Georgia Tech Football: Official Game Prediction vs UCF

Can Georgia Tech manage to keep it close with UCF on the road this weekend?

Georgia Tech will be a massive underdog for the third time in four games this season and there is a lot of external noise going on around the future of the program and head coach Geoff Collins. On the field though, the Yellow Jackets are going to have their hands full with a talented UCF team Saturday afternoon. 

UCF is 2-1 heading into this game, with the wins coming against South Carolina State and FAU, and the loss is to Louisville. The Knights have a deadly running game and a stingy defense and will be tough to beat at home. 

Georgia Tech is hoping for a chance at victory on Saturday against UCF / Georgia Tech Athletics

Georgia Tech's offense is going to be looking to finally put some points on the board against a team not named Western Carolina. Quarterback Jeff Sims and the passing game have not seen any life, but the biggest problem for the Yellow Jackets is going to be the offensive line. The line play has prevented Georgia Tech from running the ball and protecting Sims and will be facing another formidable front this week. 

Defensively, it was a nightmare for Georgia Tech against Ole Miss. The Rebels running game crushed the Yellow Jackets and they totaled over 300 yards on the ground. The running game is UCF head coach Gus Malzahn's bread and butter and Georgia Tech is going to be challenged again on Saturday. UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee is a dynamic running threat and so are the playmakers around him like running back Johnny Richardson and wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe. The offensive line for UCF is a good group as well. 

UCF wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe is a dangerous playmaker for the Knights / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

The pass-rushing duo of Josh Celiscar and Tre'mon Morris-Brash for UCF are going to be tough to stop for Georgia Tech's offensive tackles. The secondary is going to be a tough one to throw against and cornerback Davonte Brown is going to be a guy to watch in the back end of the UCF defense. 

Georgia Tech is going to have to find a way to keep the ball away from the UCF offense and slow the game down. On defense, the Yellow Jackets struggled with the tempo and running game that Ole Miss brought and you can expect the Knights to do something similar. Plumlee is the guy that makes the offense go and Georgia Tech has to be able to contain him. 

Here is how you can watch the game on Saturday: 

How to Watch Georgia Tech vs UCF

Who: Georgia Tech At UCF

When: 4:00 p.m., Saturday

Where: FBC Mortgage Stadium, Orlando, FL

TV: ESPNU

Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)

Radio: Georgia Tech Sports Network

• Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra

• Analyst: Joe Hamilton

• Sideline Reporter: Wiley Ballard

• In Atlanta: Xtra 106.3 FM/1230 AM

Betting odds per SI Sportsbook:UCF -20.5 ; Over/under 56; Moneyline: UCF -1786, Georgia Tech +750

Preview

Here is everything that I have written about the upcoming matchup with UCF: 

Georgia Tech Football: How to watch, listen and live stream Georgia Tech vs UCF

Should Georgia Tech consider a quarterback change?

Geoff Collins says he still sees fight in his players

Everything from Geoff Collins's press conference before the UCF game

Georgia Tech opens as a near three-touchdown underdog vs UCF

Georgia Tech Football: Official game prediction vs UCF

What do FPI and SP+ think about Georgia Tech's matchup with Georgia Tech

Three keys for Georgia Tech's offense vs UCF

Three keys for Georgia Tech's defense vs UCF

Prediction: 

Jeff Sims will need a great performance against UCF for Georgia Tech to have a chance / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

There are not good vibes around this Georgia Tech program right now and I think that is going to continue into Saturday unfortunately. 

On the field, Georgia Tech does not match up well with UCF. The Knights' offense is going to be giving Tech fits and I think the speed and athleticism of guys like Plumlee, Richardson, and O'Keefe are going to be on full display. Georgia Tech has to try and make Plumlee one-dimensional in this game and I don't have any faith that their defense can do that right now under their current leadership. 

This offense is having a hard time doing anything and I think the offensive line is once again going to be severely outmatched upfront. The lack of playmakers at wide receiver is not going to be able to test the secondary of UCF and that does not bode well for the running game. Jeff Sims is not playing with much confidence right now and it would take a monster game from him to keep Georgia Tech in this game. 

In summary, there are too many distractions off the field and not enough on the field reasons for me to think this isn't going to just be more of the same from this team under Collins. 

Final Score: UCF 34, Georgia Tech 10

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