Miami vs. Georgia Tech Prediction, Game Preview

Miami vs. Georgia Tech prediction and game preview. The Hurricanes hit the road to face the Yellow Jackets in a Week 5 ACC contest.

Miami vs. Georgia Tech Game Preview

When: Saturday, Oct. 1 – Noon ET
Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA
TV Broadcast: ESPN2

The Hurricanes and Yellow Jackets will square off at Bobby Dodd Stadium, which is a place that Miami head coach Mark Richt knows very well. When Richt was at Georgia, he went 13-2 against the Yellow Jackets. So GT knows a lot about its longtime nemesis. Richt’s last game as Georgia’s head coach was actually a 13-7 win over GT in Atlanta, and he is 8-0 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

In last season’s meeting, Mark Walton ran for two touchdowns and caught a pass for another score, as the Hurricanes converted four turnovers into 21 points in a 38-21 win. Brad Kaaya passed for 300 yards and a touchdown, as the ‘Canes gave interim head coach Larry Scott a home victory. However, GT lost starting quarterback Justin Thomas to injury in the first quarter of that contest, so that didn’t help the Yellow Jackets’ cause. Miami leads the all-time series with GT 11-10 and holds a 7-5 advantage since joining the ACC.

What To Know About Miami

The Hurricanes notched a 45-10 victory over Appalachian State their last time out, which came before last week’s bye. Brad Kaaya threw for 368 yards and three touchdowns against the Mountaineers, while Mark Walton ran for 130 yards and two scores. Miami is a different football team now under Richt, as the ‘Canes have thus far played like legitimate ACC contenders. The competition hasn’t been that outstanding, but the ‘Canes are playing more crisp football now than they did under Al Golden.

What to Know About Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets have already matched last season’s win total, and the spread option attack produced 289 rushing yards against a good Vanderbilt defense a few weeks ago. However, GT was completely shut down last week in a Thursday night home loss to Clemson. Which GT offense will we see against Miami? It should be a performance that falls somewhere in between, but the problem is that Johnson’s squad will have difficulty containing the Miami offensive attack.

Advantages

Offense: Miami. The GT spread option attack is strong when it’s clicking, but the ‘Canes are well balanced on that side of the ball.

Defense: Miami. Richt made huge moves by hiring coordinator Manny Diaz and line coach Craig Kuligowski to shore up a talented but porous unit.

Special Teams: Even. Miami’s Michael Badgley tied a school record with a 57-yard field goal in last year’s game. However, he is just 2 of 4 on field goals this fall.

Coaching: Even. With the exception of last season’s disaster, Johnson has done a nice job in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Richt was about as solid as they come for many years in Athens and has reinvigorated the Miami program thus far.

Intangibles: Miami. Richt knows that he owns GT.

Matchup To Watch

Walton vs. GT defensive front

Walton had a big day against the Yellow Jackets last season, rushing for two touchdowns and catching another one for a score. Containing Walton, who is averaging 133.7 yards per game, and top backup Joseph Yearby will be a top priority. Miami is averaging 272 rushing yards per game, which is good for No. 9 in the country.

Betting Odds

Spread: Miami -6.5
Over/Under: N/A