Tech awaiting Duke-UNC
Following practice Thursday, Georgia Tech players will gather in a team meeting room to watch Duke and North Carolina potentially determine whether or not the Yellow Jackets will play Florida State for the ACC title.
Duke and North Carolina will play at 7:30 p.m. If Duke loses, the Yellow Jackets will win the Coastal Division outright and will face the Seminoles for the ACC championship Dec. 6 in Charlotte, N.C.
“It’s very weird, but hopefully North Carolina pulls it out,” linebacker P.J. Davis said.
B-back Synjyn Days was already excited about the possibility of facing Florida State defensive coordinator Charles Kelly, who coached at Tech 2006-12 before taking a job with the Seminoles.
“He definitely helped recruit me here,” Days said. “I love Coach Kelly.”
With an open date this weekend, quarterback Justin Thomas sounded more eager to head home to Prattville, Ala., Friday than to watch the game.
“I’ll probably flip in and out and watch some,” he said.
Coach Paul Johnson and linebacker coach Andy McCollum, both friends of North Carolina coach Larry Fedora, said they haven’t gotten in touch with him with encouragement or offers of help. The Tar Heels, on top of having lost their past two games to rival Duke, still need one more win to gain bowl eligibility.
“Duke’s beaten them two years in a row and I’m sure that doesn’t set well in Chapel Hill, (N.C.)” Johnson said. “I’m sure they’ll be excited to play.”
If Duke wins, the Blue Devils will still have to beat Wake Forest Nov.. 29 to win the Coastal.
About the Author
Ken Sugiura is a sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Formerly the Georgia Tech beat reporter, Sugiura started at the AJC in 1998 and has covered a variety of beats, mostly within sports.
