This is a FREE preview of our regular content at Tar Heel Illustrated.
If North Carolina is to avoid losing a fourth consecutive game, the Tar Heels must beat Georgia Tech on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.
UNC won its first three games but has dropped the last three, including two ACC games in a row. Overall, the Tar Heels 3-3 and 0-2 in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets are 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the ACC and are coming off a win over Duke, delivering the Blue Devils their first loss.
The game kicks off at noon and will air on The CW.
Here are our picks:
Jacob Turner
Short and simple, there's ZERO chance I'm picking this Carolina team to beat Georgia Tech, a program Mack Brown is 1-3 against in his 2.0 era and hasn't beaten since 2019. Brace yourself, a fourth-straight L is incoming this Saturday. Prediction: Georgia Tech 38, UNC 27
Chelsea Sipple
The Tar Heels have a strong opportunity to get back in the win column, the Heels need to recapture the offensive spark they showed in their first two games and put up points against a Georgia Tech team that has yet to allow 30 points in a game this season. If the Tar Heels can control the time of possession and force turnovers from the Yellow Jackets, plus executing throughout the final minutes, they could secure an important win to get their season back on track. Prediction: GT 34, UNC 28.
Bryant Baucum
At 0-2 in ACC play, the Tar Heels can earn their first win in conference play and first win over the Yellow Jackets since 2019. Jacolby Criswell has taken strides as UNC’s starter and anytime Omarion Hampton is in the backfield, the Tar Heels have a chance. Defensively, they will be tasked with stopping a quarterback in Haynes King, who threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 90 yards a season ago. I think North Carolina’s losing streak continue and it falls under .500. Prediction: GT 31, UNC 24.
Andrew Jones
This is a very challenging task for a Carolina team headed in the wrong direction, at least that’s what the last few weeks have indicated. Georgia Tech has a talented veteran QB who will be UNC’s biggest test yet. The Jackets are No. 15 in the nation in offensive explosive plays and the Tar Heels are No. 129 defensively in allowing explosive plays. Among everything else, this will play out and the Heels just won’t have enough. Prediction: GT 37, UNC 24.
Average THI prediction: GT 35, UNC 25.8.
