Keys To Victory: Virginia At Georgia Tech

The key to winning Thursday's ACC game between Virginia and Georgia Tech.

Don't discount consistency: At this point in the season, the Cavaliers have played very well in several games. Their second half play at Syracuse was almost good enough to beat the Orange. Last time, they opened 10-0 in the first quarter against Louisville, only to fall before the last play of the second period. There has been positive growth in wins over FCS opponent Richmond and an Old Dominion State opponent, but the Hoos have yet to come together from start to finish. It would be to their advantage to finally do that, and if they can win against Georgia Tech, they will increase their chances of winning and show a big step to start the second half of the campaign. theirs.

Get ready to stop the run: Under incumbent coach Brent Key, the Yellow Jackets handled the ball much better than they did under deposed league leader Jeff Collins. In back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh and Key-led Duke, Georgia Tech averaged 206 yards per game compared to just 123.2 yards per game in their 1-3 start under Collins. In UVa's last loss to Louisville, the Cardinals hit Huss for 198 yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Cavaliers must prepare for an offense from Georgia Tech, which has keyed Key, the former running game coordinator, demonstrating his commitment to the running game. UVa had no tackles from the Louisville loss, and that would have to change to disrupt the Yellow Jackets' running game, which includes running back Jeff Sims and running backs Hassan Hall, Donte Smith and Dylan McDuffie.

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Get this : UVa quarterback Brennan Armstrong has been better in the last two games, and his completion percentage should probably be higher than the 55% it is at right now. At times his wide receivers, who were so strong a year ago, failed to catch the ball with the same efficiency. Dontyvion Weeks and Cathaon Thompson both had critical drops against Louisville, but overall Thompson has been solid this fall. Wicks' decline is becoming more consistent each week, and it's certainly confusing for the Cavaliers, who probably thought they could build on their progress in 2021, when he set the school record for rushing yards in a season. Hoos coach Tony Elliot said he has been working closely with the receivers over the past week to reduce dropouts.

Saving the Moment: An upset win over then-No. 24 in Pittsburgh on Oct. 1, followed by an overtime win over Duke on Oct. 8, was a great way for Key, a former Georgia Tech offensive lineman, to preserve Time as interim coach and the Yellow Jackets' hopes will start. their season. Against the Cavaliers, Georgia Tech will have to continue what has worked in the last two games. The Yellow Jackets have suffered losses in each of those contests, allowing Sims dynamic ground and air efforts and limiting the opposition's rushing attack. Pittsburgh star quarterback Israel Abanikanda was limited to 31 yards by Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Yellow Jackets averaged 124 yards per game in back-to-back wins. Taking advantage of turnovers, having a good quarterback and stopping the run is a great recipe for success.

Making critical turnovers: Georgia Tech's 12 turnovers rank second in the ACC this fall, and one area the UVa offense has struggled with this season is ball security. The Cavaliers' 15 losses are a conference record. If Georgia Tech can get the ball and shut down UVa's engines — as some of their opponents have done this season — the Yellow Jackets will create extra possessions for Sims and their offense, reducing the Cavaliers' chances of winning. Against Louisville, Armstrong felt 10-0 in the red, enough for the Cardinals to close the gap and win in Charlottesville.

Find the leader: Hall's 157 yards led Georgia Tech against Pitt, while Sims led the Yellow Jackets' stat line against Duke with 95 yards. Despite using a lot of defenders and including a centre-back in their rushing attack, they have maintained a strong lead with their wins. Even against FCS Western Carolina, it was Smith who beat Georgia Tech with 102 yards and three rushing scores. When one of their forwards puts in an outstanding performance, the Yellow Jackets tend to find a winning streak.

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