NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- It sure sounds like Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson has something against the Southeastern Conference.

"We're not supposed to be able to compete," Johnson said of SEC teams.

He's doing better than that.

Johnson and his Yellow Jackets of the Atlantic Coast Conference, went 2-1 against the SEC last year in his inaugural season, and he already has a second consecutive victory over Mississippi State this season. Now 11th-ranked Georgia Tech visits Vanderbilt tonight before the annual grudge match against Georgia to wrap up the regular season.

Georgia Tech was a charter member of the SEC but left the league in 1964.

The Yellow Jackets currently sit atop the ACC Coastal Division, and Johnson said it is important for a program in the heart of SEC country in Atlanta where that league plays its annual championship game.

"Our guys take pride in it because they hear all the time about how tough the SEC is and how much speed and those kind of things. It's something we look forward to measuring our guys against, I think," Johnson said.

Georgia Tech has enough to measure right now.

The Yellow Jackets are off to their best start since opening 7-0-1 in 1990 on their way to a national title. They have won five in a row and a victory would give them their longest winning streak since 2000. They haven't been ranked this high since 2001.

Vanderbilt is struggling with four consecutive losses.

The Georgia Tech coach is focusing on Vandy's defense, which allows only 17.8 points per game.

"They usually don't beat themselves," he said.

Commodores coach Bobby Johnson knows the spread option used by Paul Johnson well from their days coaching against each other in the Southern Conference. But stopping the run is the one weakness for Vandy's defense. The Commodores rank 85th nationally and allows 164.1 yards rushing per game.

"The main thing you do is don't give up the easy plays," Bobby Johnson said. "If they make the easy plays and then they keep it for eight or nine minutes the next time, you just don't have a chance to catch up. They don't plod along. They're very exotic."

The Commodores are eager for the challenge, especially with the return of defensive end Steven Stone (broken foot). Tackle Greg Billinger loves the challenge of the Yellow Jackets' offensive line, which features big guards and athletic tackles.

"It's a lot of smash-mouth football," Billinger said. "With that, they put in a lot of things to keep you off balance, like sweeps and stuff like that. You can be caught unaware."