Virginia Tech @ Georgia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2012 ) Georgia Tech 17, Virginia Tech 20

Georgia Tech seeks to continue its strong start in the ACC while visiting Virginia Tech strives to continue its recent success against the Yellow Jackets when the squads meet Thursday night. Georgia Tech has won its first two ACC games for just the third time in 15 years and can place a firm grasp on the Coastal Division lead with a win over the Hokies, their biggest division threat. Virginia Tech has won three straight and five of the last six meetings.

The Yellow Jackets defeated North Carolina 28-20 last week and have won six consecutive ACC regular-season games, one shy of the school mark set from 2009-10. Virginia Tech has won three consecutive games since losing to Alabama in its opener, but had to go into triple-overtime before outlasting Marshall 29-21 last week. The Hokies beat Georgia Tech last season 20-17 in overtime.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Georgia Tech -7.5.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (3-1, 0-0 ACC): Senior quarterback Logan Thomas is off to a poor start, completing 48.5 percent of his passes and being intercepted six times while throwing four touchdown passes. Thomas has rushed for 22 career touchdowns - one off the school mark for quarterbacks set by Tyrod Taylor (2007-10) - while redshirt freshman Trey Edmunds (who rushed for 132 yards against Alabama in his first collegiate game) has a team-best 352 rushing yards. Senior defensive end J.R. Collins has a team-best 4.5 sacks, senior middle linebacker Jack Tyler has a team-high 33 tackles while freshman cornerback Brandon Facyson (three) and junior safety Detrick Bonner (two) have combined for five of the Hokies’ nine interceptions for a defense that ranks fifth nationally (233.3 yards per game).

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (3-0, 2-0 ACC): The Yellow Jackets are racking up 345.3 yards per game on the ground (fourth nationally) and have rushed for at least 324 in each game. Senior David Sims (211 yards) has yet to be tackled for a loss on 38 rushes, sophomore quarterback Vad Lee (seven passing touchdowns) has 180 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and senior Robert Godhigh (174 yards) is averaging 12.4 yards per rush and also has five receptions for 83 yards. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets are allowing 11.3 points (12th nationally) and are unsure whether junior outside linebacker Quayshawn Nealy (hamstring) or sophomore safety Chris Milton (wrist) will be available due to injuries suffered in the North Carolina game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Virginia Tech leads the series 7-3.

2. Georgia Tech is 18-0 when scoring 40 or more points in coach Paul Johnson’s six seasons.

3. The Hokies scored their 18th blocked-punt touchdown during coach Frank Beamer’s 27-season tenure last week when senior Kyle Fuller made the block and junior Derek DiNardo recovered and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 27, Virginia Tech 23