Virginia @ Georgia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 4, 2017 ) Georgia Tech 36, Virginia 40

Virginia has clinched its first winning season since 2011 and is bowl eligible for the second consecutive year as it visits Georgia Tech on Saturday with hopes of keeping alive its chances of winning the ACC Coastal Division. The Cavaliers have won four of their last five games, with the lone loss in that stretch coming to a Pittsburgh squad that they trail by one game in the division, and displayed balance on offense in last week’s 45-24 victory over Liberty.

“I think we played a pretty complete game,” Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall told reporters on Monday - two days after his team recorded 221 rushing yards and 168 through the air. “I thought our offense was more diverse than we had been in terms of touches and different players being able to contribute.” Georgia Tech also is playing well down the stretch, winning three in a row and five of its last six after last week’s 27-21 triumph over Miami. That victory clinched a bowl berth for the Yellow Jackets, who began the season 1-3. “We still have a lot to play for,” Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson told reporters after Saturday’s victory. “We are playing a lot better now than we were playing earlier in the year. We kind of dug ourselves out of the big hole we dug ourselves in.”

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network, RSN. LINE: Georgia Tech -6.5

ABOUT VIRGINIA (7-3, 4-2 ACC): Wide receiver Joe Reed accounted for three touchdowns last week, catching a pair of scoring passes from quarterback Bryce Perkins and returning a kickoff 90 yards for a TD. Perkins, who rushed for two scores in the victory, leads the ACC in points responsible for – 18 passing TDs, eight rushing and one two-point conversion pass. Safety Juan Thornhill is tied for second in the conference and third in the nation with five interceptions, helping lead a defense that is ranked 17th nationally at 19.7 points allowed per game.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (6-4, 4-3): The Yellow Jackets lead the nation in rushing offense at 362.4 yards per game and received 92 from quarterback TaQuon Marshall against Miami. Georgia Tech ranks sixth in the nation with 23 forced turnovers after recovering three fumbles that led to 13 points last week. Jalen Johnson earned ACC Linebacker of the Week honors after recording nine tackles – including three tackles for loss – versus Miami.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Georgia Tech has scored 27 or more points in each of its six victories.

2. The Cavaliers are 12th nationally in converting on third down (47.7 percent) while the Yellow Jackets rank 19th (46.2 percent).

3. Virginia CB Bryce Hall leads the nation with 17 pass breakups.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 21, Virginia 20