Georgia Tech Football: Early Week Eight Preview vs Virginia

Georgia Tech Football and Virginia played a wild football game in Charlottesville last season and there is a chance that their game in Atlanta this year will be similar.

The two teams combined for 88 points and over 1,200 yards last season and most of that was due to porous defense by both teams. Heading into 2022, the defenses are once again a question mark for both the Yellow Jackets and Cavaliers and it could be whichever team has the ball last that wins this game.

Virginia is undergoing a culture change heading into 2022. Former head coach Bronco Mendenhall surprisingly retired and now Virginia is led by former Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott. Elliott coordinated some of the top offenses in the country while at Clemson and he is inheriting a good quarterback with the Cavaliers.

Georgia Tech has one of the most difficult schedules in the country and this game against Virginia is a crucial one if Tech hopes to make a bowl game for the first time under head coach Geoff Collins.

So what will the 2022 Virginia Cavaliers look like? Let's break that down and how they will match up with Georgia Tech.

Offense

Virginia had one of the most explosive passing attacks in the country last season and was heavily reliant on star quarterback Brennan Armstrong to do everything for them. Armstrong is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, but he is once again going to have to shoulder the load for the Cavalier's offense.

The pass-catching group for Virginia is one of, if not the best in the ACC. Dontayvion Wicks and Keytaon Thompson are a dynamic duo and Lavel Davis and Billy Kemp form a dangerous group. They will have to replace tight end Jelani Woods, but they should be fine with Armstrong leading the way.

The rest of the offense is a question mark, however. The running game was a weakness last year and does not have a known player to be the lead back. Expect Ronnie Walker Jr to be the starter at the beginning of the year, but Miami transfer Cody Brown could become a contributor.

The offensive line is the biggest concern. The entire starting group is gone due to transfer and that could limit the ceiling of the offense, even with a quarterback like Armstrong.

Defense

The defense for Virginia was dreadful last season and that was a surprise considering that Mendenhall has put out solid defenses throughout his coaching carrier. Elliot brought in veteran defensive coordinator John Rudzinski from Air Force to help fix the defense at Virginia.

The defensive line returns a few guys that will be counted on in Aaron Faumui and Jahmeer Carter. Both are solid players and will be counted on up front.

A familiar face will be awaiting the Georgia Tech offense on Virginia's defense. Former Georgia Tech defender Chico Bennett will suit up for the Cavaliers this fall at linebacker and hope to make an impact in his first season back from injury. Another transfer, Michigan State's Jack Camper, is hoping to also provide a spark to the pass rush.

The secondary is going to have three senior leaders in it with Anthony Johnson, Darrius Bratton, and Coen King, but Virginia ranked 87th in passing defense last season. This group is going to need to take a big step forward.

Overview

Virginia has one of the best quarterbacks in the country and a deep and talented group of pass-catchers. The rest of the team is a big question mark, however. A first-time head coach dealing with an uncertain running game, offensive line, and a defense that was one of the worst in the country last season is going to make Virginia a beatable opponent.

With Duke in Atlanta the week before, this is the second consecutive game that Georgia Tech is going to have a shot to win. The offense was able to score plenty of points in Virginia last season and I expect the offense for Georgia Tech to be better than it was last season.

This game is going to be determined by which defense improves the most from last season. Expect another shootout.

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Offense

Defense

Overview

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