The 2024 college football season is just eight weeks away, with a high-profile game between Georgia Tech and Florida State in Dublin, Ireland. The game could have implications on the ACC title race, with the Yellow Jackets looking to prove they are one of the ACC's dark horse contenders and the Seminoles looking to defend their ACC title with an early win.
It's no secret that Georgia Tech will play one of the toughest schedules in the country, starting with Florida State. The Yellow Jackets are set to win 5.5 games, and yesterday, CBS Sports college football analyst Chip Patterson made all of his ACC win predictions, projecting Georgia Tech to be the under.
Wins: Georgia State, Syracuse, VMI, Duke, University of North Carolina
Losses: Florida State, Louisville, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Miami, North Carolina State, Georgia
Analysis: “Coach Brent Key deserves a lot of credit for how his Yellow Jackets competed last season, as they were one of just five teams in the ACC with a conference win (5-3). And with a number of players returning for 2024 (especially on offense), Georgia Tech looks poised to go even further. But to actually get back to the postseason, Georgia Tech will need to win more than half of its close games, several of which will be on the road. Under 5.5 Wins (-180).”
I expect Georgia Tech to win, but it won't be an easy game. The Yellow Jackets have a lot of tough road games, but let's not forget that Brent Key has shown the ability to get his team to play tough against opponents and pull off upsets both as interim head coach and as head coach last season. That's what's needed this season and I don't think there's any doubt he can do it.
Last season, Georgia Tech went to a bowl game for the first time since 2018 and won a bowl game for the first time since 2016. It was a truly impressive first season under head coach Brent Key. Georgia Tech now has its sights set on getting back to a bowl game and going even further. The Yellow Jackets have one of the toughest schedules in the country heading into the 2024 season, so it will be a tough challenge, but they return most of the starters from one of the top offensive lines in the country and if their defense improves, they could be one of the most dangerous teams in the ACC.
South Florida is one of the strongest teams in the group of five conferences this season and has a shot at a playoff spot. The top-rated champion from the five conferences will play in the new 12-team College Football Playoff, and that champion could be the Bulls. They've made big strides in head coach Alex Goresh's first season and should have one of the best offenses in the country. USF finished fifth in the AAC last season and should be one of the favorites to win the conference.
While it may still be too early to make bowl predictions, some outlets, such as Athlon Sports, have begun to make some announcements. The first bowl predictions for 2024 have Georgia Tech facing South Florida in the Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park in Boston.
Although both teams will be hoping to better position themselves for the postseason, this bowl game will be pretty entertaining and could turn into a high-scoring shootout.
