After a redemption game against the Hokies, the Jackets sit at 6-0 on the season and are one of 11 undefeated teams left in the country. This weekend, Duke awaits, in what is potentially the biggest game of the season for
the Jackets. The Blue Devils are coming off a bye week and look to avenge last season’s loss and ruin our Cinderella story. We might be ranked higher, but the Blue Devils are currently favored to win this game with the line sitting at Duke -1.5. ESPN also gives them a 61.8% chance to win. But hey, we thrive as the underdog, right? This is going to be a hard-fought battle between two teams on the rise. Pour yourself a beer, because you’re going to need it. Here is what I think I know as we head to Durham to put it all on the line.
This game could be the key matchup that determines who makes the ACC championship game
The race for Charlotte is likely to come down to Miami, Georgia Tech, Virginia, SMU, and Duke. When one sits back to look at the most vital games in the conference, Georgia Tech vs Duke has floated under the radar, but could be the deciding factor in who makes the ACC championship game. Both teams sit at 3-0 in the conference and will avoid playing Miami this year. Duke’s remaining schedule includes: Clemson, UConn, No. 18 Virginia, UNC, and Wake Forest. I highlight Virginia because that is another key matchup in the ACC. Virginia and Duke meet on November 15th, which could also determine who plays Miami on December 6th, because, you guessed it, Virginia also avoids playing Miami. Obviously, there is no guarantee, and chaos could ensue, but I think all hell would have to break loose for Miami not to make the ACC championship game. The team that meets them there, however, is very much up in the air. Look out for the winners of No. 12 Georgia Tech vs Duke and No. 18 Virginia vs. Duke to take a leg up in the conference standings. The losers of these games will have to dig themselves out of a hole and count on the fate of others. Don’t count out SMU either. It’s a dogfight to the top.
Other matchups to look out for in the ACC:
Louisville @ No. 2 Miami, October 17th
SMU @ Clemson, October 18th
No. 2 Miami @ SMU, November 1st
Wake Forest @ No. 18 Virginia, November 8th
Pitt @ No. 12 Georgia Tech, November 22nd
Duke is sneakily underrated
Get ready to be stressed again, Tech fans! While Duke had a rocky road the first few weeks of the season, they are riding some momentum and are a very talented team with lots of potential. We are going to get their best this week, as we will with every ACC team we play this season. They have one of the best cornerback rooms in the country and an elite quarterback in Tulane transfer Darian Mensah. Mensah has solidified himself as not only a top quarterback in the ACC but in the nation. He is currently fifth in the country in passing yards with a stat line of 143/205 for 1,838 yards, 15 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. Terrifying, right? It should be. Mensah will easily be the best quarterback we have seen this season, and without Ahmari Harvey and possibly Akelo Stone, our defense will have to step up. In the backfield, Duke has a running back duo that has combined for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns, absolutely punishing ACC opponents this season. Starter Nate Sheppard had 91 yards against Cal last weekend and 168 yards against Syracuse the weekend prior. He is consistently putting up substantial numbers and will be determined to have a big game against our defensive line this Saturday.
Defensively, Duke doesn’t have a great overall unit, but they do have some impressive individual players. They are allowing 375.8 yards per game and 25.5 points per game, with a high of 45 points and a low of three. I am sure everyone knows the name Chandler Rivers, and if not, you should. Rivers was a 2024 All-American and First Team All-ACC cornerback and has recorded 22 tackles and one interception this season. Our offensive line will have to look out for defensive end Vincent Anthony, who has 20 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and one forced fumble just this season. While this defense is in the bottom half of the ACC, they have talented individuals who can step up and make big plays. There will be no room for stupid penalties and missed assignments this weekend.
If our defense does not play improved football, we will not win this game
I am not worried about the offense, as we know they can produce when needed. They were firing on all cylinders last week, and I know they will be locked in for this big game. The defense, however, I cannot trust. Against Virginia Tech, running backs Terion Stewart and Marcellous Hawkins combined for only 18 yards in the first half, and quarterback Kyron Drones had 52 yards from a long touchdown scamper. The Hokie offense was held to almost nothing, and things were looking good. Then, the second half came. Hawkins finished with 82 yards and averaged 9.1 yards per carry. Once again, we had a quarterback run against us, as Drones finished as their leading rusher with 83 yards and 5.2 yards per carry. The defense did limit the Hokies to 0-8 on third downs but was absolutely embarrassed on fourth downs, allowing them to convert three of four attempts, including one for a wide-open touchdown pass. We still held the Hokies to only 20 points and got stops when needed. Duke, however, is poised to score a few more than 20. In their last three games, they are averaging 42.6 points per game, and no one has been able to figure out how to stop them. If the Jackets can have a similar performance as this first half, we should be successful. However, this defense remains a significant area of concern moving forward and will face its biggest test thus far.
This game will let us know if we have turned the corner
As a Georgia Tech fan, you always have this thought in the back of your mind that says, “When will Tech do the typical Tech thing and lose to whom we shouldn’t? We thought it was Wake Forest, then we put together the second-biggest comeback in school history. We thought it could be Virginia Tech, but we handled them with ease. Now we have Duke. Duke is a team on the rise, hungry for a win to prove they are a legit contender in this conference. We are going to get their very best football. If the Jackets can win on Saturday, I think everyone will officially be convinced that this program has turned the page. This game has massive implications, not only in the win and loss column, but in the state of our football program. I think the Jackets can do this, but they need to prove it and earn it.
This game fills me with a dreary sense of deja vu. In 2014, the Jackets were riding high at 5-0, then they were upset 31-25 by Duke, who was fresh off a bye week. Now, in 2025, Tech sits at 6-0 and goes to Durham to play a Duke team that is coming off a bye week. If we had won that game against Duke 11 years ago, that season could have ended very differently. This game is the turning point. This game has major ACC Championship and playoff implications. This game is massive. This game is revenge. Let’s do it.
Go Jackets.
