Virginia Tech vs. Georgia Tech: Complete Game Preview

The Virginia Tech Hokies (4-5, 2-3) return to the field on Thursday after an emotional week off. Last week, legendary head coach Frank Beamer announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2015 season.

The Hokies' opponent this week: the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-6, 1-5).

Heading into the season, most believed it would be the Hokies or Yellow Jackets battling it out for ACC Coastal Division supremacy. In 10 years of the ACC title game, either Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech has represented the Coastal in all but one year. 

The Jackets have won the division in two of the last three years.

Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 8-4, and it has won four of the past five meetings. Georgia Tech defeated the Hokies last season 27-24 in a thriller.

• When: Thursday, November 12, 2015
• Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium; Atlanta, Georgia
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: Virginia Tech IMG Sports Network. Here is a complete list of stations by area.
• Spread: The Yellow Jackets are currently 3.5-point favorites, per Odds Shark.

Limit Big Plays 

Georgia Tech's triple-option is one of the difficult offenses in college football to defend. Over the years, the Hokies have done a solid job in defending the option. Last season was not one of those years. Then-sophomore quarterback Justin Thomas ran for 165 yards in Georgia Tech's win.

Thomas is back, but he hasn't been nearly as effective on the ground this season as he was in 2014. Through nine games, Thomas has rushed for 418 yards and is averaging only 3.6 yards per carry. Last season, Thomas ran for over 1,000 yards. 

If the Hokies can keep Thomas and the rest of Georgia Tech's talented backfield in check, they'll win this game. 

Play with the Right Kind of Emotion

Virginia Tech should be a motivated bunch on Thursday night. The players—past and present—love and respect Beamer. They want to send him into retirement a winner. So, for the Hokies to defeat a talented—but underachieving—Georgia Tech team, they'll need to play with the right kind of emotion for 60 minutes.

Often, teams entering a game after an emotional week play flat. Or, they wilt at the first hint of adversity. Virginia Tech cannot do that on Thursday. The Hokies will need to play fast, aggressive and smart. If they can do that, they'll be one game closer to bowl eligibility.

Make the Big Plays

Georgia Tech's offense creates big plays through its running game. However, over the years, it's the opportunistic passing game that's helped take GT's offense to the next level. Virginia Tech's defensive backfield is susceptible to the big play, as the Hokies secondary features two true freshman starters. 

Head coach Paul Johnson must decide when the time is right to strike down the field. Georgia Tech's leading receiver, Ricky Jeune, averages 21 yards per catch. If the Jackets can hit at least two big pass plays, their chances of winning are that much greater. 

Get Pressure on Michael Brewer

Virginia Tech's starting quarterback, Michael Brewer, has been good since his return from a broken collarbone a few weeks back. Last fall, Brewer's turnovers were a big reason Georgia Tech defeated the Hokies. This season, Brewer is doing a much better job of taking care of the football.

The Yellow Jackets must get pressure on Virginia Tech's quarterback. Brewer will make mistakes when he has pressure in his face. If the Jackets can pressure Brewer and force a mistake or two, it will be tough for the Hokies to overcome.

Running Back Travon McMillian

Since taking over as the starting running back early last month, redshirt freshman Travon McMillian has ripped off games of 96, 99, 142 and 105 yards in Virginia Tech's last four games, respectively. Early in the season, VT's running game struggled while McMillian was third on the depth chart. 

McMillian was viewed as the Hokies' top big-play threat from the running back position in September. However, as the other backs struggled, McMillian made the most of his carries, and the coaching staff inserted him into the starting lineup.

The Yellow Jackets are just No. 75 against the run, so they're a team Virginia Tech can have success against on the ground. Expect McMillian to get around 20-25 carries. If he makes the most of them, the Hokies will win this game.

Linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka

Virginia Tech's defense has had its share of issues this season. Injuries have played a part, as has youth, but it's sophomore middle linebacker Andrew Motuapuaka who has drawn the ire of VT's fans.

Motuapuaka has struggled with missed tackles, over-pursuit and sometimes playing too aggressive. It's often left him out of position, and opposing teams have made the Hokies pay. Against a team like Georgia Tech and its triple-option, it's imperative that Motuapuaka plays sound, disciplined football.

Quarterback Justin Thomas

Thomas was the primary reason the Yellow Jackets defeated Virginia Tech in 2014. Not only did Thomas rush for 165 yards and a touchdown, but he also passed for 125 yards and another score. The Hokies had no answer for Thomas and his running skills.

This season, Thomas hasn't been quite as good as he was last fall. His best game came three weeks ago against a tough Pittsburgh team when he rushed for 98 yards. The Hokies will be ready for GT's option attack, so it's up to Thomas to make some big plays with his legs. When opposing quarterbacks run for over 100 yards against VT's defense, the opposing team usually wins. That's a good sign for the Jackets.

Linebacker P.J. Davis

Junior linebacker P.J. Davis is Georgia Tech's top defender and an All-ACC performer. Davis is a terrific sideline-to-sideline linebacker who's equally strong against the run and the pass. If Georgia Tech is going to stop McMillian, it will need a big game from Davis. 

Look for the occasional blitz from Davis this week against the Hokies.

Foster has been Tech's defensive coordinator since 1995. However, his time with Beamer dates all the way back to 1979, when Foster was a linebacker at Murray State, where Beamer was the defensive coordinator. 

Foster wants to be the next Virginia Tech head coach, something Beamer would love to see happen. But that decision isn't up to Foster. The longtime defensive coordinator believes the Hokies program doesn't need a complete change and that he's the man for the job, per Andy Bitter of the Roanoke Times:

I don’t know what’s in store for me. I know this: we put a lot of time and effort into this program and I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished here. What we’ve done here will be tough to duplicate. I don’t care who it is. There was a stretch there that was as good as anybody in America. To do that consistently, that’s going to take a lot of hard work and you’ve got to recruit your tail off and you’ve got to get those kind of guys back in here. It can be done.

Georgia Tech's second-leading receiver, Micheal Summers, left the team this week, hurting Georgia Tech's receiving depth on the eve of Thursday night's game against Virginia Tech. Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson was rather blunt when asked why Summers chose to leave the team, per Stan Awtrey of the Ledger-Enquirer.

"Quit," Johnson said. "Said he didn't want to play anymore."

In six of the last seven meetings between these two schools, the game has been decided by one possession. You can probably expect something similar on Thursday night.

The Hokies want to send their legendary coach out on a high note by going to a bowl for the 23rd consecutive season. They need two wins to accomplish that feat. Georgia Tech needs to win its final three games to become bowl-eligible.

Which team is more desperate?

That would be the Hokies. And that is why Virginia Tech will edge Georgia Tech in another close contest between these two teams.

Prediction: Virginia Tech 27, Georgia Tech 21