Deadspin | No. 13 Georgia Tech embraces unbeaten record as Virginia Tech visits

Georgia Tech hasn’t sniffed the School Soccer Playoff for the reason that event’s inception in 2014.

Nearing the halfway level of the common season, the No. 13 Yellow Jackets will meet Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon in Atlanta in hopes of bolstering their odds of creating their first CFP look.

Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Convention) has received its first 5 video games of the season for the primary time since 2014, which was the final time the Yellow Jackets made the ACC championship sport.

Because it stands now, Georgia Tech will not play one other ranked opponent till its regular-season finale towards rival Georgia. Having fun with the return to nationwide relevance, head coach Brent Key’s workforce cannot afford to miss the Hokies on Saturday.

“It is an thrilling time, and I would like the blokes to be excited, but additionally perceive that this a part of the season now’s to guard what we have already achieved,” Key stated. “(Virginia Tech) has expertise on their roster. The groups they’ve misplaced to are a mixed 15-6, good soccer groups, and a few of them had been very shut video games, particularly going into the fourth quarter.”

Previous to its bye final week, Georgia Tech escaped Wake Forest 30-29 in time beyond regulation, rallying from a 17-point second-half deficit. Because the Yellow Jackets learn to stack victories, Key’s taking one week at a time.

“You’d like to play each sport and have to guide the entire time, however I do not assume that is ever occurred within the historical past of soccer,” Key stated. “To not give coach-speak, however we’re nervous about one factor — that is the day we’re in. You may’t look behind, you possibly can’t look ahead. Now we have to grasp how fragile that is.”

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King is averaging simply 189.5 passing yards a sport this season, however the dual-threat, sixth-year senior’s seven dashing touchdowns and 380 yards on the bottom rank second and seventh within the ACC, respectively.

Virginia Tech (2-4, 1-1) had as dangerous a begin to the season as any energy convention workforce. After dropping video games to then-No. 13 South Carolina and Vanderbilt, the Hokies had been blown out at house by Previous Dominion, prompting the firing of head coach Brent Pry.

Interim coach Philip Montgomery has received two of three video games since taking up, however the street will get more durable on Saturday.

“Clearly, this week we have now a very robust opponent,” Montgomery stated. “Georgia Tech is enjoying rather well proper now. They’ve had a bye, so they will be recent. It will be an ideal take a look at for us, however we’re trying ahead to happening the street and getting a possibility to go to work.”

Virginia Tech was held with out a second-half landing in a 30-23 loss to Wake Forest final week — simply one other velocity bump the Hokies should overcome in a tough season.

“This workforce has confronted a whole lot of adversity all through the season, however they’re resilient,” Montgomery stated. “Now we have to maneuver ahead, proceed to develop, be taught from our errors, and get higher as a soccer workforce, as a result of we have a troublesome sport this week.”

Seeking to assist flip the season round, Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones might want to keep upright, because the third-year starter has been sacked 14 instances this season, tied with Stanford’s Ben Gulbranson for many within the ACC.

–Area Stage Media