Can the Jackets stay undefeated at home?
I always love a good Thursday night game at Bobby Dodd. This Thursday we have the pleasure of hosting a struggling NC State team, who has failed to meet the lofty expectations set for them. Georgia Tech is coming off another bye week as they prepare to host the Wolfpack for senior night at Bobby Dodd. Here is what I think I know as we head into the final home game of the season.
Haynes King is healthy… if not, this QB situation could get hairy
I have seen various reports claiming that Haynes King is starting and has made some solid throws at practice, but I am still worried that he is not 100% ready. While I don’t want to look ahead to next Friday night in Athens, we need King to be prepared to play a hard-fought game and have his shoulder feeling great. On the other hand, we have freshman star Aaron Philo who only has one game left in the season until his redshirt is burned. Zach Pyron is also rumored to be a little banged up, so if King gets re-injured we either throw in Pyron or burn Philo’s redshirt. I guess all of these options aren’t the worst in the world, but I am holding on to hope that King is ready to go and won’t tweak his throwing arm on Thursday. I will just be relieved if we get through this game and everyone stays healthy!
Coach Key won’t let the players look ahead to UGA, but this is a trap game
On paper, should we win this game? Yes. Is this a typical game that we would lose because we are riding off of an upset win and have a rivalry weekend coming up? Also yes. Georgia Tech has a history of losing these games that they shouldn’t, and I would love to see the Jackets overcome this stereotype, cruise to victory, and leave us with a stress-free Saturday to enjoy the awesome slate this weekend holds.
NC State has the talent to win, but they have had an off-year plagued with a key injury that should give the Jackets the edge.
There is a reason that NC State had such high expectations going into this season. Veteran QB Grayson McCall is a talented and experienced player with young, athletic weapons to throw to. Unfortunately, McCall suffered an injury earlier in the season and retired from the game of football. He finished his college career with 10,523 yards passing, 1,166 rushing yards, and 91 touchdowns. Respect to him for a job well done, and I know all of us Yellow Jackets wish him the best. Freshman CJ Bailey has stepped in to replace him and has turned some heads. So far on the year, he has 1,794 yards passing, 12 touchdowns, and a QBR of 63.8. He has some help from the depth at the receiver position, with three receivers that have over 275 yards and tight end Justin Joly, who has 565 yards on the year. Kevin Concepcion hasn’t had as stellar of a year as his freshman breakout season, but he is still a reliable playmaker with 395 yards with an average of 8.4 yards per catch. This receiving core could cause problems for the Jackets, as Tech has struggled defending the pass, allowing 226.5 yards per game. Hopefully, our defense can continue to pressure the QB, and we can disrupt a young player in CJ Bailey.
The Wolfpack have a very average defense, sitting at 103rd in the nation, allowing 30.6 points per game. They are 61st in rushing defense, allowing 140.3 yards per game, and come in at 89th in passing defense, allowing 233.3 yards per game. We should be able to score points on this team and let Buster Faulkner have fun in the coaching booth.
Can Coach Key get this team to a seven-win season for the first time since 2018 and have an undefeated season at home? We shall see.
Go Jackets!