The 2024 college football begins this Saturday in Dublin, Ireland at Aviva Stadium as the Florida St. Seminoles take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
FSU leads the series 15-11-1, with their last win in Tallahassee (2022), 41-16. However, the Yellow Jackets are 4-3 since 2008 and are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games against the Seminoles.
FSU is coming off one of their best seasons in the last decade, going 13-0 in the regular season and winning the ACC title for the first time since 2014. As good as the Seminoles were in 2023, they were snubbed from the college football playoff and were humiliated by Georgia in the Orange Bowl, 63-3! Thankfully for head coach Mike Norvell, the Seminoles bring back a stout defensive unit that could be one of the best units in the country. Defensive End Patrick Payton and Defensive Back Shyheim Brown will give offensive coordinators fits this season.
On the other side of the field are the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, coming off their first winning season since 2018 and a Gasparilla Bowl victory against UCF. Second-year head coach Brent Key, an offensive lineman at Tech(97-2001), has quickly made the Yellow Jackets a formidable football team. Led by junior Quarterback Haynes King, sophomore running back Jamal Haynes, and sophomore receiver Eric Singleton, the Yellow Jacket offense is one of the best in the ACC.
Keys to the game–
FSU– Let DJ Uiagalelei throw the long ball. He doesn’t have to be Randal Cunningham out there, just give him time to throw because he has a cannon. And on defense, get to Tech QB Haynes King and get him rattled.
Georgia Tech– Get the ground game going. You don’t want to get in a shoot-out with FSU, so keep their offense off the field and move the chains. And on defense, you have to get three and outs. Tech struggled getting off the field last season so look for an emphasis on this area in this game. Also, find a way to get turnovers.
Ready or not, the games begin this weekend. Enjoy the kickoff in Dublin.
Other games on Saturday-
Montana St @ New Mexico 4 PM on FS1
SMU @ Nevada 8 PM on CBSSN
Delaware St @ Hawaii 11:59 PM
JDubb's Sideline Report 