One of the toughest games on Georgia Tech's 2024 schedule is a neutral-site matchup against Notre Dame at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Fighting Irish come into the season with a winning record and College Football Playoff hopes on their shoulders. This may not be a game most Notre Dame fans are paying attention to right now, but it could be a tougher test than they think.
It's still only June, but the lines for some of the biggest games in college football are already out. Recently, Caesars Sportsbook released the initial lines for the Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame matchup, with the Fighting Irish currently starting as 13.5-point favorites.
Notre Dame has historically dominated the series. The Fighting Irish are 30-6 all-time against Georgia Tech and have won the past three meetings with the Yellow Jackets. The two teams last met in South Bend in 2021, with Notre Dame winning 55-0. The last time the two teams met in Atlanta was when Notre Dame won 31-13 at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
This will be a big challenge for Georgia Tech. Notre Dame has added Duke quarterback Riley Leonard and a talented group of receivers in hopes of improving their passing attack. The defense should be very good again, and if Notre Dame can replace key players on the offensive line (and they usually do), they should be in for a playoff run.
Notre Dame's schedule is much lighter than Georgia Tech's, but they do face some challenges heading into their matchup on Oct. 19. The Fighting Irish open the season with a trip to College Station to take on Texas A&M and then face Louisville a few weeks later. Keep an eye on how Notre Dame plays when it takes on Louisville, as both teams have played the Cardinals before Oct. 19, which will be an interesting baseline.
Georgia Tech will face one of the toughest schedules in the country in 2024, starting with a matchup against the Florida State Seminoles in Week 0. According to odds from Caesars Sportsbook, Georgia Tech will be a 13.5-point underdog against the Seminoles.
This will be a big test for Georgia Tech next fall, but the Yellow Jackets may be up to the challenge thanks to their offensive prowess: Quarterback Haynes King, running back Jamal Haynes and wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. will lead Georgia Tech's electric offensive line.
Florida State came close to making the College Football Playoff this season, and although they will be losing some key players from this year's team, coach Mike Norvell can make the team a contender for the ACC title again next year with some quality signings and a successful portal.
I think Georgia Tech has a much better chance of winning this game than many people think. Florida State is the more talented team on paper, but there are areas where the Yellow Jackets could have an advantage. I think Haynes King will be the best quarterback in the game and having the advantage at the most important position on the field always means a lot. Georgia Tech's offense returns most of its starters from last season and should be able to start strong in Week 0 and pick up where they left off when the 2023 season concludes.
Georgia Tech's defense will be able to slow down Florida State's rushing attack. There are questions about Florida State's passing attack, but Norvell's team certainly has a strong running game. Georgia Tech is one of the worst teams in the country when it comes to stopping the run, and if they can't do that in Week 0, it's going to be a long afternoon.
Florida State's defense could also be a problem for an offense as good as Georgia Tech's. Patrick Payton and Marvin Jones Jr. are a pair of the ACC's best pass rushers, and Florida State might have the ACC's best secondary. It's fair to say Florida State is favored by nearly two touchdowns in this game, but the Yellow Jackets have the power to pull off the upset.
Looking ahead to next week, it's a different story. Georgia Tech is favored by 20.5 points over the Caesars vs. Panthers. This will be an interesting matchup with first-year head coach Del McGee (former Georgia running backs coach) taking over the program. Will the Panthers be ready to take on the Yellow Jackets in this game? I don't know, but I think Georgia Tech is much better on paper and their offense will score a lot of points. What I would like to see is how Georgia Tech plays after the Irish game, win or lose. If they win, can they embrace the success of beating Florida State and focus on the next week? If they lose, can they forget about that loss and focus on beating Georgia State? This program lost to Bowling Green last year as a heavy favorite, so they need to prove they can live up to being a heavy favorite.
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