The undefeated No. 8 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets look to extend their historic 8-0 start when they visit Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack. The primetime ACC matchup pits Brent Key’s hard-charging squad, led by standout ACC Quarterback of the Week, Haynes King, against a hungry Wolfpack team eager to turn around a recent four-game losing skid.

   Key reflected during Monday’s press conference on the significance of the game. “This is what you want as a coach—challenging games with something on the line,” he said. “We’re fortunate to be in this position, but now it’s about performing. NC State is physical, competitive, and well-coached by Dave Doeren, who I respect a lot. We’re going into a tough environment, and that always brings out the best in teams.”

   Georgia Tech boasts a potent offense averaging 36 points a game, with King passing for over 1,400 yards this season on 72.3 percent completion. “Haynes is a guy who impacts us every snap,” Key said. “He plays with poise, he’s a dynamic runner, and our whole team feeds off his energy.”

   LT Ethan Mackenney was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. The redshirt sophomore helped lead the Yellow Jackets to 41 points and 543 yards of offense in a 41-16 win over Syracuse.

   The Jackets’ defense has also been strong, sitting in the top 50 nationally in multiple categories including scoring defense and red-zone stops. Key said, “Our defense has risen to every challenge, and we’ll need that same effort in all three phases. NC State wants to get back on track, so we expect a physical battle.”

   North Carolina State (4-4, 1-3) hopes to use home-field advantage and the play of quarterback CJ Bailey to snap its losing streak. The Wolfpack is coming off a 53-28 road loss at Pitt. Even though they put up 375 yards of offense, they were just 4-13 on third down and 0-3 on fourth downs. Key acknowledged the Pack’s athleticism: “They’ve got speed and strength on both sides of the ball. We know their strengths and have been preparing to counter them all week.”

   Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2, with Georgia Tech, the ACC’s only remaining unbeaten team, seeking to keep its momentum going as the season heads into November, a crucial stretch for ACC title hopes.

   “Every game is an opportunity,” Key said. “We aren’t satisfied, but we’re proud of what we’ve done so far. Now we focus on executing on Saturday.”