Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Philip Montgomery and the Virginia Tech Hokies will be on the road this weekend as they face off against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 3:30 p.m. ET. The matchup serves as the third conference battle for both squads, the Hokies entering at an even .500 in the conference while Georgia Tech is undefeated in ACC play. As the Hokies prepare to kick off in Atlanta for the second time this season, here’s What to Watch for throughout Saturday’s can’t-miss contest, which will be televised on the ACC Network.
Georgia Tech’s Run Defense Woes
Through five games in the 2025 campaign, head coach Brent Key’s Georgia Tech squad has struggled limiting opposing offenses on the ground. The past three games alone for the Yellow Jackets have seen their opponents rush for totals of 174, 184 and 210 yards.
The fact that Georgia Tech has the worst-ranked rush defense in the ACC (allowed 166.2 rush yards/game) bodes well for running backs coach Elijah Brooks and the Hokie running back room. Leaders in the group include Terion Stewart, who has been hitting his stride behind consecutive games of 174 and 62 rushing yards, and Marcellous Hawkins, a viable option in both the running and passing games.
Stewart’s ability to shrug off tackles has also been a key contributor to the redshirt junior’s 301 yards through five games. The Memphis, Tenn. native's 153 yards after contact against NC State ranked first in the nation in Week 5 according to Pro Football Focus. Further, Stewart’s 87.5 PFF season rushing grade sits eighth in the nation.
Limiting Dual-Threat Quarterback Haynes King
Now in his third season with the Yellow Jackets, King has strung together impressive stat lines throughout his career behind his ability to air out the ball and use his legs in rushing situations when necessary.
Through four games played as a redshirt senior, King currently leads the team in both passing (758) and rushing (380) yards. His seven rushing touchdowns are first among conference quarterbacks and are second overall in the ACC, only behind Virginia running back J’Mari Taylor (8).
The Hokies, however, have ample experience playing against quarterbacks who are considered to be dual-threat players. Defensive coordinator Sam Siefkes’s “Lunch Pail Defense” halted NC State quarterback CJ Bailey from using his legs in Week 5 (9 attempts, -19 rushing yards) and snuffed out South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers in a similar fashion in the Aflac Kickoff Game (13 attempts, 25 rushing yards).
A New Chapter
Plenty has changed since the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets last faced off in conference play. In the most recent matchup, the Hokies took care of business in a 21-6 win, defending Lane Stadium behind a three-touchdown day from quarterback Kyron Drones.
This weekend’s matchup is dissimilar from the 2024 contest in a variety of ways, primarily in that King was out with injury when the two teams faced off last year. Current backup Aaron Philo was featured in the matchup, the then-true freshman throwing for 184 yards and an interception to Jaylen Jones late in the fourth quarter.
Historically, the Hokies hold the head-to-head matchup advantage 12-8. Further, of the 10 games played at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Tech football has won seven contests.