(4) Virginia Tech 23, (19) Georgia Tech 28

1234T
#4VT (5-2)0371323
#19GT (6-1)0714728

Final

6:00 PM ET, October 17, 2009
Bobby Dodd Stadium
ATLANTA, GA

Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech Preview

Top 25 Overview
ATLANTA, GA - 6:00 PM ET ESPN360.com
Virginia Tech can take firm control of the ACC Coastal race with a win over Georgia Tech. The Hokies don't have a ranked foe after this game and have already beaten Miami. The Yellow Jackets have won three in a row since losing to the Hurricanes. Virginia Tech has won four of six meetings with Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets haven't beaten the Hokies at home since 1990.
Complete Top 25 Overview
Scouts Preview
Hokies will be ready for the spread option, which will force Nesbitt to beat them.
Complete Scouts Inc. Preview
Matchup
 W-LPFPAHOMEROADDIVCONF
VT5-22281344-11-12-13-1
GT6-12271824-02-12-14-1
· Complete Standings
In Close Games (7 points or less. Since 2001)
 RECORD
VT6 - 9
GT10 - 14
Record When Scoring... (Since 2001)
 20 OR MORE30 OR MORE40 OR MORE50 OR MORE
VT72-16-050-3-026-3-010-0-0
GT55-9-031-3-013-1-04-0-0
 LESS THAN 20LESS THAN 30LESS THAN 40LESS THAN 50
VT11-13-033-26-057-26-073-29-0
GT11-34-035-40-053-42-062-43-0
TEAM AVERAGES & NCAA RANKS
OFFENSETMPER GAME AVERAGE / NCAA RANK
Total YardsVT
 
379.6 / 60th
GT
 
449.6 / 12th
Passing YardsVT
 
197.2 / 98th
GT
 
140.5 / 116th
Rushing YardsVT
 
198.1 / 18th
GT
 
314.1 / 2nd
Points ScoredVT
 
30.5 / 34th
GT
 
36.0 / 11th
Full Team Stats: Virginia Tech | Georgia Tech
THIS WEEK'S LINE
FAVORITESPREADUNDERDOGOVER/UNDER
VATECH4GATECH54
Full Daily Lines
Individual Leaders
Virginia Tech Passing
 CMP%YDSTDINT
Taylor55.91917133
Clayto...20.08010
Georgia Tech Passing
 CMP%YDSTDINT
Nesbit...46.4141884
Blair100.03410
Virginia Tech Rushing
 CARYDSAVGTD
Willia...24413555.615
Taylor953103.34
Georgia Tech Rushing
 CARYDSAVGTD
Dwyer18312036.611
Nesbit...2188473.916
Virginia Tech Receiving
 RECYDSAVGTD
Boykin3671519.95
Coale2343719.02
Georgia Tech Receiving
 RECYDSAVGTD
Thomas3995024.46
Peeple...622337.21
Full Player Stats: Virginia Tech | Georgia Tech
STATS LLC

Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech have two of the most potent offenses in the ACC, but with an edge in the Coastal Division at stake, both are focused on defense this week.

The No. 4 Hokies visit the No. 19 Yellow Jackets on Saturday, looking to knock off their third ranked opponent of the season.

Virginia Tech (5-1, 3-0) and Georgia Tech (5-1, 3-1) have each put up big offensive numbers this season, with the Hokies scoring a conference-leading 34.2 points per game, while the Yellow Jackets are averaging an ACC-best 426.7 total yards of offense.

Virginia Tech seems to have a lot fewer question marks, though, after it routed Boston College 48-14 on Saturday for its fifth straight win.

The Hokies outgained the Eagles 441-163 in total offense, and led 34-0 at the half. Tyrod Taylor passed for 126 yards and two touchdowns and backup quarterback Ju-Ju Clayton added another score.

It was the second blowout win in three weeks for Virginia Tech, which beat then-No. 9 Miami 31-7 on Sept. 26.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson was impressed with the Hokies defense.

