For all you early risers out there, you’ll be happy to know that there’s a college football game that kicks off at 7:30 am EST in Dublin, Ireland this Saturday. It’s the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets against the Boston College Eagles. The Yellow Jackets are 6-2 all-time in the series, including a 37-17 home victory in their most recent meeting in 2012.
After back-to-back 7-6 seasons, the Eagles plummeted to just 3-9 last year. But it was expected to be a rebuilding year considering they returned only eight starters for a second consecutive season. Now they have 15 starters back in 2016 and improvement is expected.
Georgia Tech also fell off the map last year. Many picked the Yellow Jackets to win the Coastal Division because they had QB Justin Thomas and 13 starters back, but that was far from the case. They finished just 3-9 as Paul Johnson failed to get his team to a bowl for the first time in eight years at Georgia Tech.
Kickoff inside Aviva Stadium in Dublin is scheduled for 7:30 EST Saturday morning with ESPN 2 providing the television coverage. Oddsmakers in Las Vegas have installed Georgia Tech as a 3-point favorite over Boston College with a total set of 44 points.
Georgia Tech is a prime bounce-back candidate this season after missing out on a bowl game for the first time in the Paul Johnson era. It was upset six times last year en route to a 3-9 campaign, and six of its nine losses came by 8 points or fewer, so it was competitive in almost every game.
The good news is that star QB Justin Thomas is still around to guide the offense. He also has each of his top two rushers back from last year and each of his top two receivers as well. The offensive line also has four players back who finished 2015 as starters and should be improved on this side of the ball.
The defense wasn’t that bad last year as it allowed 25.8 points and 368 yards per game. The Yellow Jackets actually outscored teams by 3.5 points per game and outgained them by 10 yards per game last year in spite of their 3-9 record. Five of the top nine tacklers from last year return on defense.
I also think Boston College is primed to bounce back, but it should be receiving more than three points against a superior Georgia Tech squad. The Eagles have a stout defense that yielded just 15.3 points and 254 yards per game, which should make it impossible for them to go 3-9, but that’s precisely what they did.
That’s because the offense was downright terrible. The Eagles managed just 17.2 points and 276 yards per game last year. While there’s no question they will be improved offensively, especially with Kentucky transfer Patrick Towles at QB, I just don’t see them making that big of a leap forward.
Georgia Tech is 24-8 ATS in the first two weeks of the season since 1992.
Georgia Tech is 24-8 ATS in the first two weeks of the season since 1992. The Yellow Jackets are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games in September. Georgia Tech is 4-1 ATS in its last five neutral site games. The Eagles are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 neutral site games.