This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Florida State vs. Georgia Tech Odds, Picks and Prediction for Week 0
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A rebuilt No. 10 Florida State squad will face a live underdog in Georgia Tech as we welcome college football back into our lives at noon EDT live from Dublin Ireland. The 'Noles lost 10 players to the NFL draft last season and are again relying heavily on the transfer portal to maintain a level of high success. They went 13-1 straight up last season, 8-6 ATS, with the over hitting at the same 8-6 rate. Georgia Tech has far more continuity with returning starters at quarterback, running back and wide receiver and is off a 7-6 season, going 8-5 ATS with the over hitting nine times. Somewhat interesting, the Jackets were 7-2 ATS as underdogs last season.
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Florida State vs Georgia Tech Betting Odds for Week 0
Spread: Florida State -10.5 (-110 Hard Rock Bet), Georgia Tech +10.5 (-108 FanDuel Sportsbook)
Total: 55.5 (-105 ESPNBet)
Moneyline: Florida State -425 (DraftKings Sportsbook), Georgia Tech +360 (Caesars Sportsbook)
With this being opening weekend, the odds for this game have been available for quite some time, and we've seen a reasonable bit of downward movement in the spread, as the 'Noles opened as 13.5-point favorites. It was initially a slow trickle-down, but we've seen nearly two points come off this spread during game week, as many seem to be backing the Jackets to continue last year's success in being competitive as an underdog.
Obviously, the moneyline odds have moved congruently with the spread trending downward. FSU was as high as (-520) to win in July, while Georgia Tech sat at (+390). It's still too large a number to consider Florida State for any reasonable return, but the Georgia Tech number merits minor consideration if you don't think the Seminoles' new roster will have immediate chemistry.
The total hasn't moved much, starting at 54.5, peaking two points higher before a small tick down to its current number.
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Florida State vs Georgia Tech Betting Picks for Week 0
I'm not usually much of a totals bettor, as the concept doesn't always jive with the way my brain works. And frankly, who wants to bet under and root for a boring, lower-scoring game? That said, if I were to make a play, I think I'd have a slight lean towards the under. Florida State has the far superior defense, and while Georgia Tech has defensive deficiencies, are the 'Noles in a position to fully exploit that?
For most of the offseason, I was all aboard the Yellow Jackets at (+13.5), and it seems that was the prevailing thought everywhere. But with that no longer available, I'm changing my tune a bit. The Yellow Jackets ranked 131st last year against the run, allowing 221.3 ypg and 5.4 ypc. They haven't done enough in the offseason to fully correct that. They'll likely need time to gel under new defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci, who consistently got more from less talent at Duke previously. I don't trust new FSU QB DJ Uiagalelei to win this on his own, but I do trust Florida State to win up front on both sides of the ball. A steady and successful rushing attack paired with timely passes will earn Florida State a double-digit win by the narrowest of margins.
Florida State vs Georgia Tech Expert Pick: Florida State (-10.5) at Hard Rock Bet
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Florida State vs Georgia Tech Predictions for Week 0
This should be a fantastic way to kick off the season, and I believe you can make a legitimate argument for both sides. That Georgia Tech returns QB Haynes King, RB Jamal Haynes and WR Eric Singleton should enable them to get off to a quick start, while all of Florida State's new pieces will need time to achieve their peak performance. As such, an early Georgia Tech lead would not at all be surprising. If King and Haynes get going early and put up multiple scoring drives, Florida State could be in trouble, forced to throw from behind more than I'd expect them to want to.
But as long as Florida State stays close early and can continue to emphasize its rushing attack, I expect it to wear down the Jackets over four quarters. Double-digit carries from Roydell Williams and Lawrance Toafili will force Georgia Tech to crowd the line and keep more defenders in the box, allowing for a few shot plays downfield from Uiagalelei and a narrow, late cover for the Seminoles.
Florida State 31-20.
