After a bye week, Georgia Tech was able to do its job and defeat previously undefeated Duke University. The Yellow Jackets were able to bounce back from the loss to Louisville, but bouncing back from the loss wasn’t an issue for Brent Key. Georgia Tech will be looking to improve their consistency and continue their winning streak, and their next challenge will be a road game against North Carolina. The Tar Heels are on a three-game losing streak, gave up 70 points against James Madison, and are a team that appears to be going in the wrong direction.
So what will be the big storyline heading into Saturday’s game?
1. Jeff Collins plays against his old team for the first time
This was a clear No. 1, and for good reason. Former Georgia Tech head coach Jeff Collins is the Tar Heels’ defensive coordinator, but things haven’t been going smoothly so far. As mentioned before, UNC allowed 70 points in a loss to James Madison and ranks 15th in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing an average of 28.7 PPG this season.
Earlier in the offseason, Collins said of his dismissal from Georgia Tech:
“That’s always been the case,” Collins said, “because throughout my career, it’s been consistently success, success, success, success. And when you go through that, it’s very introspective and introspective. Be reflective. I think a lot of people are like, ‘What can you do, can you just deflect everything instead of just blaming and blaming and going inside and going through the process? What could have been done differently, what could have been done betterObviously, everyone knows the situation that is happening. But it doesn’t matter. What could you have done better next time?
“That’s the advantage for me: I get to take a year to regroup and be very introspective, and then I get to work for a Hall of Fame player and watch how he works every day. , it’s been great for my life.”My career has been great for my soul and being able to come out here every day and pour into this young people and this culture and the programs that are set up for success. That’s all,” Collins said.
Collins had a 10-28 record as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach.
2. Can Georgia Tech continue its recent success against North Carolina?
This matchup is one in which Georgia Tech has had a lot of success lately, with the Yellow Jackets pulling off upsets over top-ranked North Carolina teams in the last three games. That hasn’t been the case this year, but Georgia Tech has had a lot of success against North Carolina anyway. Georgia Tech not only won three straight in the series, but five of six overall. The University of North Carolina hasn’t beaten Georgia Tech in Chapel Hill since 2016. The University of North Carolina appears to be going in the wrong direction, but will they take the noon kick to beat Georgia Tech?
3. Can Georgia Tech’s run defense slow Omarion Hampton?
It’s been a night and day difference for Georgia Tech’s run defense this season. Last year their run defense was one of the worst in the country, but this year their run defense has become their strength. The Yellow Jackets have the No. 1 run defense, giving up just 87.5 yards per game, but will face arguably the best running back in the ACC. Omarion Hampton is the ACC’s leading rusher and the nation’s third-leading rusher with 764 yards and seven touchdowns, and is the Tar Heels’ primary source of offense. This will be the Yellow Jackets’ run defense’s biggest challenge yet.
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Georgia Tech opens Saturday as a road favorite against North Carolina State.
