The college football season kicks off this weekend with Week 0 action pitting the Florida State Seminoles against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
Of course, this is the ACC and season opener for both schools: Florida State (13-1, 2023) is coming off a season in which it won the ACC title and narrowly missed out on a spot in the College Football Playoff, while Georgia Tech (7-6) ended its season with a win in the Gasparilla Bowl.
The Seminoles are ranked 10th nationally in the NBC Sports Bet preseason poll.
NBC Sports has all the updates and analysis you need, including how to watch kickoff, live odds from BetMGM, player news and updates, and of course match predictions and best bets from our staff of experts.
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How to watch the 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic live
Date: Saturday, August 24, 2024 Time: 12:00 PM ET Venue: Aviva Stadium City: Dublin, Ireland TV/Streaming: ESPN
Want to check out other games on the college football schedule this week? NBC Sports has all the brackets, venues, game times and TV/streaming information so you don't miss a thing!
Latest FSU vs. Georgia Tech match odds – Week 0
The latest odds from BetMGM as of Friday afternoon:
Spread: Florida State -10.5 (-115)Money Line: Florida State -455, Georgia Tech +347Over/Under: 55.5 points (-110)
The odds for this game were Florida State -13.5 (-105) with an over/under of 55.5 points. The total has fluctuated a bit, but the spread has shrunk a bit from its original figure as more money has been bet on the Yellow Jackets.
Be sure to check out BetMGM for the latest game odds and player props for every matchup on this week's college football schedule.
Florida State vs Georgia Tech team statistics, betting trends from BetMGM
● The most popular bet on this game is Florida State at 10.5 points.
● Bettors are banking on a points over total of 55.5 as the second most popular bet on the board.
● But there are plenty of people backing Tech, with Georgia Tech (+340) on the moneyline being the third-most popular bet on the board.
● Saturday's game between Florida State and Georgia Tech is attracting four times as many bets as any other game.
Beginning Aug. 29 through the end of the season, college football will be covered every Thursday on Bet the Edge. Bet the EDGE is your source for all things sports betting. You can get all the insights from Vaughn Dalzell, Eric Froton and Brad Thomas here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts every Thursday at 6 a.m. ET.
FSU vs Georgia Tech quarterback showdown
FSU: DJ Uiagalelei will replace ACC Player of the Year Jordan Travis as the new point guard for the Seminoles. Uiagalelei transferred from Clemson where he spent time at Oregon State. DJ was initially expected to succeed Trevor Lawrence as the Clemson Tigers' QB1, but was replaced by Cade Klubnick at the 2022 ACC Championship, which prompted his move to cross country. His career stats are: 695-1176 (59.1%), 8,319 yards, 57 passing touchdowns and 24 interceptions. The fifth-year senior has carried the ball 343 times for 1,132 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Georgia Tech: Haynes King returns for his second season under center at Georgia Tech. A transfer from Texas A&M, King threw for 3,729 total yards and 37 touchdowns last season. King led the ACC with 27 touchdown passes but also led the conference with 16 interceptions. The Jackets' offense was third in the ACC, but Georgia Tech will need to be more efficient in 2024 if it wants to progress beyond a low-level bowl invitation.
Player news and recent statistics
Florida State's offensive line is experienced to say the least, with 345 total starts in college. For Georgia Tech punter David Shanahan, this is a home game of sorts. He is the first Irish to play college football on a full scholarship. The Seminoles lost 14 starters from last season, but head coach Mike Norvell was active in the portal, securing a ton of veteran talent in addition to a veteran QB, including RBs Roydell Williams and Jaylin Lucas, DL Marvin Jones Jr. and LB Cam Riley. Tech's problem last season wasn't the offensive side. Former Duke defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci was hired to revive the Jackets' play on that front. Last season, Duke allowed just 19 points per game and ranked 16th nationally in defense.
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Expert predictions and forecasts for Week 0 and the FSU vs Georgia Tech matchup
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NBC sports betting analysts Brad Thomas and Vaughn Dalzell have these top bets for Saturday's Week 0 matchup between the Seminoles and Yellow Jackets:
Dalzell (@VmoneySports): First half total over 27.5 points (-110)
“Georgia Tech returns nine starters, including two-way QB Haynes King, while Florida State's offense looks different but is still a threat with two-way QB DJ Uiagalelei anchoring one of the best offensive lines in college football. With the season opener overseas, the weather nice, and two experienced, mobile quarterbacks, I'd say a fun, drizzly first half over 27.5 (-110) is a good bet to open the season.”
Thomas (@MrBradThomas): Florida State -10.5 (-110)
“Florida State has a big advantage in a game where the battle up front will decide the outcome. Jared Verss and Braden Fisk have left for the NFL, but their defensive line should still be solid. Another battle where Florida State should have a big advantage is the battle between their experienced offensive line and Georgia Tech's awful defensive line. If Florida State can slam the ball and control the tempo of the game, the Seminoles should win and get covered.”
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