Duke/GT 10/5 set for an 8pm kick on ACC Network

[MWBATL]

No reason to be “scared.” However they have won all five of their games. Something GT has not done. This is likely a tough close game.

Is my memory that bad, or did we have this same Duke team dominated for 3 quarters 2 years ago iirc. We led 20-6, with our very weak defense smothering their offense, then they rallied in the 4th quarter to force OT which we won, but I blame that on our defense and letting up on offense, rather than any intrinsic abilities by Duke. I am expecting a similar game. Not a blow-out win for GT, but I expect we are better and we will show it.

 

[Root4GT]

Is my memory that bad, or did we have this same Duke team dominated for 3 quarters 2 years ago iirc. We led 20-6, with our very weak defense smothering their offense, then they rallied in the 4th quarter to force OT which we won, but I blame that on our defense and letting up on offense, rather than any intrinsic abilities by Duke. I am expecting a similar game. Not a blow-out win for GT, but I expect we are better and we will show it.

Do you trust our defense? I am not yet convinced they are even average yet. Our offense has become one dimensional of late and Duke has had a good defense for several years.

I expect a close game based on GT’s performance so far this year which has not been very good.

 

[MWBATL]

Do you trust our defense? I am not yet convinced they are even average yet. Our offense has become one dimensional of late and Duke has had a good defense for several years.

I expect a close game based on GT’s performance so far this year which has not been very good.

I know our defense is better than it was in 2022 when we stifled their offense. And, they haven’t played anyone. UNC’s defense?? PULeeze! And they struggled to score 21 on them.

 

[Root4GT]

I know our defense is better than it was in 2022 when we stifled their offense. And, they haven’t played anyone. UNC’s defense?? PULeeze! And they struggled to score 21 on them.

By your “they haven’t played anyone” standard neither have we at this point. GT is the best win by either Syracuse or Louisville. GT is FSU’s 2nd best game. We haven’t beaten anyone by your standard.

I hope we crush Duke. I doubt we Crush them. We have not been a good team so far this season.

 

[YoungSting]

By your “they haven’t played anyone” standard neither have we at this point. GT is the best win by either Syracuse or Louisville. GT is FSU’s 2nd best game. We haven’t beaten anyone by your standard.

I hope we crush Duke. I doubt we Crush them. We have not been a good team so far this season.

So you’re more worried about us failing than duke being good? Because that’s more of a concern

This is like a spelling be where one kid is getting 3 letter words and the other has choked on some 5 letter words.

 

[UgaBlows]

I know our defense is better than it was in 2022 when we stifled their offense. And, they haven’t played anyone. UNC’s defense?? PULeeze! And they struggled to score 21 on them.

Didn’t we have Keion White then?

 

[MWBATL]

By your “they haven’t played anyone” standard neither have we at this point. GT is the best win by either Syracuse or Louisville. GT is FSU’s 2nd best game. We haven’t beaten anyone by your standard.

I hope we crush Duke. I doubt we Crush them. We have not been a good team so far this season.

I doubt we’ll crush them. I think (read: hope) we’ll control the game, get ahead by 2 scores, and stay ahead by 2 scores. The line sounds about right to me (which, iirc, is what started all this).

Our games against better teams (Louisviile and Syracuse) give us a bit of an edge compared to playing UNC or…who else? I think one learns from playing better competition, even in losses. Especially in close losses.

We aren’t yet a very good team. We’re also not a bad team. I’d say we are currently a middlin’ team, with upside potential. I’d rate Duke a notch lower….

 

[Root4GT]

I doubt we’ll crush them. I think (read: hope) we’ll control the game, get ahead by 2 scores, and stay ahead by 2 scores. The line sounds about right to me (which, iirc, is what started all this).

Our games against better teams (Louisviile and Syracuse) give us a bit of an edge compared to playing UNC or…who else? I think one learns from playing better competition, even in losses. Especially in close losses.

We aren’t yet a very good team. We’re also not a bad team. I’d say we are currently a middlin’ team, with upside potential. I’d rate Duke a notch lower….

Hope you are right. I haven’t seen much from us since FSU that was very encouraging.

