Florida State vs Georgia Tech Pick & Prediction For 8/24/2024

The Florida State Seminoles will take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on August 24, 2024 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, with the Seminoles favored by 10.5 points according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The total for this game is set at 55.5 points, with a relatively even split between bets on the under and over. Stay tuned for what promises to be an exciting matchup between these two college football teams looking to make a strong first impression in their respective season openers.

DJ Uiagalelei Leads Florida State Into Ireland

One of the biggest transfer portal moves in college football this offseason was the transfer of quarterback DJ Uiagalelei from Oregon State to Florida State. With Oregon State coming out on the short end in the conference realignment saga of the last year or two, Uiagalelei had to go somewhere, and Florida State seems like an ideal destination for him. With his combination of big game experience at Clemson and dynamic play-making ability, he should be able to step in right away and make a difference for the Seminoles.

Of course, Florida State is looking to make a statement coming out of the gates this season after feeling like they were robbed of a place in last year's College Football Playoff. The Seminoles were undefeated ACC champions last year but lost starting quarterback Jordan Travis to injury late in the season, forcing the selection committee to snub them out of fear of a lack of competitiveness with a backup quarterback on the field. With a starting quarterback on the field again, the Seminoles will be motivated to try and prove that they once again belong in the playoff conversation in 2024.

However, defense could be tougher on the Seminoles this year after they lost star defender Jared Verse to the NFL. Verse, drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the most recent NFL Draft, had nine sacks last season including 4.5 sacks combined in his final two games in college. Without his ability to make impact plays in big games, it will be interesting to see how the defense responds to playing overseas against a Georgia Tech team that could be more frisky than they have been in the recent past.

Can Georgia Tech's Dual Threat Thrive Against FSU?

Haynes King spent the first three years of his college football career at Texas A&M, where he threw for just over 1,500 yards combined over three seasons and rushed for just under 150 yards. But King finally got his shot at Georgia Tech last season and threw for 2,755 yards while rushing for 648 yards on 108 carries. In this game, King will look to cause trouble for the Florida State defense both with his arm and with his legs across the pond.

A big question for King going into this Florida State vs Georgia Tech matchup is whether or not King can cut back on the turnovers in this contest. He threw 15 interceptions last season, a number that is way too high. If Georgia Tech wants to improve on their seven wins from last season, they are going to need King to do a better job of making decisions and not put the ball in harm's way, starting with Saturday against Florida State.

Then there is the defense of Georgia Tech, which will be tested right off the bat against Florida State. The Yellow Jackets allowed 38 or more points in six of their games a season ago. That defense is a question mark going into this year, especially against a Florida State team that is expected to contend for a place in the College Football Playoff.

Florida State vs Georgia Tech Best Bet

Our best bet for Florida State vs Georgia Tech is for Florida State to cover the spread as a 10.5 point favorite. The speed of the Florida State defense should make things tough on Haynes King in this contest, who we expect to make some mistakes. Look for Florida State to win this game by at least two touchdowns as they should come out looking to earn some early-season style points.

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