Georgia Tech vs VMI: Three Storylines to Watch on Saturday

Can Georgia Tech bounce back from their first loss of the season?

Sep 7, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange wide receiver Jackson Meeks (7) is pushed out of bounds by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Ahmari Harvey (3) in the third quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

It was not a good day on Saturday for the Yellow Jackets. They went on the road as a favorite vs Syracuse, but they left with their first conference loss. For a team that prides itself on being physical no matter the opponent, it was Syracuse that appeared to be the more physical team and the team that played with a chip on their shoulder.

The sky is not falling though for Georgia Tech though. They have an opportunity to get their third win this week vs VMI and then they face another big test vs Louisville on the road.

So what are the key storylines to watch this weekend?

1. Can the team bounce back and look crisp?

Look, you can never take a game for granted and the way Brent Key operates, he won't let his team overlook VMI, but this is a game that the Yellow Jackets are going to be favored to win by a lot. Is there still going to be a hangover from the Syracuse loss or will Georgia Tech come out early and leave no doubt that they are moving forward despite the loss and not looking ahead to Louisville next week? The defense has faced a lot of scrutiny since Saturday and while a win over VMI does nothing to squash those concerns, they could use a good performance.

2. Can the running game get back on track?

While Haynes King is a good quarterback, Georgia Tech hangs their hat on being able to run the football and that was a big reason they lost to Syracuse on Saturday. King was the best runner on the team on Saturday, going for 67 yards on six carries, but Georgia Tech finished with 112 yards total rushing the football. Star running back Jamal Haynes had 35 yards on 11 carries and Anthony Carrie had five yards on five carries. Syracuse had allowed 255 yards rushing against Ohio the week before, but credit them for limiting Georgia Tech on the ground. The running game could use a dominant effort this week.

3. Defense

It is just VMI, but the defense could use a confidence booster before they go on the road to face Louisville. Saturday's game vs Syracuse looked too much like last year's poor defense, especially against the pass. The run defense has looked a bit better, but the pass rush and subsequently the passing defense had a really rough day against what is a really good passing attack from Syracuse.