 

[bke1984]

So one thing to consider that I haven’t seen many mention - the games where we have looked bad were on the road in tough environments. And I know it was a “home game,” but Florida State was basically a road game as well when you consider the travel and the crowd breakdown. So one way to look at this is that we’ve played 3 road games and 2 home games this year and we are 1-2 on the road while we are 2-0 at home. We’ve looked rough in two of those road games at time, but were in the games late with a chance to win if we make a play here or there. At home we’ve looked far better, albeit against lower tier competition.

I expect us to look much more polished Saturday night for many reasons. We are at home. We are facing a team that has not really been challenged that we should outmatch. We are coming off a bye.

I honestly think we win this one going away. What I’m a little worried about though is how the team reacts if we do. It’d be really easy for them to get overconfident going on the road the following week to face a team that has looked average to very bad and have a letdown. But let’s worry about that next week.

My early prediction - Tech: 35 Duke 16

 

[57jacket]

Georgia Tech still looking to get ground game on track

For coach Brent Key, the issues in getting the ground game back to the levels they were by the end of 2023 haven’t stemmed from one simple issue.

www.ajc.com

 

[iceeater1969]

Do you trust our defense? I am not yet convinced they are even average yet. Our offense has become one dimensional of late and Duke has had a good defense for several years.

I expect a close game based on GT’s performance so far this year which has not been very good.

I am going to take the other side. Duke has played teams that are weak on offense and defense. UNC was strongest and they were down to them 20 at half. Our offense will open up with passing and will always have more vertical routes which will get duke lbs dbs away from LOS.
We have played 2 teams with good talent so i expect us to be ready. The dbs will not play a soft zone so thier qb will have tight windows. We win 34-14

 

[gte447f]

I am going to take the other side. Duke has played teams that are weak on offense and defense. UNC was strongest and they were down to them 20 at half. Our offense will open up with passing and will always have more vertical routes which will get duke lbs dbs away from LOS.
We have played 2 teams with good talent so i expect us to be ready. The dbs will not play a soft zone so thier qb will have tight windows. We win 34-14

Vertical passing game and tight coverage by defensive backs, two things we haven’t seen much out of GT all season. Is this wishful thinking, or do you have some insight?

 

[stinger78]

So one thing to consider that I haven’t seen many mention - the games where we have looked bad were on the road in tough environments. And I know it was a “home game,” but Florida State was basically a road game as well when you consider the travel and the crowd breakdown. So one way to look at this is that we’ve played 3 road games and 2 home games this year and we are 1-2 on the road while we are 2-0 at home. We’ve looked rough in two of those road games at time, but were in the games late with a chance to win if we make a play here or there. At home we’ve looked far better, albeit against lower tier competition.

I expect us to look much more polished Saturday night for many reasons. We are at home. We are facing a team that has not really been challenged that we should outmatch. We are coming off a bye.

I honestly think we win this one going away. What I’m a little worried about though is how the team reacts if we do. It’d be really easy for them to get overconfident going on the road the following week to face a team that has looked average to very bad and have a letdown. But let’s worry about that next week.

My early prediction - Tech: 35 Duke 16

FSU was a road game where we sat on the “home side.” We gave up a home game for that. It was great exposure at the time, but that is now tarnished badly.

 

[AUFC]

FSU was a road game where we sat on the “home side.” We gave up a home game for that. It was great exposure at the time, but that is now tarnished badly.

Obviously it's not a great win now but we were in the mouths of talking heads and fans for an entire week (2 weeks really) after so there will be some long lasting positive effects from that.

 

[stinger78]

Obviously it's not a great win now but we were in the mouths of talking heads and fans for an entire week (2 weeks really) after so there will be some long lasting positive effects from that.

Sure, and I noted such. It has well worn by now, though not totally. The big memory of all that now is Seamus punking all the talking heads, IMPO.

 

[RamblinRed]

I expect us to play better coming off a bye. A chance to rest and reset will be very helpful. I do like our chances.
That said, I don't expect to roll over Duke.
I also have a different view of the 2 losses than some seem to have.
In the Syracuse game, we never had the ball in the 4th Quarter with a chance to win. IMO, the score in that game was closer than GT's chances of winning were.
L'ville was sort of the opposite. GT did have the ball with a chance to take the lead in the 4th quarter. The blocked FG then took that chance away. That game to me was closer than the score indicated, at least until the blocked FG.

