Georgia Tech-Virginia Looks to Bring 1990 Vibes on Saturday
If you’re into storylines, Georgia Tech-Virginia is the game for you this weekend. Georgia Tech and Virginia will play in the ACC Network primetime slot (7:30 p.m.) just days after the network aired a new documentary about their infamous showdown in 1990. Like Saturday’s game, the 1990 battle was held at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, VA.
Back then, the Cavaliers were ranked No. 1 when the Jackets came to town, yet by season’s end, it was Georgia Tech in the top spot. To this day, according to legendary ACC scribe David Teel, no two conference teams have reached No. 1 in the same season.
The documentary is titled We’re No. 1 and is certainly worth a watch for any college football nut.
As for the upcoming game, neither team is headed for the top spot any time soon but both are coming off wins over Duke. Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-2 ACC) had an extra week to prepare after a nail-biting 31-27 win over the Blue Devils on October 9th. Virginia (5-2, 3-2 ACC) made much quicker work of Duke, trouncing them 48-0, yet that was just this past weekend. This rest advantage for the Yellowjackets is one of the reasons why the Cavaliers are favorite by only 7 points according to SportsBettingDime.com. The total for the game is 63.
Virginia boasts the most potent passing game in the country thanks to reigning ACC Quarterback of the Week Brennan Armstrong, reigning ACC Wide Receiver of the Week Dontayvion Wicks, a bevy of other weapons and a solid offensive line. Virginia’s Bobby Haskins, it should be noted, is also the reigning ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. Armstrong has five skill players with 20-plus receptions and 300-plus receiving yards already; Wicks, Billy Kemp, Keytaon Thompson, Jelani Woods, and Ra’Shaun Henry.
Despite the mind-blowing numbers and the fact that they’re riding a three-game winning streak, head coach Bronco Mendenhall doesn’t want his team to get ahead of themselves.
“It’s human nature,” he said this week to reporters, “so I work hard to make sure that as an antidote, things remain the same in terms of our routine. There’s not a giant high or a giant low, and that the focus is on improvement.”
This will be Tech’s third road game of the year but they have plenty of reason to be confident. They went up to Clemson and nearly stole won earlier this season, then beat Duke in their other road game. They’ll have the extra rest, of course, and for some reason, this old-school matchup always results in even matchups. Dating back to 1965, Virginia-Georgia Tech is split nearly down the middle with the Yellowjackets up 21-20-1. In the last three meetings, the winning team hasn’t won by more than five points, and the underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last five games.
These matchups are always a great watch. This year’s showdown doesn’t have a top-ranked team, but it also won’t have any hooligans trying to set the field on fire the night before the game. Well, let’s cross our fingers.