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Georgia Tech, North Carolina vie in key ACC clash

Nov 8, 2008 - 11:20 AM (20) Georgia Tech (7-2) at (19) North Carolina (6-2), 12:00 pm EST

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (Ticker) -- There are no dominant powers this season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, especially in the tightly-bunched Coastal Division, where five of the six teams still have a chance to finish first.

Two of them meet Saturday when No. 20 Georgia Tech visits 19th-ranked North Carolina in what amounts to an elimination game.

Georgia Tech snapped a 12-game losing streak against Florida State with a 31-28 victory over the Seminoles last week.

The Yellow Jackets (7-2, 4-2 Coastal) have a leg up, leading the division by one-half game with only two conference contests remaining. Georgia Tech concludes conference play at home against Miami on November 20.

The Yellow Jackets have won five of their last six games, the only loss during the stretch being a 24-17 defeat to Virginia on October 25.

Georgia Tech held on last week after Florida State running back Marcus Sims fumbled on the 3-yard line with 45 seconds remaining. Jonathan Dwyer rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets.

The win enabled the Yellow Jackets to become bowl eligible for the 12th straight year.

"It keeps the streak alive here at Tech, and it's just motivation for us to keep going," Dwyer said. "Coach (Paul) Johnson in the locker room talked about this being a good win, but that we have two tough conference games coming up."

North Carolina (6-2, 2-2) has managed to stay in contention for an ACC title despite losing top receiver Brandon Tate to season-ending knee injury last month. The Tar Heels have gone 2-1 without Tate, including a 45-24 win over Boston College in their last game on October 25.

Although the Yellow Jackets won't have to worry about Tate, they will have to worry about Hakeem Nicks, who scored four touchdowns against Boston College. He caught eight passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed for a 12-yard TD.

North Carolina is off to its best start since 1997, when it won its first eight games of the year. After eight games last season, the Tar Heels were 2-6.

North Carolina is bowl eligible for the first time since 2004, when it played in the Continental Tire Bowl. One more win would ensure the Tar Heels of a winning season for the first time since going 8-5 in 2001.

Last season, Georgia Tech posted a dramatic 27-25 win over North Carolina as Travis Bell kicked a 27-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining.