MIAMI – After struggling for much of the season, Miami earned its first ACC victory last Friday, upsetting a ranked Virginia team 17-9 at home. The Hurricanes did it with defense and they now look to keep the momentum against an overmatched Georgia Tech squad heading to South Florida with just one victory after suffering their fourth straight defeat last week, 41-23 to Duke.
TV: Noon ET, ACC Network. LINE: Miami -18
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"There's a lot of pride in the guys that play on that defense," Miami head coach Manny Diaz told reporters. "There's a lot of pride on that coaching staff. I thought they had our players very well prepared this week. It was simply just a matter of doing our jobs and trusting ourselves. It gets back to that part about being relentless because that was the issue." And it was a big issue as the defense, long a backbone of the Hurricanes, hadn't been close to living up to expectations this season until that Virginia win, with the final straw for Diaz coming the previous week when the unit was torched for 42 points by Virginia Tech. Diaz's decision to get more involved in the defensive preparations resulted in a revived unit that swarmed Virginia and could wreak havoc on a Georgia Tech offense ranked 93rd in the nation in turnovers (11), 108th in sacks allowed (18), 121st in total yards (309.5) and 124th in scoring (16.5). "The six games are what they are," Yellow Jackets head coach Geoff Collins said. "What can we learn from every game to improve on and get better, so that the result is going to be a positive one?"
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (1-5, 0-3 ACC)
Despite their poor record, the Yellow Jackets have made strides the last two outings, fighting back in the second half of losses to North Carolina (38-22) and Duke (41-23). The offense wound up with season highs in total yards in those contests, first rolling up 321 against the Tar Heels, then 379 versus the Blue Devils thanks to a career-high 206 yards passing by redshirt freshman quarterback James Graham and a career-best 106 yards rushing by sophomore Jordan Mason. The defense is young, with just two seniors, and the unit hung tough last week, limiting Duke to three points and 105 yards in the second half.
ABOUT MIAMI (3-3, 1-2)
Quarterback N'Kosi Perry will start for the second straight week in place of injured Jarren Williams (shoulder) but he was inconsistent against Virginia as the Hurricanes' offense opened with a 78-yard drive and then struggled until a 10-point fourth quarter. The running game hasn't been as productive as expected due to offensive line woes but the unit did stand up to Virginia's strong defensive front, surrendering just three sacks, an improvement for a team ranked last in the nation in sacks allowed (28). The return of the Hurricanes' dominant defense gives Diaz hope for the future as Miami held the Cavaliers to just 74 yards rushing and three field goals while coming up with two goal-line stands.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The series is tied 12-12, but Miami has won three of the last four meetings, with the lone loss coming last year when Georgia Tech came away with a 27-21 victory.
2. This is the fifth straight home game for the Hurricanes, who have just one more contest at Hard Rock Stadium the rest of the season (Nov. 9 against Louisville).
3. Opponents have converted 10 of 12 fourth downs against Georgia Tech this season.
PREDICTION: Miami 30, Georgia Tech 10