"You watch Virginia Tech play defense, those jokers are playing fast, now, and they're playing physical," he said.

Johnson added that he is looking for his team to emulate Virginia Tech's defense, and it's not difficult to see why. Although their offenses may be evenly matched, the Hokies and Yellow Jackets' defenses are anything but.

Georgia Tech is giving up the third-most yardage in the ACC (385.2), and is allowing 26.5 points per game -- fourth-most. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, has the conference's second-best scoring defense (17.7).

The Yellow Jackets are coming off a particularly bad defensive performance as they allowed 539 yards of offense in a 49-44 win over Florida State on Saturday.

"I think it's no secret we've got to play better," Johnson said. "When you watch the tape, in my mind when you play like that, everybody is accountable. The guys one the field are accountable. The coaches are accountable but number one, I'm accountable because I'm the number one guy."

Even if he can't always count on his defense, Johnson has been able to rely on big plays from quarterback Josh Nesbitt, who passed for 131 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 140 yards and three scores Saturday. He also ripped an apparent fumble away from Florida State and three plays later, ran it in for a touchdown.

"Josh is a competitor who knows what he is doing," Johnson said. "He is a tough kid, who plays hard and has a strong desire to win. Having said that, on Saturday night, our offensive line probably played their best game of the year. ... So they helped Josh."

Nesbitt has thrown four touchdowns and run for six, and he began the week second in the Football Subdivision among quarterbacks with 503 yards rushing.

Led by Jonathan Dwyer and Nesbitt, Georgia Tech is first in the conference with 227.0 yards on the ground. Virginia Tech is second with 208.5 behind Ryan Williams, the ACC's leading rusher.

Williams, who ran for 159 yards and a touchdown last Saturday, has carried the bulk of the work on offense, rushing for nine touchdowns this year. Coach Frank Beamer, though, continues to praise and credit the team's success to Taylor.

Taylor hasn't put up eye-popping numbers this season, and attempted only 10 passes against the Eagles, but he led scoring drives of 68, 74 and 80 yards in the win. He also continues to get better with his mobility. He's been sacked three times in the last three games after defenses tallied 11 sacks against him in the first three contests.

"I think he's really in charge," Beamer said. "He knows what he's doing and where people are and what they are doing. ... He's playing efficiently and very, very well."

Beamer, Taylor and the Hokies will be looking for their third victory over a ranked opponent in what figures to be a high-scoring game.

"They did give up a lot of yardage, but I'm pretty sure they're going to buckle down and play us tough," Taylor said of Georgia Tech's defense. "We just have to go out there and execute the plays that are called and work off that."

Virginia Tech has won four of six meetings against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets haven't beaten the Hokies at home since 1990.

"As far as the conference championship goes, it's not going to wreck the season one way or another," Johnson said. "But if we want to win our side of the conference, it's an important game."

College Football Scores

Other Scores:

Wednesday, October 14th
5 Boise State 28 Final
Tulsa 21
Thursday, October 15th
8 Cincinnati 34 Final
21 South Florida 17
Saturday, October 17th
Arkansas 20 Final
1 Florida 23
22 South Carolina 6 Final
2 Alabama 20
20 Oklahoma 13 Final
3 Texas 16
4 Virginia Tech 23 Final
19 Georgia Tech 28
6 USC 34 Final
25 Notre Dame 27
7 Ohio State 18 Final
Purdue 26
9 Miami (FL) 27 Final
UCF 7
11 Iowa 20 Final
Wisconsin 10
Colorado State 6 Final
12 TCU 44
Minnesota 0 Final
14 Penn State 20
Texas Tech 31 Final
15 Nebraska 10
Missouri 17 Final
16 Oklahoma State 33
17 Kansas 30 Final
Colorado 34
18 Brigham Young 38 Final
San Diego State 28
23 Houston 44 Final
Tulane 16
24 Utah 35 Final
UNLV 15