Georgia Tech At Virginia Tech Gobbler Country Staff Picks

Jay Johnson

The Hokies must to stay focused. VT just earned an unexpected cushion with Duke's one point upset over UNC on Thursday night. Just because Virginia Tech has a cushion doesn't mean they should use it. Last year, the Hokies barely escaped, 23-21. In 2014 GT won, 27-24. VPI's 2013 effort was a Hokie win, 17-10. The last three years have all been decided by one score or less, and relatively low scoring. This season GT's best win is a three point victory over Duke, but they are a team built to take advantage of VT's weaknesses. The Hokies cannot let GT control the game with their rushing attack, and they certainly cannot be baited into giving up long pass plays. In the last three meetups the Hokies have given up multiple 20+ yard pass plays to the Yellow Jackets. The longest pass was a 58 yard completion during last year's Hokie win. Virginia Tech has shown some sluggishness on offense and some vulnerability on defense. The offense has to stay on the field and dictate the tempo of this game. Numerous three and outs will force the defense to be on the field for long swaths of time against the triple option, and they will get tired, which will open up opportunities for GT. The Hokies must generate sustained scoring drives that don't stall in the red zone. I think this one is a brawl, and I am concerned. Hokies, 24-21.

John Schneider

Georgia Tech's defense isn't so hot this year. They have relied on their ability to score points to get any sort of traction. The fact remains that they are currently 5-4 and that means they are actually still a very dangerous team. Even with their lead running back out, they still have some running talent in the backfield. That is also something that needs to be in a serious block of ponderables. Georgia Tech is a dangerous team, with a dangerous offensive scheme. To beat their triple option the defense is going to have to play a completely different football game than they are used to. The Yellow Jacket passing game is so inconsistent that it is dangerous. #DBU might be tempted to fall asleep on some series and you can be sure that Paul Johnson is going to call ambush plays. This game is going to be a slugfest, Neither team ever really runs away from the other. It won't be a particularly low scoring game, either. I just get the feeling that someone in the Hokie OC office needs to remember the passing game. We have sort of forgotten it for two games in a row. If the Hokies can corral the dive, flow with and extend the sweeps, and cover the pitch by bending the string behind the line of scrimmage, the Virginia Tech offense might just get the chance to drive and score. I see this as a one and a half score game. 27-20 Hokies.

Roy Hatfield

The Hokies have way too much talent for a let down in this one. With a trip to the A.C.C. Championship on the line, the Hokies dominate. Georgia Tech has been battling injury problems, and suspended their number one running back. Hokies all day 42-10.

Joshua Schneider

Well, yet again we've got multiple factors completely confusing me as to how the Hokies will play in this game. What else is new. Georgia Tech might be without their starting center, definitely won't have their leading rusher, and just is not all that great of a team, especially on defense. It's a home game, where the Hokies have pretty much dominated people...but the run defense has been spotty the past couple games. Very spotty. The defense has been poor at keying runners and keeping man-on defensive alignments. So what am I supposed to exactly say? Do I trust the line when I don't trust how the team will come out? Nope. This game smells of another dogfight. I think Virginia tech wins it 27-24, but I don't feel good about this prediction at all. With Duke dumping UNC last night, I'm on alert.

Jawhar Ali

Honestly, the Hokies are a much more talented team than the Yellow Jackets. They have played better on offense and defense, and Fuente has outcoached Paul Johnson to date. But the thing that keeps nagging at my mind is the triple option offense. The Hokies have not been the run-stuffing unit on defense they were at the start of the season. Dive plays could be very effective, even though GT is missing it’s leading rusher. However, the Hokies offense should have no problem putting points up against the Yellow Jackets defense, but we have seen spurts where Jerod Evans and the receivers just aren’t in sync. If that happens and it is coupled with the inability to run the ball, this game could come down to the wire.

Hokies clinch the Coastal Division 30-24.