BC Finally Has Momentum. Saturday in Atlanta Decides Whether It's Real.

For the first time this season, Boston College football has something it hasn't had in a while: a little bit of momentum.

The Eagles (3-3, 1-2 ACC) beat Pitt 27-21 at home last Saturday for their first conference win, and now they go to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech (2-4, 1-2 ACC) on Saturday, Oct. 24. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. at Bobby Dodd Stadium, on ACC Network, according to BC Athletics. Radio is WEEI 93.7 FM.

How they beat Pitt

It started bad. Pitt went up 12-0 in the first seven minutes. Then BC scored 21 unanswered points and never gave the lead back, according to Sports Illustrated's BC site.

Mason McKenzie threw for a career-high 295 yards on 17-of-28, with two touchdowns and two interceptions, BC Athletics said. BC Interruption was blunt about those picks: both were bad decisions in the red zone, and McKenzie was the first to admit it. But it also said something seemed to click for him in the pocket, going through progressions and not bailing to run too early.

He can still run, though. McKenzie has 444 rushing yards through six games, already the fifth-most by a BC quarterback in a single season, passing Joe Marzetti's 381 from 1966, according to the school.

Landon Wright was the big-play guy. Two catches on three targets for 122 yards, both career highs, including a 69-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter and a 53-yard grab in the fourth that set up Evan Dickens' 1-yard touchdown run. Javarius Green caught an 11-yard score, his first career touchdown catch.

The defense is the story

This BC defense has 11 takeaways through six games, eight interceptions and three fumble recoveries, second in the ACC, per BC Athletics. It's allowing 169.3 passing yards a game, second-best in the conference and 18th nationally.

KP Price leads the ACC with 29 solo tackles. Against Pitt he had his eighth career game with 10 or more tackles and picked off his third pass of the season. Charlie Comella had his second interception of the year, the most he's had in a season. Carter Davis had a career-high 11 tackles with a forced fumble. Anthony Palano is tied for fourth in the ACC with 51 tackles.

At Tuesday's press conference, Price said "the sky is the limit" for this group, BC Interruption reported, and McKenzie said the offense "is all starting to come together a little bit."

Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets lost 34-24 at Virginia Tech last week, a week after upsetting then-No. 23 Duke 28-25. First-year starting quarterback Alberto Mendoza threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns with an interception against the Hokies, going 29-of-38. Jordan Allen caught 10 passes for 120 yards, and Trelain Maddox ran for 96 yards and a score on 12 carries, according to SI.

Running back Justice Haynes missed the Duke game and his availability is up in the air, BC Interruption said.

The weak spot for Tech is its defense. Eleven sacks and one interception all year, and it's allowing almost 400 yards a game, according to BC Interruption.

The line

Georgia Tech is a 4.5-point favorite at home, BC Interruption reported, and it took BC plus the points. The over-under is 49.5.

The one worry it flagged is Dickens, who seemed to limp off at the end of the Pitt game. BC uses a rotation at running back and McKenzie's legs give it another option, but Dickens has four rushing touchdowns this year and five total.

Why it matters

Georgia Tech's defense has not forced many turnovers. BC's defense lives on them. BC Interruption called it what it is: if bowl eligibility is the goal, this game is close to must-win. At 3-3 with six to go, a road win in the ACC gets the Eagles above .500 and makes November interesting. A loss and it's back to scrambling.

Pitt was a good win, but Pitt was starting a true freshman quarterback in his first career start, as BC Interruption noted. Georgia Tech at home is a tougher test. If the defense keeps taking the ball away and McKenzie keeps the red-zone mistakes out of it, BC has a real shot. If not, the momentum lasts exactly one week.