The 2024 college football season is just eight weeks away and it kicks off with a huge game between Georgia Tech and Florida State in Dublin, Ireland. That game could have implications in the ACC title race and the Yellow Jackets are going to be out to prove that they are one of the darkhorse contenders in the ACC while the Seminoles are going to be trying to defend their ACC title with an early win.
It is no secret that Georgia Tech is going to be playing one of the toughest schedules in the country and it starts with Florida State. The win total for the Yellow Jackets is set at 5.5 wins and yesterday, CBS Sports College Football Analyst Chip Patterson made his predictions for every win total in the ACC and he is taking the under for Georgia Tech:
Wins: Georgia State, at Syracuse, VMI, Duke, at North Carolina
Losses: Florida State, at Louisville, Notre Dame, at Virginia Tech, Miami, NC State, at Georgia
Analysis: “Coach Brent Key deserves a ton of credit for the way the Yellow Jackets battled last season, finishing as one of just five teams in the ACC with a winning record in conference play (5-3). And since there are a ton of pieces back for 2024 (especially on offense), the notion should be that Georgia Tech is poised for yet another step forward. But to actually return to the postseason will require success in more than half of Georgia Tech’s toss-up games, some of which are on the road. Under 5.5 wins (-180)”
I still like Georgia Tech to go over, but it definetly won’t be easy. There are plenty of challenging road games for the Yellow Jackets, but keep in mind that as an interim head coach and as the head coach last season, Brent Key has shown the ability to get his team to play up to their competition and pull upsets. That is going to be required this season and I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt.
Last season, Georgia Tech made their first bowl game since 2018 and won their first bowl game since 2016. It was a really good first season under Brent Key and now Georgia Tech has their sights set on getting back to a bowl game and maybe more. The Yellow Jackets have one of the nations toughest schedules coming into the 2024 season and it will be an uphill battle, but they are returning the majority of starters from one of the nations top offenses and if there is defensive improvement, this could be one of the ACC’s most dangerous teams.
South Florida should be one of the best teams in the group of five conferences this season and possibly a playoff contender. The group of five’s highest rated conference champion is going to get in the new 12-team College Football Playoffs and that could be the Bulls. They made a lot of progress in Alex Golesh’s first season as the head coach and should have one of the nation’s best offenses. USF finished fifth in the AAC last season and should be in the running to win the conference.
It is probably way too early for bowl projections, but some outlets have started to release some, including Athlon Sports. In the first bowl projections for 2024, they have Georgia Tech matched up with South Florida in the Fenway Bowl, which takes place in Fenway Park in Boston.
This would be a pretty fun bowl matchup, even if both teams are hoping they can get to a better spot in the postseason. It has the potential of a high-scoring shootout.