Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State: Field Position Was The Hidden Story

College Football Rankings, Week 6: AP Top 25, Coaches Poll Adore Georgia Tech

After a stop at No. 21 in both major human polls for major humans, the 5-0 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets advanced to No. 13 across the board.

Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State: Garbage Touchdowns Ruin Bets, Sully Final Score

Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State Final Score: Like Last Year, But Better!

In 2010, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets lost, 45-28, to the N.C. State Wolfpack. Consider that loss avenged, as the Jackets put together a 45-28 victory in Raleigh Saturday. Scratch that. Instead of taking a knee, Tech ran one more play -- a Synjyn Days fumble returned for a touchdown. 45-35!

Orwin Smith got festivities underway with a pair of rushing touchdowns, part of a 74-yard, three-touchdown afternoon. Tevin Washington, who's been in charge of the country's most explosive passing attack, put up only 117 yards and two touchdowns this time around, though he still sits at just one interception on the year.

Four different Tech receivers caught one or more passes each. Technically, they all caught exactly one pass each.

Rushing defense continues to be a concern for the Jackets. State's James Washington ran for 117 yards, followed by Tony Creecy's 77. But a pair of fourth-down stops, nine third-down stuffs, two sacks and a pick six by Isaiah Johnson make things look a little better.

Up next: the Maryland Terrapins.

For discussion, visit Georgia Tech blog From The Rumble Seat and N.C. State blog Backing The Pack.

Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State Halftime Score: Aggressive Pack Making Game Of It

What if I told you Tom O'Brien's N.C. State Wolfpack had attempted two more fourth-down conversions than Paul Johnson's Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets had? It's been that kind of afternoon.

Tech leads, 21-7, despite giving up a 19-play, 81-yard drive in the second quarter. The Pack held the ball for pretty much the entire second quarter, but were kind of enough to do very little with it before Sean Glennon struck Jay Smith to put the Wolfpack on the scoreboard.

Two touchdown dashes by Orwin Smith, a 40-yard catch by Stephen Hill and a nine-yard score by David Sims has been the Jackets offense for the day. Only 176 total yards for Tech, which has to count as a victory for State, considering what Tevin Washington's crew has been able to accomplish so far this year.

But, yeah, 21 points. Could've been 28, too -- a 71-yard touchdown run in the final minute by Roddy Jones was called back due to a blocking penalty on Smith.

For discussion, visit Georgia Tech blog From The Rumble Seat and N.C. State blog Backing The Pack.

Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State Score: Orwin Smith Starts As Orwin Smith Starts

Stop me if you've heard this one: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Orwin Smith started a game off with a touchdown run. It wasn't the first play of the game, sorry to say, but this is getting to be something of a tradition. The Jackets led the N.C. State Wolfpack, 7-0, after a missed Pack field goal.

A 40-yard Stephen Hill catch of a slight Tevin Washington underthrow set up a second touchdown scamper by Smith, who's up to 27 yards, and ... well, 14-0 might just about do it. N.C. State has a 250-pound defensive tackle out there due to injuries. Not a great week for that.

State was able to move the ball a little bit, as you may have surmised since they were in field goal range. James Washington caught and ran for 27 yards, forming the bulk of the Wolfpack offense.

For discussion, visit Georgia Tech blog From The Rumble Seat and N.C. State blog Backing The Pack.

Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State: TV Schedule, Online Streaming And Radio Coverage

Georgia Tech will try and extend its perfect start to the 2011 season to 5-0 when they travel to Raleigh to take on N.C. State. After the Wolfpack was embarrassed last weekend against Cincinnati, Yellow Jackets quarterback coach Brian Bohannon cautioned the Yellow Jackets to not enter Saturday's game overconfident. 

They're a good football team. They've had some tough injuries, but they're a good football team and they came in here and they got after us pretty good a year ago and they've got some of those same guys there. Obviously, they've lost some key players and positions but they're a good football team that got embarrassed on TV and they're going to come back fighting like all get out to redeem themselves.

Game date, time: 3:30 pm ET, Saturday Oct 1

Location: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, North Carolina

TV: ABC

Online Streaming: ESPN3

Radio: 790 AM The Zone

For more on this game, Georgia Tech fans should check out From the Rumble Seat while N.C. State fans should visit Backing The Pack.

Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State Spread, Odds Update: Yellow Jackets More Than A Touchdown Favorite

Georgia Tech's fast 4-0 start to the season has them as a 10 point favorite on the road against N.C. State for their match up on Saturday. Why not as the Yellow Jackets enter the game averaging over 600 yards of total offense and over 50 points per game. Oddshark.com reports that 71 percent of the people betting on the game are laying the 10 points and taking the Yellow Jackets. 

Tech is 4-0 against the spread this season while N.C. State is 0-4 and just 1-5 in its last six games against the number. The Yellow Jackets are 9-3 straight up against the Wolf Pack in their last 12 match ups including 5-1 in the last six on the road. 

The total number for Saturday's game is 63 with 51 percent betting on the over. While the Yellow Jackets are 4-0 against the number this season, they have gone under the number in 4 of it's last 6 games on the road and 5 of the last 7 games against N.C. State. 

For more on this game, Georgia Tech fans should check out From the Rumble Seat while N.C. State fans should visit Backing The Pack.

Georgia Tech Vs. N.C. State: Jackets Set To Continue Box Score Onslaught?

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets offense is better than it was last year. Perhaps you've heard. Just how good is it? Not easy to say, considering the competition Tech has played, but N.C. State blog Backing The Pack presents one piece of statistical evidence on the matter:

vs. MTSU 2010: 5.8 yds/play
vs. MTSU 2011: 7.9 yds/play

vs. KU 2010: 6.1 
vs. KU 2011: 13.5

vs. UNC 2010: 6.7
vs. UNC 2011: 6.9

Wolfpack fans are uneasy, given Tech's sudden prowess and the Pack's banged-up defensive line. So far this year, N.C. State is giving up 5.7 yards per play, .5 more than UNC is after having played the Jackets. Kansas and Middle Tennessee are among the worst 12 defenses in the country in that regard, but both have performed better against other opponents than they did against the White and Gold. (Gaww I hope so.)

Last year, State held Joshua Nesbitt's attack to only 5.5 yards per play, keyed by a typically aggressive Jon Tenuta-powered defense and a monstrous 16-tackle, two-sack, 4.5-TFL performance by Nate Irving. At one point, Irving blew up an end-around attempt and then stalked around the backfield, shaking his head in deliberate slow motion.

Irving is now a member of the Denver Broncos.

For discussion, visit Georgia Tech blog From The Rumble Seat and N.C. State blog Backing The Pack.

Georgia Tech Football Schedule 2011: N.C. State To Provide Road Test For The Yellow Jackets

N.C. State finished the 2010 season on a high note defeating No. 22 ranked West Virginia in the Champs Sports Bowl. The Wolfpack ended 2010 ranked No. 25 in both polls and enter the 2011 season with confidence but also concern knowing that they have to replace their offensive leader from last season due to quarterback Russell Wilson's departure from the program. Wilson was big in last season's 45-28 victory over the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta throwing for a career high 368 yards and three touchdowns. A quick glance at the 2011 schedule shows that those same Yellow Jackets may be all that is standing between N.C. State and a 6-0 start to the season.  

A Closer Look At The Wolfpack
Coach: Tom O'Brien
Last Season: 9-4, 5-3 ACC Atlantic
Returning Starters: 14 (six offense, eight defense)
Key Players: QB Mike Glennon, TE George Bryan, DT J.R. Sweezy

The biggest question mark for N.C. State this season will be whether or not junior quarterback Mike Glennon can adequately replace Wilson under center. Glennon was a big time recruit coming out of high school but has played sparingly in his two seasons with the Wolfpack. Glennon is expected to lean hard on TE George Bryan in the passing game. 

Defensively, N.C. State hopes to once again crank up the pressure, play fast, and hope for improvement from within in the secondary.  The defensive line is anchored by DT J.R. Sweezy who was an honorable mention All-ACC last season after finishing the year with 46 tackles and six sacks. The linebackers are solid and the one real question lies in the secondary. The secondary is experienced this season and coach O'Brien will be looking for much improvement from this group.