No. 4 Miami (9-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 4 CFP) is set to face Georgia Tech (5-4, 3-3) this Saturday at 12 p.m. EST, with the game broadcast on ESPN.
Miami enters the matchup with a significant favor, as BetMGM lists them to win by 11.5 points.
The series history between these two teams stands at a deadlock, each claiming 14 victories over the other.
What’s on the line for both teams? Miami remains one of the last two undefeated teams in ACC play, alongside SMU, positioning them nicely for a chance to secure a spot in the conference championship on December 7.
Conversely, Georgia Tech is eager to break a two-game losing streak and aims to clinch bowl eligibility.
A key matchup to watch is Miami’s wide receiver Xavier Restrepo against Georgia Tech’s cornerbacks, Warren Burrell and Ahmari Harvey.
Restrepo showcased his talent in the recent 53-31 win against Duke, tying the Miami record for career receptions at 182 and surpassing Santana Moss with 2,573 receiving yards, making him one of the standout players in the Hurricanes’ history.
Georgia Tech has effectively ranked fifth in the ACC for passing defense, allowing 213 yards per game.
There are significant players to keep an eye on for both teams.
For Miami, quarterback Cam Ward is nearing a milestone of 30 touchdown passes in a season, a feat that no Miami player has accomplished yet.
Additionally, he is just 51 yards shy of overtaking Timmy Chang as the third-highest in the NCAA’s all-time, all-division passing list. This would place him behind only Case Keenum and Dillon Gabriel.
On the side of Georgia Tech, quarterback Haynes King is still listed as a game-time decision due to an upper-body injury, specifically affecting his right shoulder.
Having missed the last two games, he may be replaced again by Zach Pyron or freshman Aaron Philo, who stepped in during last week’s 21-6 defeat to Virginia Tech.
Coach Brent Key remains hopeful for King’s return, as his presence is crucial for the team’s offense, which has scored a mere 19 points in the last two outings without him.
In terms of facts and figures, Miami dominates several statistical categories, leading the nation with an impressive 47.4 points per game, closely followed by Indiana.
They also maintain the lead in yards per play, averaging a razor-thin 7.711 compared to Ole Miss’s 7.706.
In terms of yardage, Miami was the first team to cross the 5,000-yard threshold this season, achieving 5,012 before their matchup with Georgia Tech.
Miami is looking to achieve its eighth 10-0 start, aiming for its first since 2017, while Georgia Tech holds a 5-1 record against ACC teams ranked in the Top 25 under Key, which includes last season’s thrilling 23-20 victory against then-No. 17 Miami.
Notably, the Yellow Jackets have not suffered three consecutive losses in over two seasons under Key.