Duke @ Georgia Tech preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2013 ) Georgia Tech 38, Duke 14

Georgia Tech is back in the national rankings, off to its best start since 2011 and one of 10 unbeaten teams remaining in FBS. The No. 23 ranked Yellow Jackets host Duke on Saturday looking to continue their tendency of chewing up opposing defenses behind their triple-option rushing attack that controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes in a 28-17 victory over Miami last week. The Blue Devils, who were one of the nation’s feel-good stories last season en route to the ACC Coastal Division title, were off last week after suffering their first defeat Sept. 27 at Miami, and needed the break after an outbreak of hand, foot, mouth disease.

Between eight and 10 Duke players fell sick last week, and a professional cleaning crew was brought in to sanitize the team’s facilities. On the field, the Blue Devils will need to tighten up a defense that has surrendered an average of 212 rushing yards per contest in the past three games and was shredded for 426 yards of total offense in the Miami loss. Georgia Tech has surrendered only 11 points in the second half in its past two games, ACC victories over Virginia Tech and Miami.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network, ESPN3. LINE: Georgia Tech -4

ABOUT DUKE (4-1, 0-1 ACC): The Blue Devils are eighth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 13.6 points per game, and only Miami has scored more than 17 against Duke this season. But turnovers have been a problem of late, Duke committing five in its past two games – including three interceptions by Anthony Boone. Jamison Crowder is tied for third in the ACC with 29 receptions, and with 227 career catches is two away from tying for fifth place on the conference’s all-time list.

ABOUT GEORGIA TECH (5-0, 2-0 ACC): The formula for success has been quite simple for the Yellow Jackets so far: convert 58.1 percent of their third-down attempts (first in the nation), rush for 297.2 yards per contest (11th) and average 33 minutes of possession (11th). Justin Thomas ranks third among FBS quarterbacks in rushing yards per game (94) and has totaled 329 yards on the ground in the past three games. Nine different Yellow Jackets have forced a turnover through the first five games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Georgia Tech is ranked for the first time since Nov. 20, 2011 and is 5-0 for just the fifth time in the past 57 years (1957, 1964, 1966, 2011).

2. The Blue Devils have won 12 of their past 15 games and five of their last six road contests.

3. The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series 50-30-1, having won 18 of the past 19 matchups against the Blue Devils, including 10 in a row.

PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 21, Duke 14