Unranked Georgia Tech opened the new season by defeating No. 10 Florida State, 24-21, in an ACC matchup played in Dublin, Ireland.
The Yellow Jackets were 10.5-point underdogs at kickoff and given +320 odds to win outright.
Sophomore kicker Aidan Birr nailed a game-winning 44-yard field goal at the end of regulation to win the game for Georgia Tech.
BEES WIN pic.twitter.com/0tf8NaOKux
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) August 24, 2024
The victory ended the Yellow Jackets’ 15-game losing streak against top-10 teams. FSU jumped out to an 8-0 lead on its opening series, but transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (19-of-27, 193 yards) and the Seminoles struggled to move the ball for the rest of the game.
The game was tied at 14 at halftime (with the Yellow Jackets still listed as 3.5-point underdogs). Neither team scored in the third quarter, but after trading touchdowns to start the final frame, Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (11-of-16, 146 yards; 15 carries, 54 yards) and running back Jamal Haynes (11 carries, 75 yards, two touchdowns) helped set their offense up for a game-winning field goal.
Saturday’s defeat represents an early blow for FSU, which is seeking to reach its first College Football Playoff since 2014. The Seminoles entered the season listed at +140 — tied for the 10th-best odds — to reach the CFP, according to ESPN Bet.
Fifth-year head coach Mike Norvell led FSU to a 13-0 regular-season record last season, but the Seminoles infamously became the first-ever undefeated Power 5 conference champion to be left out of the four-team CFP. Still, Saturday’s setback might not prevent the Seminoles from reaching the playoff this year, which has been extended to 12 teams. Conference champions will earn an automatic bid, with the four highest-ranked champions getting the top-four seeds.
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