The Aer Lingus College Football Classic between the Florida State Seminoles and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will kick off the 2024-25 college football season in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday. I have everything you need to know about Florida State vs. Georgia Tech predictions, odds, how to watch live, previews of both teams, the weather in Dublin, and how to bet the college football Week 0 opener.
Florida State is a 10.5-point favorite (-10.5) against Georgia Tech for College Football Week 0. The total is currently over/under 55.5 points scored by both teams combined. The Seminoles are -455 favorites on the moneyline, with the Yellow Jackets +345 underdogs to pull off the upset victory. For our Florida State vs Georgia Tech pick, I'm focused on the spread.
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Prediction
- Florida State vs Georgia Tech Pick: Florida State -11
My Florida State-Georgia Tech bet is on the Seminoles to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Odds
| Florida St Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-10.5 -112 | 55.5 -108o / -112u | -455 |
| GA Tech Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+10.5 -108 | 55.5 -108o / -112u | +350 |
- FSU vs Georgia Tech point spread: Florida State -10.5 | Georgia Tech +10.5
- FSU vs Georgia Tech total: Over/under 55.5
- FSU vs Georgia Tech moneylines: Florida State -455 | Georgia Tech +345
This spread opened at Florida State -13, but it now sits at anywhere from Florida State -10.5 to Florida State -11.5, depending on the book. Finding the best spread is important, as my pick for today's game is on the Seminoles to cover the spread.
The total opened at 51.5 and has moved up to 55.5.
This will be the fifth-ever college football game at Aviva Stadium, which has seen an average total of 48.8 since the 2012 inception.
This will be the second trip for the Yellow Jackets as a program after they beat Boston College in Dublin in 2016.
The Seminoles, meanwhile, enter the season with plenty of motivation for returning players after being snubbed by the College Football Playoff selection committee a season ago.
The game is set to kick at 12 p.m. ET, and temperatures are expected to cool into the 50s by kickoff. Aviva Stadium is an open-air venue, which is notable for a forecast that includes potential wind gusts over 20 mph.
There's a slight familiarity with these rosters after the programs met in 2022. Florida State would beat Georgia Tech by 25 in Tallahassee two seasons ago, tightly covering a spread of -23.
So, where does the betting value lie this time around? I'll explain in my Florida State-Georgia Tech preview below.
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Preview: Seminoles and Yellow Jackets Open Season in Dublin
The Seminoles will be without their offensive coordinator for this game, as the NCAA slapped Alex Atkins with a three-game suspension for recruiting violations. Head coach Mike Norvell was quick with media inquiries, stating, “we implemented the plan throughout our scrimmage opportunities.”
Although Atkins will not be there to call plays, there's every expectation that Florida State will lean more on the run game after calling a 50% balance with passing attempts last season.
Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei returns to the ACC after a single season with Oregon State. The fifth-year senior was fantastic in Corvallis, increasing career marks in big-time throws and average depth of target.
Uiagalelei flashed his mobility in the Pac-12 in a similar fashion to his time under center with Clemson, bringing a career total of designed rushing yards to 1,133.
Atkins called plenty of counter and outside zone read run concepts a season ago — a perfect combination for Uiagalelei and Alabama transfer running back Roydell Williams.
BACK AND FORTH!!
Roydell Williams answers for an @AlabamaFTBL touchdown to tie it again! pic.twitter.com/8arVGTuSc2
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 5, 2023
Williams will get the starting duties after spending four years on a crowded depth chart in Tuscaloosa. The fifth-year senior averaged 3.4 yards after contact, generating double-digit yards on 15 of his 112 rushing attempts.
The one-two punch of Uiagalelei and Williams will have a cavalry in the trench, as transfers helped boost the offensive line to 190 starts and 90% of snaps returning from 2023.
Although Florida State put up offensive numbers outside the top 100 in Line Yards and Stuff Rate, the continuity in the trench should ease the loss of Atkins.
The strength of the Georgia Tech defense comes in the secondary, a unit that returns just 50% of pass breakups from last season. Florida State will have a number of new faces at receiver, but redshirt freshman Jalen Brown was announced as a surprise starter on the outside.
The handicap on this side of the ball is whether or not the Yellow Jackets can defend the rush.
New defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci is expected to have a new scheme for Georgia Tech, moving to the 4-2-5 with a similar flavor as Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko.
