No. 16 Georgia Tech Faces Wake Forest in ACC Clash on Saturday

Georgia Tech hasn’t been 5-0 since 2014. The 16th-ranked Yellow Jackets will have a chance to change that Saturday when they travel to Winston-Salem to face Wake Forest in an ACC matchup that could keep Tech among the nation’s early-season surprises.

The Jackets (4-0, 1-0 ACC) have already knocked off Clemson and are back-to-back nationally ranked for the first time in a decade. A win over the Demon Deacons (2-1, 0-1) would extend Tech’s winning streak to five, its longest since Paul Johnson’s 2014 team reached the Orange Bowl.

Streaking Jackets
Brent Key’s team hasn’t just been winning—it’s been explosive. Georgia Tech ranks 18th nationally in total offense (492.3 yards per game) and fifth in yards per play (8.0). Quarterback Haynes King has balanced the attack, throwing for 515 yards while also rushing for more than 90 yards per game. Running back Jamal Haynes is closing in on the program’s top 10 rushing list after posting his eighth career 100-yard game last week against Temple.

The Jackets have also taken care of the ball, reversing early-season turnover issues with just one giveaway in the last two weeks. Defensively, they are allowing under 20 points per game and have limited opponents to 4.0 yards per play or less in back-to-back wins.

Wake’s Challenge
The Demon Deacons are under first-year coach Jake Dickert and enter off a 34-24 loss at NC State. Quarterback Robby Ashford has thrown for 697 yards but been intercepted three times in three games. Running back Demond Claiborne (254 yards, 9.9 yards per carry) has been a bright spot, while linebacker Nick Anderson leads the defense with 23 tackles.

Georgia Tech leads the all-time series 24-8 and has won the last four meetings, including a 30-16 victory in Winston-Salem in 2023. The Jackets are 10-3 all-time at Wake Forest.

What’s at Stake
A Tech win would not only keep the Jackets unbeaten, but also mark their best start in 11 years and fifth straight over the Deacons—the program’s longest streak in the series since 1985. A loss would be their first to an unranked regular-season opponent since falling at Virginia Tech last October.

Kickoff is set for noon at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. ESPN will televise the game.