The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets travel to Blacksburg this Saturday for their showdown against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the TechMo Bowl rivalry, a nearly annual tradition dating back to 2004.
Excitement runs high, but with Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King’s status still up in the air, there’s added suspense around the latest betting odds and our Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech prediction.
Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech Betting Preview
All Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Virginia Tech -1 - Spread
Virginia Tech -10.5 - Moneyline
Virginia Tech -395, Georgia Tech +310 - Over/Under
53 points - Game time
Noon ET - Location
Lane Stadium | Blacksburg, VA - Predicted Weather at Kick
76 degrees, mostly sunny and warm, 6 mph winds - How to Watch
ACC Network
Though Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech only faced each other once in 1990, the TechMo Bowl has since become a staple matchup on their schedules. While the two didn’t meet in 2020 or 2023, the Yellow Jackets took the last game with a narrow 28-27 win in Blacksburg, cutting Virginia Tech’s series lead to 11-8. Can Brent Key’s squad tighten the gap again in 2024?
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
The latest betting odds suggest otherwise. DraftKings has listed the Hokies as moneyline favorites with a 10-point spread, likely factoring in King’s availability for Georgia Tech. However, the CFN FPM sees a much tighter contest, even with King’s status originally in question.
So far this season, the road team is 1-2 against the spread as an underdog, while the Hokies have covered in their last three games, bringing their record to 3-3 as favorites. Five of Georgia Tech’s eight games this year have gone under the points total, with one push against Syracuse, making the under a potential betting angle to consider here.
Georgia Tech’s Winning Probability
According to the CFN FPM, Georgia Tech has a 49.2% chance of coming away from Blacksburg with a win on Saturday. Essentially a pick ’em with home-field advantage, our metric gives the Yellow Jackets a substantially better shot at victory than the latest lines from oddsmakers.
- at Virginia Tech: 49.2%
- at Miami (FL): 29.7%
- at NC State: 74.2%
- vs. Georgia (neutral site): 8.5%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, the Yellow Jackets would end the 2024 season with a 6-6 record and a bowl berth for the second consecutive season. Georgia Tech hasn’t played a postseason game in successive seasons since the 2013-2014 campaigns under Paul Johnson.
Virginia Tech’s Winning Probability
Conversely, the CFN FPM gives Virginia Tech a 50.8% chance of winning, with the Lane Stadium atmosphere playing a particularly large part in providing an intimidating home-field advantage, as seen in the win over the Boston College Eagles in Week 8.
- vs. Georgia Tech: 50.8%
- at Syracuse: 48.2%
- vs. Clemson: 26.6%
- at Duke: 50.4%
- vs. Virginia: 67.7%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, Virginia Tech would end the season with a 7-5 record, a one-win regular season improvement from 2023. That would earn them a bowl berth and a shot at a first eight-win season since 2019.
Prediction for Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech
A Georgia Tech season that kicked off with promise in Dublin has since hit turbulence, as the Yellow Jackets have struggled to deliver in their biggest games. Virginia Tech, too, has faced its own set of challenges, falling short of the national media’s expectations for the 2024 season.
The Yellow Jackets, however, have a shot at bowl eligibility with a win in Blacksburg. But will they pull it off? Are the Hokies really as tough as the oddsmakers suggest? Who holds the edge, and where will the key battles play out?
Much of any Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech prediction rests on the health of quarterback Haynes King. The former Texas A&M Aggie is essential to the Yellow Jackets’ offense, as defenses focused on his dual-threat capabilities often leave lanes open for running back Jamal Haynes. King currently leads the ACC in completion percentage, but his impact on the ground game usually proves decisive.
King is officially out against Virginia Tech and now the Jackets will rely heavily on their backup quarterback.
When Georgia Tech establishes a strong rushing attack, their chances of winning improve significantly. With Zach Pyron at QB against Notre Dame, the Yellow Jackets struggled to find any offensive rhythm, resulting in their most lopsided loss of the season.
Meanwhile, Haynes has been a scoring powerhouse, outpacing the entire receiving corps.
Star linebacker Kyle Efford is still listed as a game-time decision. His ability to disrupt the backfield could be a game-changer for Georgia Tech, especially as they look to contain Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten. The former FCS standout is fresh off a stellar game against Boston College and is emerging as one of the top backs in the country.
With Efford on the field, Georgia Tech’s run defense has been stout, allowing just four rushing touchdowns before their Notre Dame game. If they can contain Tuten and dual-threat QB Kyron Drones, they could keep this one tight.
As the game has approached, the war of attrition has taken its toll on the Jackets.
Keep an eye on Virginia Tech’s defensive standouts, Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Mansoor Delane, who could play pivotal roles in securing a home win for the Hokies.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 27, Georgia Tech 17
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