3 keys to Georgia Tech-NC State

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

3 storylines

Sustain a long drive early. The best way to take the bite out of North Carolina State's aggressive defense is to wear them out. If the Yellow Jackets can go on another 10-minute drive early, it perhaps will tire the Wolfpack and make it easier to control the game. North Carolina wasn't the same, particularly up the middle, after Tech owned the ball in the second quarter of Saturday's 30-24 win.

Winning the turnover battle. N.C. State has a plus-5 turnover margin this season, one of the best in the country. Tech's is even. However, Wolfpack starting running back Dean Haynes fumbled twice last weekend. Because Tech has the ability to grind out long drives, every possession becomes magnified.

Disciplined defense. There's a difference between playing fast and playing recklessly. In each of the past two games Tech's defense has committed unnecessary penalties (roughing the kicker against Kansas and pass interference against North Carolina) which have kept drives alive. To do so again, with Russell Wilson on the other side of the line of scrimmage, would be a mistake.

A Tech win would ...

• Improve the Jackets to 2-0 in the ACC for the first time under coach Paul Johnson.
• Improve Johnson to 1-1 against N.C. State. The Wolfpack beat him 65-19 when he was the coach at Navy in 2002.

An N.C. State win would ...

• Improve the Wolfpack to 4-0 for the first time under coach Tom O'Brien. It also would be their first 4-0 start since 2002, when under former coach Chuck Amato they won their first nine games. They finished 11-3 that season.
• Perhaps help ease the humiliation of the teams' first meeting, a 128-0 Tech victory in 1918.

Keep an eye on ...

For Tech: Steven Sylvester and Anthony Egbuniwe. They will have the task of not only trying to keep track of Wilson, but on some plays they will have to make sure that the running backs don't slip into the flats for short passes. It's going to be a chore for all four of Tech's linebackers. Wilson doesn't have a favorite receiver. Fourteen different players have caught passes this season. Sylvester and Egbuniwe must keep their eyes open.

For N.C. State: Mustafa Greene and Haynes. Controlling the clock is one of the keys to beating Tech. If Haynes and Greene can experience the same success running the ball that Tech's past six opponents have enjoyed (each has had at least one back run for more than 100 yards), then the Wolfpack can keep Tech's offense off the field.

The numbers game

1

Win in N.C. State's past 11 conference road games outside the state of North Carolina.

2

Games in a row for Tech against teams from North Carolina. Tech will play its third next week when it takes on Wake Forest at 7 p.m. in Winston-Salem.

History book

Last meeting: Tech defeated N.C. State 31-23 at Carter-Finley Stadium in 2006.

Series record: Tech lead the series 17-9.

The bottom line

Combine Tech's seemingly getting its mojo back on offense last week with N.C. State's struggles outside of the Tarheel State, and this should be a game that the Jackets win. However, if Wilson consistently exploits the short- and mid-range passes that the Tar Heels and Jayhawks successfully used against Tech, this could turn into a shootout.