The first-time coordinator lacks depth in the defensive front, using two portal additions at linebacker. The edge rushers have little experience, as Sylvain Yondjouen played 27 snaps last year due to injury and Romello Height was limited to a few hundred snaps in four years of reserve play at Auburn and USC.
With FSU offensive tackle Darius Washington expected to be the best in the ACC, the Seminoles may face no resistance with consistent play in standard downs.
One of the more potent offenses in the ACC comes from downtown Atlanta with the Yellow Jackets.
Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner is well on his way to bigger coaching assignments but will first have a full season with quarterback Haynes King under center and running back Jamal Haynes in the backfield.
Georgia Tech leaned 55% to the rush last season, implementing more than 300 plays of zone read option and more than 120 to counter run concepts.
My play of the game from yesterday. Really love what I’m seeing from Jamal Haynes (@Jamalhaynes16), his switch to running back has been seamless.
Really showed off his speed & vision on this play and set the team up to go into the half with some momentum after a SC State score. pic.twitter.com/F11Ouy8PtJ
— Jared Halus (@JaredHalus) September 10, 2023
Faulkner gets starters back on the offensive line at center and right tackle, with the unit returning 120 starts and 67% of snaps from last year.
The ground attack produced a top-25 number in terms of Rushing Success Rate, ranking top-20 in average distance of first contact.
Georgia Tech will need its experience to shine against a Florida State defense that's heavy on experience. FSU brings back its top tacklers in safety Shyheim Brown and linebacker DJ Lundy, while highly-recruited edge Marvin Jones Jr. joins from Georgia.
The best part of the Seminoles defense comes in the secondary, which enters as the best coverage unit nationally in terms of on-target balls allowed. Nickel Kevin Knowles II and cornerback Azareye’h Thomas contributed to coordinator Adam Fuller’s top-five defensive rank in Havoc.
Cornerback Fentrell Cypress II enters his sixth season, accumulating six pass breakups while allowing only half of opposing targets to be caught.
King will have his top targets back in slot Malik Rutherford and wideout Eric Singleton Jr., but the offense fell to 75th in passing downs Success Rate in 2023. As the team's leading target, Singleton must improve a drop rate of 7.7%.
The question on this side of the ball is whether or not Florida State will contain the ground attack and tackle in space. The Seminoles finished 31st in tackle grading a year ago, per PFF, but that number drops to 100th in broken tackles allowed.
Georgia Tech will likely rip a few explosives with King and Haynes, but generating a quality drive could be a struggle. The Florida State defense ranked sixth last year in preventing quality drives — a statistic measuring possessions that end in a score, feature 10-plus plays, last longer than three minutes or cover more than 50 yards.
How to Watch Florida State vs Georgia Tech Live
| Location: | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland |
| Date: | Saturday, August 24, 2024 |
| Start Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV Channel/Streaming: | ESPN |
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Betting Trends
- 69% of bets and 58% of the money is on Florida State to cover the spread.
- 58% of bets and 56% of the money is on the under.
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Weather
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Pick, Prediction: FSU to Cover the Spread
Both offenses prefer a slight lean to the rushing attack with heavy concepts in zone read with counter.
The handicap circles around which defensive front can contain the quarterback and running back duo while limiting explosives in passing downs.
Florida State should have no issues moving the trench against a defensive line that fields edge rushers and linebackers at less than 230 pounds. Yellow Jackets defensive tackle Makius Scott lists at 290 pounds and ranked 33rd out of 38 Georgia Tech defenders in defensive rush grading.
The Seminoles are expected to find themselves in scoring position often, where Atkins' absence could force a decline in FSU's Finishing Drives rank of 20th from 2023.
Georgia Tech will counter with a number of explosive options on offense, returning 17 rushing touchdowns with Haynes and King along with 10 receiving touchdowns from Rutherford and Singleton.
The Seminoles defense is not expected to give anything up in the passing game, so tackling in space will be the biggest concern when facing the Yellow Jackets offense.
Ultimately, Georgia Tech has no answer for Uiagalelei and Co. in short-yardage situations.
With an Action Network projection of Florida State -19.5, look for the Seminoles to take over in the second half with a dominant offensive line and an elite secondary.
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Expert Pick: Florida State to Cover (-11 or Better)
