- Analysis
- The 3rd play of my STP is an 8* on Ga Tech at 7:30 ET.
The Cavaliers (5-2, 3-2 ACC) scored on all six first-half possessions and cruised to a 48-0 blowout of the Blue Devils last Saturday, while the Yellow Jackets (3-3, 2-2) seized the lead with 51 seconds left in a 31-27 win against Duke in their most recent game (Oct. 9). Virginia lost 59-39 to North Carolina and then 37-17 to Wake Forest but has ripped off three straight wins since, nail-biters over Mia-Fl (30-28) and 34-33 over Louisville, prior to the beatdown of Duke. Ga Tech gave then-No. 6 Clemson all it wanted in a 14-8 loss, before shocking then-No. 21 North Carolina, 45-22. Ga Tech is off a bye week
The Yellow Jackets have lost their last three games on Cavaliers' home field, and 12 of 14 since 1992. However, head coach Geoff Collins hopes that is about to change. Back on Oct 9 against Duke, QB Jeff Sims led a clutch six-play, 88-yard drive in the final two minutes, capped by a 36-yard TD pass. Sims finished with 297 yards on 12-of-25 passing with three scores and two interceptions. He has accounted for 10 TDs (six passing, four rushing) in his last three games and is now the clear starter at QB. "Jeff's a big-time player," Collins said. "Obviously, we want to eliminate those early turnovers moving forward, but he's a big-time player. ..The guys have faith in him." Ga Tech has a trio of quality RBs and the team averages 169.0 YPG (61st)
UVA's offense is centered around QB Brennan Armstrong, who has completed 63.8% for 2,824 yards with 19 TDs and six INTs. WR Kemp has 48 catches but averages inluy9.9 YPC (he does have four TDs). Fellow WR Wicks has 32 catches and averages 21.2 YC with six TDs while TE Woods has 23 catches and five TDs. The running game offers little help, averaging 119.9 YPG (10st). UVA's defense allows 24.4 PPG (to Ga Tech's 25.7 PPG) but is giving up way too many yards (413.1, which ranks 94th). UVA has the better QB but as Ga Tech coach Collins points out, Sims is making his mark and his confidence (and the team's) is growing.
Ga Tech is more than capable of sneaking up on UVA, which has a trip to BYU up next for the Cavaliers (note: UVA head coach Bronco Mendenhall left BYU for UVA after the 2015 season, having taken the Cougars to 11 bowls in his 11 seasons at Provo). Take the points.
Good luck...Larry
