In one of the most anticipated ACC matchups of the week, the undefeated No. 16/17 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (4-0) travel to Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (2-1) this Saturday, September 27. The high-stakes clash features a nationally ranked Georgia Tech team eager to cement its status and a Wake Forest squad determined to prove itself at home.

   Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key emphasized the relentless mindset required to maintain the Jackets’ hot start. “That was the message last week, that you’re gonna get 100 from everybody. We don’t have the margin to let up at all. Every game is gonna be a four quarter football game. We have to be prepared to play that way,” Key said during his Tuesday press conference. He added, “Pressure is a privilege. It truly is. I mean, y’all earned that, and as they become used to it and accustomed to it, the outside noise starts to fade away then.”

   Key acknowledged the challenge of facing a well-prepared Wake Forest. “Yeah, this is a good football team now. The first thing to catch your eye is how they play. They play hard… I’ve had a chance to spend some time with Jake (Dickert) in the offseason. You talk about a good football coach—he’s come up the hard way, played small ball, and works his way up through the ranks. Got the head job at Washington State as interim, and had success there,” Key remarked, underscoring the respect between staffs and the work Wake Forest’s coaches have done to build a tough, physical program.

   For Wake Forest, head coach Jake Dickert sees the matchup as a proving ground. “Obviously a big time opponent coming to town,” Dickert said, acknowledging Georgia Tech’s national ranking and the talent they possess. He singled out Jackets quarterback Haynes King as “one of the best players in the country,” and observed, “Georgia Tech’s identity is centered around physicality and toughness. This is not going to be an easy game, but there is a path forward.”

   Dickert is counting on a strong response from his players after a bye week. “Our guys came back with a high urgency to improve and get better. We’ve shown flashes, but we have to be consistent for four quarters.” He noted that the team’s preparation has been focused and disciplined, hoping that focus translates on the field: “We have to be sharp and play with a high level of urgency from the first snap. Mistakes will be costly because Georgia Tech is quick and relentless.”

   Both teams are working to control the narrative. For Key and the Yellow Jackets, the message is simple: “We don’t look at it in terms of scores or stats. We look at it as production. Do we produce, and do we keep the chains moving, or do we stop them on the other side of the ball?”

   Georgia Tech’s offense has produced with efficiency, while Wake Forest’s defense seeks big stops behind an energized home crowd. 

   In the one Wake Forest game I’ve seen, they struggled to beat a lesser talented Kennesaw State team and only won 10-9 because the Owls kicker missed an easy field goal and an extra point.

   Saturday’s game promises drama, intensity, and implications for the conference title chase as Georgia Tech aims to remain perfect and Wake Forest looks to topple a ranked foe.

   Kickoff is noon on ESPN.