First look: Georgia Tech off to undefeated start

The ACC is well known for teams popping up and contending, though in the past it was usually in the defunct Coastal Division.

Georgia Tech is off to a 8-0 start and 5-0 in the ACC, and play at NC State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2. Every dream season needs some luck involved, and that came with the 30-29 overtime win at Wake Forest on Sept. 27.

No. 8-ranked Georgia Tech also hasn’t played one ACC team that is currently ranked in the top 25, and the lone ranked opponent was defeating Clemson 24-21 on Sept. 13, with the Tigers ranked No. 12 at the time.

Georgia Tech, like Pittsburgh the week before playing NC State, also played Syracuse, and rolled to a 41-16 win this past Saturday.

Slow start vs. Orange

The final score might not indicated it but Georgia Tech struggled with self-inflicted errors in a slow start.

Georgia Tech sophomore wide receiver Isiah Canion was stripped by Syracuse cornerback Chris Peal on the second play of the game at the Georgia Tech 40-yard line.

Georgia Tech senior tight end Josh Beetham had a sure touchdown and dropped it and the Yellow Jackets eventually settled for a 20-yard field goal.

The sloppiness continued when star quarterback Haynes King overthrew sophomore wide receiver Bailey Stockton, and then Stockton had a penalty that led to a punt.

The 6-5, 255-pound Beetham ended up having an interesting game. He could have had four touchdowns in the game, but he dropped two and caught two in the win. He entered the game with just three catches for 97 yards and zero touchdowns.

Balanced offense

Georgia Tech ran the ball 37 times and King passed the ball 31 times against Syracuse and there isn’t one player to concentrate on, but King is the leader. He knows how to spread the ball around in the passing game, and runs the ball effectively.

King has gone 133-of-184 passing for 1,480 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception, and has rushed 113 times for 651 yards and 12 scores.

Senior running back Jamal Haynes had back-to-back 1,000-yard all-purpose years, but now has help. He has 88 carries for 432 yards and three scores. Enter junior running back Malachi Hosley, who rushed for 1,192 yards and nine scores at Pennsylvania last year.

The 5-10, 205-pound Hosley has proven that adjusting from the Ivy League has been smooth. He has 62 carries for 488 yards and six scores, averaging 7.9 yards per carry.

Four different receivers have at least 17 catches and Haynes has 18 receptions for 164 yards. Canton has 21 catches for 316 yards, and Florida International senior transfer Eric Rivers has added 28 catches for 300 yards and a score. Senior Malik Rutherford missed the Syracuse game with an injury.

The X-factor is true freshman Jordan Allen, who is small at 5-7, but brings big-play speed.

The offensive line features two seniors and have allowed just four sacks this season.

Solid, no frills defense

Redshirt junior middle linebacker Kyle Efford leads the defense and has 51 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The 6-2, 230-pounder brings the physicality and has 31 tackles the last four games.

What makes Georgia Tech defense unique is that it works well together, and isn’t just a few individual stars. Sophomore rush end Amontrae Bradford leads the team with 2.5 sacks, and the Yellow Jackets have 16.

Georgia Tech only has two interceptions and four fumble recoveries. Opposing teams are averaging 20.0 points, 155.3 rushing yards and 216.3 passing yards per game.

Punter Marshall Nichols is averaging 48.3 points per game with nine inside the 20-yard line, and kicker Aidan Birr is 16 of 17 on field goals with a long of 55.