Nov. 2, 2010
Next game: Thursday at Virginia Tech, 7:30 p.m., ESPN (national)
By Jon Cooper
Sting Daily
Georgia Tech travels to Lane Stadium in Blacksburg for a must-win battle against Coastal Division leader Virginia Tech in a Thursday night, nationally televised game. ESPN will broadcast the game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
Coming off their bye-week, the Jackets are looking to bounce back from a 27-13 loss at Clemson. While they stand 3-2 in ACC play, both losses are against Atlantic Division teams, leaving the door open to repeat as Coastal Division champs, but they must run the table. That run begins Thursday. Tech, which won last season, 28-23 at Bobby Dodd, has never won back-to-back games against Virginia Tech.
The Hokies are playing some of their best ball, having reeled of six straight wins since the embarrassing upset at home against James Madison (their other loss is to Boise State). They have cruised through ACC competition and are coming off a 44-7 blowout of Duke. Talented senior QB Tyrod Taylor leads the attack for the Hokies, who lead the all-time series, 4-3 and have won four of the last six meetings.
Here are some statistical bits to chew on to save your fingernails, which you may need come the fourth quarter.
0 – The number of times Georgia Tech has lost back-to-back games under Paul Johnson.
1 – The number of wins Georgia Tech needs to become bowl eligible for the 14th consecutive season. Also the number of conference wins shy of securing a 16th straight .500-or-better season in ACC play.
2 – Georgia Tech’s national ranking in rushing offense. The Jackets average 317.4 yards per game. They’re looking to make it three straight seasons finishing in the top five nationally.
3 – The number of touchdowns by quarterback Joshua Nesbitt in last year’s renewal. That’s a series record for either team. Virginia Tech’s Ryan Williams set a team series record last year with two rushing TDs.
6 – The number of consecutive wins by the Yellow Jackets under Paul Johnson against Coastal Division teams.
6 – The number of consecutive seasons Georgia Tech has produced a winning record in road games. It is currently 2-2.
8 – The number of wins in 10 tries by Georgia Tech in games where Johnson has had more than seven days to prepare.
8 – The total margin of victory in the last two meetings in the series.
19 – The total margin of victory in Georgia Tech’s three series victories.
21.25 – The average margin of victory in Virginia Tech’s four wins. That balloons to 27.3 if you subtract the 20-17 victory in 2008.
9.8 – B-Back Anthony Allen’s yards per carry in his lone career meeting against Virginia Tech last season. He ran for 59 yards on six carries, with a long of 23 yards.
10 – The career-high number of tackles by sophomore ILB Julian Burnett in two of Tech’s last four games.
15 – The number of wins in the last 20 ACC games for Tech. That ties for the most in the conference in that span, with Virginia Tech.
24 – The maximum number of points allowed by Georgia Tech in each of its victories in 2010.
51/273 – Nesbitt’s carries and rushing yardage over the last two seasons against the Hokies. That’s per-game averages of 25.5 carries and 136.5 yards.
362/5 – The number of rushing yards and rushing touchdowns over the last three games by Allen.
10 Things You Might Want To Know About Virginia Tech
.788 – Virginia Tech’s home winning percentage under Frank Beamer. Under Beamer, the Hokies are 115-31-1 at Lane Field.
1 – The number of rushing touchdowns and 100-yard rushing games needed by Tyrod Taylor to become the school’s all-time leader in career rushing TDs and 100-yard rushing games by a QB.
95 – The number of yards of total offense Taylor needs to become Tech’s all-time leader in total offense. His 7,940 yards trail only Bryan Randall.
134 – The number of passing yards Taylor needs to pass Don Strock and move into second place all-time in school history. Entering Thursday he has 5,876 yards, Taylor needs 40 yards to pass Will Furrer for third place.
171.1/266.1 – Taylor’s ACC-leading pass efficiency rating and second-ranked total offense average.
15 – Virginia Tech’s national ranking in scoring. The Hokies average 37.0 points per game.
28 – The number of receiving yards needed by wide receiver Jarrett Boykin to move into fifth place all-time on the Virginia Tech career-receiving list. Boykin enters Thursday night with 1,793 yards.
41.7 – The number of points Virginia Tech is averaging over the last six games. Only once have they been held under 41 in that span, a 19-0 win at Boston College.
51 – The number of kickoff return yards needed by Dyrell Roberts to become Virginia Tech’s all-time kickoff return leader. Roberts has 1,793 yards.
214.8 – The number of yards per game Virginia Tech averages on the ground per game. That’s second in the ACC to Georgia Tech.
