Pittsburgh @ Georgia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 25, 2014 ) Georgia Tech 56, Pittsburgh 28

Teams headed in opposite directions get together Saturday when surging Pittsburgh visits stumbling Georgia Tech in an ACC Coastal contest. The Panthers achieved their first 4-1 start since 2009 with a 26-19 victory over Virginia last week, while Georgia Tech was thumped by No. 6 Clemson 43-24 to extend its losing streak to four games – its longest since 1996.

Pittsburgh jumped to an early 14-point lead against the Cavaliers but needed a defensive stand at midfield late in the fourth quarter to preserve the win. Despite the Panthers having only one double-digit winning season since 1982 and a reputation for finding ways to lose close games, first-year coach Pat Narduzzi said this week those days are over. “(Virginia) hit a pass on us and some of our kids start to go 'Oh no, here we go again," Narduzzi explained. “We're not going back that way. We're not taking that route and kids believe.” Keeping the belief is becoming much more difficult for Georgia Tech, which managed only 71 yards rushing in its loss to the Tigers, its fewest since gaining 79 yards on the ground against Gardner-Webb in coach Paul Johnson's debut season of 2008.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network. LINE: Georgia Tech -3.5

ABOUT PITTSBURGH (4-1, 2-0 ACC): Narduzzi's defense ranks seventh in FBS in yards allowed (264.6), third in sacks (21), 12th in yards per rush (2.88) and sixth in rush yards per game (84.8). Quarterback Nate Peterman, who threw for 222 yards against the Cavaliers, has completed 60-of-90 passes for 760 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. Redshirt freshman Qadree Ollison has run for 476 yards and 6.5 yards per carry while wideout Tyler Boyd has 33 catches for 328 yards and two scores.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (2-4, 0-3): Johnson let out his frustrations after his team, which entered last week’s game averaging 311.8 yards rushing, rushed for just 15 yards in the second half. "I've never experienced a year like this in my coaching career, being as inept as we are," Johnson said. "It's one thing to be physically dominated. It's another thing to not even give yourselves a chance. Junior quarterback Justin Thomas has thrown for nine TDs and run for five more while running backs Patrick Skov and Marcus Marshall have combined for 603 yards and nine total scores.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Georgia Tech ran for 465 yards and recovered six fumbles in a 56-28 rout of Pittsburgh last season, but the Panthers lead the all-time series 5-4.

2. Ollison has run for 357 yards and 8.1 yards per carry in the second halves of games this season – both tops in the ACC (minimum 30 attempts).

3. The Yellow Jackets' losses have come to teams with a combined 19-3 record (Notre Dame, Duke, North Carolina, Clemson).

PREDICTION: Pittsburgh 24, Georgia Tech 21