Georgia Tech vs Syracuse: Matchup Breakdown and Prediction
The biggest game of the season has officially arrived for Georgia Tech. The 5-5 Yellow Jackets face the 5-5 Syracuse Orange tonight in Atlanta and bowl eligibility is on the line for both teams. The Yellow Jackets have not made a bowl game since 2018 and Syracuse is trying to make their second consecutive bowl appearance. Syracuse head coach Dino Babers has been the subject of hot-seat talk and might need this game to keep that talk at bay.
So how do these teams match up and who is going to win tonight? Let's break down the matchup.
Georgia Tech's offense vs Syracuse's defense
Haynes King could have a big day against the Syracuse defense
Georgia Tech's offense had a rough outing against Clemson last Saturday, but they are going to have a chance for a bounce-back opportunity tonight against Syracuse, who do not have anywhere near as strong of a defense as Clemson does.
Despite the bad game last weekend, this is still one of the top-ranked offenses in the ACC. They are 3rd in the conference in total yards per game (444.2), 6th in passing yards per game (248.8), 3rd in rushing yards per game (195.4), and 4th in points per game (32.0). If you look at the advanced stats, they also show that the Yellow Jackets have a strong offense. They are 51st in offensive success rate, 61st in passing success rate, and 34th in rushing success rate. Against some of the better defenses they have faced, the Yellow Jackets have struggled, but they are not facing a strong defense tonight and I feel confident that they can have a productive night.
Quarterback Haynes King powers this offense and though he has had games where he has struggled with interceptions (4 last week against Clemson), King has had a great season for Georgia Tech. He is third in the ACC in passing yards (2, 459) and is the Yellow Jackets' second-leading rusher.
Jamal Haynes has had two-straight 100 yard games and is the ACC's fifth-leading rusher with 768 yards. He and Dontae Smith have formed a dynamic duo over the past month and should play a big factor in tonight's game.
Georgia Tech has weapons at the wide receiver position, but Eric Singleton Jr is the guy to watch. The true freshman is 8th in the ACC in receiving yards and tied for 5th in touchdowns. He is an explosive player and against this Syracuse secondary, he could have a big day.
The Georgia Tech offensive line is 15th in the country in sacks given up. This unit has made a lot of progress year-over-year and they will need to protect King tonight.
The Syracuse defense had strong showings against weak non-conference opponents, but they have not been the same since getting to conference play. The Orange are last in the ACC in passing yards per game allowed, 6th in rushing yards allowed, and 7th in points per game allowed. Against the weaker defenses in the ACC, Georgia Tech has racked up the yards and I think they will tonight.
Georgia Tech's defense vs Syracuse's Offense
Syracuse brings a run-heavy offense to the game
This is the mystery in the game tonight. I think Syracuse will return to the run-heavy attack that they used last week against Pitt, but it is an unknown.
Due to injuries and other factors, Syracuse had to drum up a brand new offense last week and a big part of that was because quarterback Garrett Shrader had trouble throwing the ball. Dan Villari (a tight end) played quarterback for Syracuse last week in a wildcat type of look and ran for 154 yards. Running back LeQuint Allen also had over 100 yards and it was a running-heavy attack for the Orange.
During his weekly press conference this week, Syracuse head coach Dino Babers did not update the health of Shrader or the backup quarterback Carlos Del-Rio Wilson (who started in a loss to Boston College). That is leaving a lot of mystery as to what the Orange are going to do on Saturday.
When talking with the media this week, Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key was asked about what the Orange did on offense last week and what his team is doing to prepare for the uncertainty:
"There are only so many things you can do to change. The thing we have to do is get set, they are doing a lot of this with tempo as well so it is not like they are coming up there and always waiting and taking the time off the clock. They have been running the plays the last few weeks and playing with mixed tempos, we have to get up and get our cleats set in the ground, we have to get aligned, we have to defeat blocks, we have to cover guys in the back end, some of the shot passes or pop passes they might have off of it but we have to get an edge to ourselves and get down and get ready to play football on Saturday because it is going to be a battle with them coming in on offense."
"You have to adjust. They basically put in an entirely new offense in six days so who is to say they are not going to do that again this week. There is a lot of communication to that this week and a lot of moving parts and our crowd can really have an impact this week."
Georgia Tech has the worst run defense in the ACC and one of the worst in the country so I would not be surprised if the Orange continue their run-heavy approach on Saturday. Georgia Tech will need to be disciplined and tackle well if they want to win.
The Yellow Jackets are last in the ACC in yards per game allowed, 12 in passing yards allowed, and last in rushing defense. They are 98th in passing success rate allowed and 126th in rushing success rate allowed.
Syracuse comes into the game 10th in the conference in yards per game (357.7), 12th in passing yards per game, and 6th in rushing yards per game. LeQuint Allen is fourth in the ACC in rushing yards with 798 yards.
Key Matchup
I think this is obvious but the Georgia Tech run defense is the biggest question for the Yellow Jackets in this game and if they don't show up and get stops, Syracuse can win this game. I don't believe in the Syracuse passing attack even if Garrett Shrader is healthy and the Orange will have to have a big day on the ground if they want to win.
How to Watch Georgia Tech vs Syracuse
Who: Georgia Tech vs Syracuse
When: 8:00 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 18th
Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta, GA
TV: ACC Network
Live Stream: FuboTV (Start your free trial)
Betting odds per Caesars Sportsbook: Georgia Tech -6.5; Over/under 52.5; Moneyline: Georgia Tech -250, Syracuse +188
RADIO: Georgia Tech Sports Network
• Play-by-Play: Andy Demetra
• Analyst: Joe Hamilton
• Sideline Reporter: Chris Mooneyham
• In Atlanta: 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan
• Across Georgia: Visit RamblinWreck.com for station affiliate list
• Satellite: SiriusXM 137 or 193
• Mobile Apps: GT Yellow Jackets, 680 The Fan, SiriusXM, TuneIn
• Online: RamblinWreck.com, 680TheFan.com
Prediction
This is going to be an emotional game for Georgia Tech and I think they are going to win it tonight. I think they are more explosive on offense and that is going to be the biggest difference in the game. The Yellow Jackets defense will create turnovers, win this game, and clinch their first bowl birth since 2018.
Final Score: Georgia Tech 34, Syracuse 28
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