For the second straight week, Bobby Dodd Stadium will host two ACC Coastal hopefuls. After Georgia Tech defeated North Carolina 28-20, they host Virginia Tech in a Thursday night showdown. Television coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How to watch Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech 2013: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
Two Coastal contenders will square off in Atlanta.
Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
After an opening loss to top-ranked Alabama and a run-of-the-mill 45-3 victory over FCS opponent Western Carolina, Virginia Tech’s offense has really struggled in the past two weeks en route to close victories. On the road against East Carolina -- a team that gave up 38 points to Old Dominion -- Virginia Tech managed just a 15-10 victory, as the Hokie defense made up for another sub-par Logan Thomas performance. Against Marshall the following week, Virginia Tech won 29-21 in triple overtime as Thomas struggled again, throwing two interceptions, completing just over half of his passes, and averaging just over five yards per attempt.
Georgia Tech’s road has been considerably less shaky, as they followed up a 70-0 opening rout of Elon with a convincing 38-14 win over Duke to open up conference play. The Yellow Jackets faced a sterner test last week against North Carolina, but rattled off three straight touchdowns to come from behind and win the game 28-20. The game will be a whiteout.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Neither team is ranked in either poll, but both received votes (Georgia Tech received more). Virginia Tech is 3-1 this year, and the game will open conference play for the Hokies. Georgia Tech is a perfect 3-0, with a 2-0 mark in ACC competition. Virginia Tech holds a 7-3 lead in the all-time series, and has won the last three contests between the two programs.
Vegas: Georgia Tech is a seven-point favorite at home. The over/under is 43.5 points. OddsShark has more.
Weather: The night-time forecast in Atlanta calls for around 58 degrees, mostly clear with a slight chance of rain.
Three names to know
Vad Lee. The Georgia Tech quarterback runs the triple option with precision, and has 10 total touchdowns on the year already. The shocker? Seven have come through the air, and when the Yellow Jackets are able to balance the run game with an effective passing attack, they are nearly impossible to stop.
J.R. Collins. The senior defensive end has done a very good job for the Hokies this year, with five tackles for a loss and four-and-a-half-sacks. He will be tasked with containing Lee and David Sims off the edge.
Brandon Facyson. The true freshman from Georgia picked Virginia Tech over the Yellow Jackets, and has a team-high three interceptions on the young year.
Two things at stake
Georgia Tech is looking to firmly cement itself alongside Miami as the two teams to beat in the Coastal.
Virginia Tech is trying to prove the naysayers wrong and recover from a tough two-week stretch.
How to witness
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Radio: Scroll down here for a list of Georgia Tech affiliates. For Virginia Tech’s affiliates, click here.
Online streaming: WatchESPN.
Further reading
For the Georgia Tech perspective, check out From the Rumble Seat. For the Virginia Tech side of things, head to Gobbler Country.
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