The Demon Deacons come into Saturday’s game off of a bye week and will look to use the rest to their advantage. After a 4-0 start to the season, they have dropped two straight games to perpetual ACC Atlantic division powers Florida State and Clemson. Additionally, Wake Forest quarterback John Wolford is set to return from a shoulder injury he suffered against Florida State.
The Yellow Jackets saw the chance to seize sole possession of first place in the ACC Coastal Division in a devastating 25-24 loss to Miami. Georgia Tech led for the whole game before the Canes drove down the field to kick a 24-yard game-winning field goal with four seconds to go in the game.
Georgia Tech quarterback, Taquon Marshall, is keen to move on from the Miami result and focus on Wake Forest. Marshall stated, “We’re just going to have to flush that one and get ready for Wake. They’re 4-2, just coming off a bye week.”
It is evident that Paul Johnson’s message to the team is to learn from past mistakes while not dwelling on them, and to stay focused on the task at hand.
Of the 300 minutes the Yellow Jackets have played in regulation this season, they have only trailed for a total of just over 20 minutes, including all but four seconds after halftime. Though this stat is impressive, it must be frustrating for Georgia Tech players because of their 3-2 record and hovering outside of the national rankings.
“Obviously, we’re frustrated that we lost in the ways we did, but at the same time, we did compete with two Top 25 teams. So, we look forward to seeing what we can do in the future when we play another ranked opponent,” sophomore left guard, Parker Braun said.
Saturday’s meeting between the Yellow Jackets and the Demon Deacons is set up to be an intriguing affair. It will be a grind for Georgia Tech’s offense to put up big yards against a talented defensive front for Wake Forest.
Jackets’ Head Coach Paul Johnson praised Wake Forest’s defense and said, “I think they lead the nation in tackles for loss, they’re in the top 20 in scoring defense … Again, it’s a big challenge. I think #53 the defensive end [Duke] Ejiofor, he’s a really good player but the other guy that’s caught our eye is the other defensive end, Wendell Dunn, he makes a lot of plays…They’ve got a lot of guys that have played a lot of football.”
It will be interesting to see if the Yellow Jackets can shake off the disappointing loss to Miami and beat a Wake Forest teams that can cause Tech some problems. Georgia Tech will look to use the homecoming game atmosphere to their advantage Saturday night. They will also try to control the line of scrimmage both offensively and defensively if they wish to get a positive result against the Demon Deacons. This is a game where Georgia Tech is the favorite, though they cannot take Wake Forest lightly or they could very well lose. Saturday has the makings for a very entertaining ACC matchup, so be sure to tune in.