, North
Carolina. Television: ACC Network. Home Record: Georgia Tech, 4-1, NC State
3-2. Away Record: Georgia Tech 3-1, NC State 2-2. Neutral Record: Georgia Tech
0-0, NC State 0-0. Conference Record: Georgia Tech 4-2, NC State 1-4. Series
Record: Georgia Tech leads, 17-10.
GAME NOTES: The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets look to continue their current
winning streak Saturday when they travel to take on the NC State Wolfpack at
Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets improved to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Atlantic Coast
Conference last Saturday after a 35-10 win over Virginia.
Justin Thomas completed 7-of-13 passes for 141 yards with three touchdowns and
one interception for the Yellow Jackets, who have won two straight to keep
pace with Coastal Division leader Duke (3-1).
Synjyn Days had a game-high 24 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown, and also
caught a touchdown for Georgia Tech, which has to win out and hope Duke
falters down the stretch to have a chance at the ACC title game.
DeAndre Smelter caught four passes for 107 yards and a touchdown, as the
Yellow Jackets allowed the fewest points in a game this season.
The Georgia Tech defense has been anything but lights out this season,
allowing an average of over 413 yards and 26 points per game. The only bright
spot is that the offense has been very effective, going for nearly 37 ppg
while averaging 473 ypg.
Leading the way offensively is the dual threat Thomas. The redshirt sophomore
QB averages 80 yards per game on the ground, while adding an average of 139
yards through the air. He has accounted for 18 of the 43 offensive touchdowns
for the Yellow Jackets this season.
Georgia Tech’s next big threat is Laskey, who averages a team best 85 ypg on
the ground while adding five rushing scores. Smelter is the leading receiver
with 24 catches for 569 yards with six TDs.
NC State enters Saturday’s game coming off its first ACC win of the season.
Last Saturday, the Wolfpack used a combination of strong defense and special
teams play to come away with a 24-17 win over Syracuse.
Down 14-9, NC State DE Pharoah McKever returned an interception 82 yards for
the go-ahead score and changed the momentum of the game, as the Pack defense
caused three second-half turnovers and had eight sacks on the day to secure
the win.
Jacoby Brissett threw for 186 yards and a touchdown, helping NC State improve
to 5-4 overall and 1-4 in the ACC. Brissett completed 20-of-32 passes for the
Wolfpack, who broke out of a four-game losing streak.
Brissett is the offensive leader for the Wolfpack, who average nearly 29 ppg
and just over 395 ypg. Brissett has thrown for 17 touchdowns compared to just
three interceptions, averaging 220 ypg on 61 percent passing. His 1,982 yards
are fifth best in the ACC.
Defensively, the Wolfpack are allowing 389 ypg and 27.6 ppg. Jerod Fernandez
leads the unit with 60 total tackles and two interceptions. Defensive end Art
Norman had 2.5 sacks against Syracuse and now leads the team with 5.5 this
season.
Georgia Tech leads the all-time series against NC State 17-10 and have won six
of the last seven meetings in this series. The Yellow Jackets figure to have
little trouble against the NC State defense, but will the Georgia Tech defense
allow NC State to hang around. Despite a 15-12 record on the road under head
coach Paul Johnson, if Georgia Tech allows that Wolfpack to hang around bad
things will happen.
NC State is a young squad and coming off a conference win, has gained some
momentum. This is homecoming weekend for the Wolfpack and pulling off this
upset will be huge for the program.
The Yellow Jackets have dominated this series in recent years and with a big
game against Clemson on the horizon, it’s easy to see Georgia Tech looking
past this game. Be prepared to expect the unexpected.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Georgia Tech 43, NC State 41
