Matchup Preview and Final Score Prediction For No. 12 Georgia Tech vs Duke

Who will win tomorrow's game between No. 12 Georgia Tech and Duke?

Oct 11, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The biggest game of No. 12 Georgia Tech's season is nearly here.

This Saturday, the Yellow Jackets head out on the road to face a team that is hoping to end their unbeaten season, the Duke Blue Devils. It is a game with ACC title game implications, as the winner is going to be set with a clear path to reach Charlotte while the loser is going to hope for the other team to lose some games.

Duke comes into this game as winners of three straight, all ACC games. After a 1-2 start with losses to Illinois and Tulane, the Blue Devils have turned it up a notch in ACC play, winning against NC State, Syracuse, and California before getting two weeks to prepare for Brent Key and the Yellow Jackets. The two teams met last season in Atlanta, with Georgia Tech getting a 24-14 victory over the Blue Devils.

This is a high stakes game in the ACC this Saturday. Who will come out with a win?

Georgia Tech Offense vs Duke's defense

Oct 11, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The biggest question I have ahead of this matchup on Saturday is which defense is going to get the most stops. Let's start with how Georgia Tech's offense stacks up against Duke's defense.

The Yellow Jackets come into this game 24th in the country in points per game, 11th in rushing offense, 62nd in passing offense, and 13th in total yards per game. On the other side, Duke is coming into this game ranking 78th in points allowed per game, 42nd in rushing yards allowed per game, 114th in passing yards allowed per game, and 79th in total yards allowed per game.

Georgia Tech is of course led by quarterback Haynes King, who is having a very good season so far. King has not only thrown for 971 yards and four touchdowns this season, but he is also Georgia Tech's leading rusher, totaling 440 yards and nine touchdowns this season. He was slowed a bit in the game against Virginia Tech last week, aside from a 26-yard TD run, but he could find success against the Blue Devils defense on Saturday.

While Duke's run defense is not terrible, they have not had to face a rushing quarterback like King. In their earlier loss to Tulane, Green Wave quarterback Jake Retzlaff ran for 111 yards and gave the Duke defense problems. Will King have a similar day?

The rushing attack is spearheaded by King, Malachi Hosley, and of course Jamal Haynes. Hosley is coming off of a 100 yard plus performance vs Virginia Tech and along with Haynes, they form one of the most dangerous backfield duos.

The Yellow Jackets receivers could have an opportunity to have a big day if Duke's passing defense numbers are any indication. While Georgia Tech is known for its running game, they could have their best day of the year through the air. With how aggressive Manny Diaz is on defense, the screen game could be effective on Saturday. Watch out for Isiah Canion, Eric Rivers, and Malik Rutherford.

The offensive line for Georgia Tech is going to be challenged on Saturday. Duke creates a lot of havoc, as they are second in the ACC in sacks with 17 and they are led by Vincent Anthony Jr, who leads the conference with 6.5 sacks. Duke is a disruptive front seven, but if you can block them, there are plays to be made in the secondary.

The keys for the Yellow Jackets are going to be winning on the line of scrimmage and not letting Duke get them behind the chains, not turning the ball over, and controlling the tempo of the game. Excel at those things and points will be scored.

Georgia Tech's defense vs Duke's Offense

Sep 27, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) warms up before a game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Duke has one of the most explosive offenses in the country this season, especially through the air.

Duke ranks 25th in the country in PPG, 73rd in rushing yards per game, 10th in the country in passing yards per game, and 20th in total yards per game. On the other side, Georgia Tech's defense ranks 48th in PPG allowed per game, 103rd in rushing yards allowed per game, 34th in passing yards allowed per game, and 65th in total yards allowed per game.

While Georgia Tech has been pretty solid against the pass this season, Duke is going to be the best passing offense that the Yellow Jackets have seen this season. Quarterback Darian Mensah is second in the ACC in passing yards (trailing only NC State's CJ Bailey) and has a strong group of playmakers around him. Can Georgia Tech get enough pressure on him and force him to make mistakes?

The secondary is of course going to be something to watch on Saturday. Top cornerback Ahmari Harvey is going to be out for this game and Georgia Tech is going to be relying on guys like Rodney Shelley, Daiquan White, Zachary Tobe, and Jon Mitchell to cover a talented Duke skill group, led by Cooper Barkate, the fourth leading receiver in the ACC (475 yards and four touchdowns). The veteran safety duo of Clayton Powell-Lee and Omar Daniels will have to make sure this secondary is in the right position on Saturday to avoid allowing explosive plays.

The Yellow Jackets are going to be without DT Akelo Stone and are going to have to rely on Jordan van den Berg, Matthew Alexander, and others in the middle. Can Brayden Manley, Amontrae Bradford, A.J. Hoffler, Ronald Triplette, and Andre Fuller Jr get pressure on Mensah? They will be going against a very solid offensive line.

While Duke's passing game gets a ton of attention (as it should), their running game has come together over the past few games and true freshman running back Nate Sheppard has emerged as a potential star. Sheppard is fourth in the ACC in rushing yards, with 447 total this season and is averaging eight yards per carry. Given how Georgia Tech's run defense has been this season, stopping Sheppard will be paramount for the Yellow Jackets on Saturday.

I think that Duke is going to be able to get yards on Georgia Tech's defense on Saturday, but the Yellow Jackets have to make them earn it and not give up explosive plays. Force them into mistakes and win on third and fourth down, especially in the redzone, and I think they can do just enough to win this game.

Final Score

This is a tough one to predict and one that I have gone back and forth over.

Duke has had two weeks to prepare and is at home, has an offense that can exploit Georgia Tech's weaknesses on defense, and has a defense that can create havoc and put Georgia Tech behind the chains and force them into uncomfortable situations.

However, Duke's defense has been far from perfect and not seen as diverse of a running game as they are going to see on Saturday. That will open up opportunities against a Duke secondary that has not been able to stop anyone this season. I think Georgia Tech can control the tempo of this game with their style of play and force Duke into mistakes.

This is also just a spot in which I trust Brent Key and this coaching staff. They love being the underdog and in big games like this, Buster Faulkner is money with the game plan. It won't be easy by any stretch, but I think Georgia Tech finds a way to win on Saturday and reach 7-0 for the first time since 1966.

Final Score: Georgia Tech 35, Duke 31