Three Takeaways From Georgia Tech's win over North Carolina

Georgia Tech won for the 11th time in 13 meetings against Georgia Tech in Atlanta

Jackson Caudell | Oct 29, 2023

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Georgia Tech has had a history of beating North Carolina and the Tar Heels could not exercise whatever demons they have when they play at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

In what might have been the wildest game of the day, Georgia Tech won in a shootout over Drake Maye and North Carolina that put the Yellow Jackets at 4-4 and still up for a possible bowl game. Brent Key continues his streak of beating ranked ACC teams, but this team is going to have to be ready for Virginia next week.

So what are the key (no pun intended) takeaways from this game for Georgia Tech?

1. This team is super resilient and can beat anyone

Any time you count this team out, they find some crazy way to win. They are the perfect chaos team in college football this season and they are not going to get too low after a loss. After losing to Bowling Green the week before, Georgia Tech defeated Miami in one of the most memorable finishes in college football history. One week after losing a crushing game to Boston College, they come out and put a big dent in North Carolina's hopes of making the ACC Championship game.

The challenge for Georgia Tech is going to be staying focuses and making sure they are ready for Virginia. The Cavaliers have also beaten North Carolina and took Miami to the wire yesterday. I think the Yellow Jackets are better, but the game is on the road and Brent Key will have to have his team ready. Georgia Tech moved to 4-0 under head coach Brent Key against nationally ranked ACC opponents:

W, 26-21 at No. 24 Pitt – Oct. 1, 2022
W, 21-17 at No. 13/11 North Carolina – Nov. 19, 2022
W, 23-20 at No. 17 Miami (Fla.) – Oct. 7, 2023
W, 46-42 vs. No. 17 North Carolina – Oct. 28, 2023

Never count these Yellow Jackets out. You would be doing yourself a disservice.

2. The running game picked a great time to show up

Dontae Smith running the ball vs North Carolina / Nathaniel Caudell

What a game it was for Dontae Smith.

Smith has been behind Jamal Haynes and Trey Cooley for much of the year, but the veteran running back stepped up to the big stage tonight and reminded everyone that he is still a really good player. The Yellow Jackets ran for a whopping 348 yards and Smith was the leader, rushing for 178 of them, including a 70 yard touchdown. Haynes King made plays with his legs and Jamal Haynes had a tough touchdown run in the second half.

Over the past three games, the running game has seen a lot of struggle and has not been able to get going. Tonight, they had a tremendous performance in the fourth quarter and pushed this team to another upset win over North Carolina.

3. Georgia Tech has North Carolina's number

It does not matter where North Carolina is ranked or where they are in the ACC Championship picture, the Tar Heels can't seem to beat Georgia Tech, especially in Atlanta. This is the third straight year that they Tar Heels have lost to Georgia Tech and they were ranked in each game.

When talking with the media on Monday, North Carolina head coach Mack Brown talked about the matchup on Saturday with Brent Key and the Yellow Jackets and how tough of a game it has been for his program:

"Georgia Tech is a game that has been tough for us. Atlanta has not been good to the Tar Heels, we have lost 10 of 12. Hear me now. We have lost 10 of the last 12 games in Atlanta to Georgia Tech. Everyone thinks that we have Miami's number because we have beaten them five in a row, well Georgia Tech has had North Carolina's number, and before I got here, in Atlanta so that makes this a game where people project that we lose. Period. Because we have. 10 out of 12 is pretty good percentages. They will be excited and they will feel like they are going to win because they have and we will have our hands full.

Brent Key has done a great job, he is a Georgia Tech alum and has pulled them all together and they are playing really hard and he will have them ready to go with a whole lot of energy and we have to do the same thing"

There is not a great reason I can explain it, but Atlanta has been a house of horrors for the Tar Heels and another loss here might have ended their ACC title hopes.

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