Georgia Tech at Duke in ACC showdown with playoff implications

DURHAM, N.C. — Undefeated No. 12 Georgia Tech visits Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday afternoon to face 4-2 Duke in a game that could determine which Atlantic Coast Conference teams control their path to the conference championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Kickoff is set for noon Eastern at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium and the matchup will be carried on national television.

Both teams enter with identical 3-0 ACC records, meaning a win Saturday will leave the victor positioned among the conference leaders vying for one of the top two spots that secure a place in the ACC title game and strengthen College Football Playoff prospects. Georgia Tech is 6-0 overall after a 35-20 win over Virginia Tech last week. Duke has won three straight games, including a 45-21 victory over California in its most recent outing following a bye week.

The game will hinge in large part on a duel between two transfer quarterbacks. Duke starter Darian Mensah, who transferred from Tulane, has passed for roughly 1,838 yards and 15 touchdowns this season and is rated among the nation’s top quarterbacks by some analytic services. Georgia Tech’s Haynes King, a former Texas A&M...