Surging Georgia Tech visits UNC in ACC Coastal matchup

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Georgia Tech hopes it’s finally found its groove. North Carolina has been close — but that’s not good enough for the Tar Heels.

The surging Yellow Jackets visit the Tar Heels today looking to move closer to bowl eligibility and keep alive their longshot hopes in their topsy-turvy division race.

Georgia Tech (4-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won three of four to move back to .500 after a 1-3 start that put some pressure the Yellow Jackets. Their famed triple-option offense ran all over Virginia Tech last week, rolling up 465 yards rushing in a 49-28 rout of the Hokies.

“We’ve got a lot to play for,” coach Paul Johnson said. “We’re still alive in the conference. We’re trying to play to get bowl eligible. There’s a ton to play for.”

For North Carolina (1-6, 1-4), there’s no more margin of error. In order to earn bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016, the Tar Heels must win their remaining four games — then find a replacement for the game with UCF that was canceled because of Hurricane Michael, and win that one, too.

They’ve been close lately, but haven’t been able to close out a victory in more than a month.

Since their 37-point loss at Miami, they’ve lost twice by three points apiece — once in overtime at Syracuse, another when Virginia Tech scored the winning touchdown with 19 seconds left following a critical fumble.

Coach Larry Fedora acknowledged that there’s “plenty of frustration.

“We talk about it as a team. We talk about how close we are and the difference between winning and losing and what we need to do,” Fedora said. “Nobody’s happy with what’s going on. Everybody’s searching, and everybody’s looking at me. I’m the leader of this team, and ... I’m responsible for giving them answers.”