.JPG "Duke's Riley Leonard throws a pass in the first half of the team's NCAA college football game against Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 in Durham, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)")
Duke’s Riley Leonard throws a pass in the first half of the team’s NCAA college football game against Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022 in Durham, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
APs
Georgia Tech last week wiped its leadership in the athletic field, rediscovering its success on the football field in the process.
After head football coach Jeff Collins and athletic director Todd Stansbury were fired last Monday, the struggling Yellow Jackets, then-No. is a bystander.
After heavy losses to Clemson, Mississippi and UCF in September, Georgia Tech (2-3, 1-1 ACC) started October with a win.
It’s Duke’s job to stop the Yellow Jackets from succeeding when the ACC Coastal Division teams play in Atlanta on Saturday at 4pm.
The Blue Devils (4-1, ACC 1-0) ended their 13-game ACC losing streak by defeating Virginia 38-17 at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday night.
After losing three straight seasons, the Blue Devils rebounded under first-year head coach Mike Elko and came close to bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018.
A win over Georgia Tech, a program that struggled under Collins, was always part of Duke’s road to six wins. The task has become tougher for the Blue Devils, given how they played in the pits.
3 Duke players to watch
Riley Leonard, QB: Sophomores continue to play smart football for the Blue Devils. He is fourth in his ACC in yards per pass attempt (9.4) and his first in the league in completion percentage (72%). He threw seven touchdown passes with two interceptions.
Jalen Coleman, RB: A paced Duke’s solid rushing attack against Virginia for 97 yards on 19 carries. However, he stalled with a lower body injury late in the match. It’s important that he’s available for the Georgia Tech game.
Shaka Hayward, LB: He had his best game of the season against Virginia, recording 13 tackles (including one in the loss) in pass breakups. His run defense pro football his focus his score was exceptional he was 91.2.
Georgia Tech’s Three Players to Watch
Jeff Sims, QB: The sophomore has had a mediocre season so far, averaging 168.2 yards per game with just a 56.5% pass completion rate. In Pitt’s upset, Sims completed 11 of his 26 passes for 102 yards.
Hassan Hall, RB: The seniors have led the Yellow Jackets with 260 rushing yards in five games. He averaged 5.91 yards per attempt and 52 yards per game. He ran for 157 yards against Pitt.
Ainde Elly, LB: The seniors recorded 2.5 tackles in the loss against Pittsburgh and a team-high 8.5 tackles in five games for the Yellow Jackets. He leads his ACC with 56 tackles this season after recording his 14 tackles against the Panthers.
las vegas betting odds
Duke opened as the 3.5-point favorite against Georgia Tech on Sunday. The total over and under is 55.
Georgia Tech’s Duke Games and TV Information
Who: Duke (4-1, 1-0) at Georgia Tech (2-3, 1-1)
Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta
when: 4 p.m. Saturday
tv set: Regional Sports Network (Barry Sports South, North Carolina)
stream: Barry Sport Plus
Steve Wiseman has covered Duke Athletics for the Durham Herald-Sun and Raleigh News & Observer since 2010. He placed second in both beat writing and breaking news in the 2019 Associated Press Sports Editors National Contest. He has worked for the Herald (Biloxi, Mississippi), Charlotte Observer, Hickory (North Carolina) Daily Record, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in the NFL, University of South Carolina Track and Field, SC General Assembly. He has won numerous state-level press association awards. Steve graduated from Illinois State University in 1989.