Teams like having an open date before playing Georgia Tech so they can prepare for that unusual “flexbone” option attack but it’s Georgia Tech that had an extra week to prepare for Duke this Saturday.

“It’s a challenge because it’s a completely different style of offense than in the past,” Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. “They do the best job consistently of creating problems with big plays; great play action pass team particularly with a quarterback like Vad (Lee). He has such a strong arm. He can go downfield with the ball. They always have big, tall receivers that give you opportunities to out-jump you. It’s difficult.”

Cutcliffe said the Blue Devils have a lot more work to do this week to prepare.

For his part, Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson says he’s expecting another close game with Duke.

“The games are hard fought – every game is that way,” Johnson said. “We talked about the last two times we’ve been up there and how we got behind both times.”

Even in 2009 when the Yellow Jackets won the league, they fell behind Duke, only to score five TDS in a row. “The game that was a real nail biter was down here in 2010 where we got a big key interception that turned the game,” Johnson said. “And then up the re two years ago, it went back in forth and the final was 38-31.”

With it being the first game for Duke playing without starting QB Anthony Boone, who is injured, it could well be a blowout this time.

But Johnson said GT is going into the game not expecting to win big but just to win.