I don't think Duke has looked very impressive, but at the end of the day they have found ways to win. Also, in the UNC game, in the first half plays were there for Duke, they were just missing them. Murphy was not good in the first half but was very good in the second half with his throws.

Duke's defense has been very good against the run - 3.5 ypc. If that happens on Saturday then GT is in trouble again.
Here are the rankings going into this game.

FEI
GT #60 overall, #26 offense, #98 Defense, #102 ST
Duke #57 overall, #84 offense, #28 Defense, #56 ST

SP+
GT #52 overall, #21 offense, #84 Defense
Duke #36 overall, #77 offense, #18 Defense

Sagarin
GT #58 overall, #63 SoS
Duke #66 overall, #116 SoS

ESPN FPI
GT #49
Duke #59

Statistically it is strength on strength and weakness on weakness.

 

[Oakland]

Our win against FSU has not been tarnished, but our win got into their heads. Remember when we had FSU beat in 1992 and we lost at the end and how it affected the Georgia Tech football program afterwards.

 

[Bogey]

I am looking for a close game with GT pulling out a 1 score victory. Hope to see improvements on both sides of the ball for us.
And hoping we can save a few surprises for UNC's GC5 next week which will help send him down to G5 where he belongs.

 

[stinger78]

Our win against FSU has not been tarnished, but our win got into their heads. Remember when we had FSU beat in 1992 and we lost at the end and how it affected the Georgia Tech football program afterwards.

I agree we got in their heads, no doubt about that, and contributed to their breakdown. However, I cannot agree that the win means the same today as it did the day we beat them, other than it’s still a W. Always will be. The college football world is less impressed with that W today than at game’s end.

 

[iceeater1969]

.

I expect us to play better coming off a bye. A chance to rest and reset will be very helpful. I do like our chances.
That said, I don't expect to roll over Duke.
I also have a different view of the 2 losses than some seem to have.
In the Syracuse game, we never had the ball in the 4th Quarter with a chance to win. IMO, the score in that game was closer than GT's chances of winning were.
L'ville was sort of the opposite. GT did have the ball with a chance to take the lead in the 4th quarter. The blocked FG then took that chance away. That game to me was closer than the score indicated, at least until the blocked FG.

I don't think Duke has looked very impressive, but at the end of the day they have found ways to win. Also, in the UNC game, in the first half plays were there for Duke, they were just missing them. Murphy was not good in the first half but was very good in the second half with his throws.

Duke's defense has been very good against the run - 3.5 ypc. If that happens on Saturday then GT is in trouble again.
Here are the rankings going into this game.

FEI
GT #60 overall, #26 offense, #98 Defense, #102 ST
Duke #57 overall, #84 offense, #28 Defense, #56 ST

SP+
GT #52 overall, #21 offense, #84 Defense
Duke #36 overall, #77 offense, #18 Defense

Sagarin
GT #58 overall, #63 SoS
Duke #66 overall, #116 SoS

ESPN FPI
GT #49
Duke #59

Statistically it is strength on strength and weakness on weakness.

As usual. Good current info with reasonable conclusion.
Wish there were current stats that didnt include fcs slaughtering games.

That said ACC stats shows Dukes 5 wins and our 3 wins have similar team rushing ( but our recent rb rushing is very bad). In passing our qb is all world = top %, top int 1, 2nd in yds per reception. recent game the final drive was excellent passing.

Imo, we have upside if we take passing risk on downfield passing (last game the duke db looked good against unc 3rd st D ing qb ).

Need to put JH in motion, tell ol to give 5 seconds, tell HK be careful but SCRAMBLE run or pass. Quick pass to JH or Boyd or brusier te (JH former wr in space, boyd former wr , and briser who will fall forward). HK has real speed.

I think this plan should wear out duke dl and at end ol able to bully them for the win

This will open up the non redzone run game and get us ready for real football season ( nd, vt, mia, ncst, uga, bowl).

Must find a scheme( for short yardage as most of these teams have good to excellent depth at dl.
I am ready to see Key take risks.