Georgia Tech Football: Yellow Jackets Open As Big Underdog in Next Week's Game vs Miami

Can Georgia Tech pull a big upset next week against undefeated Miami?

Oct 7, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) attempts a pass against the Miami Hurricanes in the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech had their second bye week of the year this weekend, but they are back in action next Saturday vs No. 5 Miami, who defeated Duke yesterday to move to 9-0. According to Fanduel Sportsbook, Georgia Tech is going to be a 12.5-point underdog when they face the Hurricanes and the total has opened at 61.5. The game will be at Noon and televised on ESPN.

The all-time series between these two programs is tied 14-14 and everyone remembers how last year's game ended. Instead of kneeling the ball, Miami kept trying to run the ball and Don Chaney fumbled it, giving the ball back to Georgia Tech. Haynes King connected with Malik Rutherford to get the ball down the field and then found Christian Leary for the game winning touchdown with one second left. It was one of the most memorable endings in college football history.

Going into this matchup, Georgia Tech will be 5-4 and the No. 1 thing to be looking for is the injury report. Quarterback Haynes King and linebacker Kyle Efford have missed the last two games and their absence has been felt. Zach Pyron got the start in both games, but he was benched in the third quarter of the loss to Virginia Tech. True freshman Aaron Philo was put in and played reasonably well considering who the opponent was and the environment. If King is back, the Yellow Jackets could pull the upset.

The Yellow Jackets defense played a great game vs Virginia Tech, but they will be facing what is the top offense in the country with a Heisman contender at the quarterback position. Miami quarterback Cam Ward is having a phenomenal season and Georgia Tech has struggled the most on defense at defending the pass. The pass rush has been a problem for the Yellow Jackets this season and they are going to have to find a way to rattle Ward next week.

Looking ahead to the matchup vs Miami's defense, the Hurricanes have allowed teams to get explosive plays on them and the Yellow Jackets, when healthy, have the players to be able to do that. If Haynes King is back, that would be huge for the offense, but also guys like Jamal Haynes, Malik Rutherford, and Eric Singleton Jr are going to play big roles in trying to upset Miami. The Yellow Jackets offensive line has been one of the best in the country at protecting the quarterback this year, but Miami has been one of the best teams in the ACC at getting pressure on the opposing quarterback. There are a lot of interesting matchups in this game, but Georgia Tech is going to have to play really well on both sides of the ball to be able to pull the upset. Keep an eye on the status of King and others this week leading up to the game.

Additional Links:

Georgia Tech Football: Game Time Announced For Next Week's Matchup vs Miami

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