Who: Wake Forest 10-2, 6-2 ACC vs. Georgia Tech 9-3, 7-1 ACC
Where: Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, FL
When: December 2nd, 1:00 PM
TV: ABC
One sure sign this game is not considered a big deal is the fact it landed on ABC at 1 PM. As everyone has said this is not the game we expected to get and while it is easier to swallow Georgia Tech being in the game, Wake Forest on the other hand was picked dead last in the Atlantic Division behind NC State. And if you could have found ten people before the season to take a ten dollar bet that Wake Forest would be in the ACC Championship you could go to the Angus Barn after the game with a full tank of gas and enjoy a rather nice evening out there. Of course no one ever thought that expanding the ACC would actually bring parity into the conference. Yes, it was thought many teams would get better but a 10-2 Wake Forest and a Chan Gailey team winning more than seven games is a little too much if you ask me.
As for the game, the question for Georgia Tech is whether Reggie Ball can play a halfway decent game at QB and get the ball to Calvin Johnson. The question for Wake Forest is whether they can control the ball and avoid giving up the big play. Wake has such excellent lines on both sides of the ball, it will be difficult for Georgia Tech to pressure Riley Skinner and open up their running game. I think for the Yellow Jackets it comes down to Johnson and Ball avoiding costly turnover. Wake loves to employ all sorts of quirky offensive sets and motion which will present Tech with a challenge in stopping them from simply running the ball and consuming the clock.
Wake Forest has been the better team of late and played more consistently over the past few weeks, despite the loss to Virginia Tech. The Jackets struggled to score more than seven on UNC and then lost to Georgia behind a horrible performance by Ball. Besides, I promised myself I would never pick against Wake again this season. Sam Swank's leg will be the final difference.
Wake Forest 23 Georgia Tech 20