The Syracuse Orange enter the season with a fresh optimism under new head coach Fran Brown. After an up-and-down campaign last year that saw the team win six games, Syracuse kicked off 2024 with a win in Brown’s debut.
This Saturday, the Orange will face their first ACC challenge of the season as they host No. 23 Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are off to a strong 2-0 start, including a notable victory over then-No. 10 Florida State in Dublin, followed by a home win against Georgia State.
Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse Betting Preview
All Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Sept. 7.
- Spread
Georgia Tech -3 - Moneyline
Georgia Tech -142 / Syracuse +120 - Over/Under
61.5 - Game time
Noon ET - Location
JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, New York - Predicted Weather at Kick
Dome - How to Watch
ACC Network
Syracuse initially opened at +1, and the number on the spread has been bet up to a full field goal. The number briefly got to +3.5 but currently sits at +3.
The total has seen significantly more action, opening at 54.5 on Aug. 31, and has shot up ever since. At one point, the total reached 62 but has come back down to 61.5 for kickoff.
Prediction for Georgia Tech vs. Syracuse
Georgia Tech QB Haynes King is coming off yet another impressive performance, this time against Georgia State, where he threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns. As he continues to develop, King is solidifying himself as one of the more dependable quarterbacks in the ACC, showing growth in both his decision-making and versatility.
On the ground, Jamal Haynes was a key contributor, rushing for 84 yards and a touchdown in the dominant win over Georgia State. This performance builds on his strong season opener against Florida State, where he scored two touchdowns and rushed for 75 yards. Haynes is becoming a consistent force in Georgia Tech’s offense.
In the passing game, Malik Rutherford remains King’s go-to receiver. Rutherford has led the team in both receptions and targets in the first two games, making him a critical piece of the Yellow Jackets’ aerial attack. Expect him to be a focal point once again this weekend.
For Syracuse, quarterback Kyle McCord had a great statistical showing against Ohio, throwing for an impressive 354 yards and four touchdowns. But there was some interception luck in that performance.
Meanwhile, running back LeQuint Allen led the Orange’s ground game with 15 carries for 98 yards, providing a balanced offensive threat.
In their all-time series, the Yellow Jackets hold a 4-1 advantage over the Orange, including a 31-22 win at home against Syracuse last November.
The evaluation of this one starts with the Yellow Jackets’ ground attack. Georgia Tech’s ground game was a force last season, averaging 198 rushing yards per game. That number has increased to 208 after its first two contests this year.
This could spell trouble for Syracuse, whose rush defense ranked 67th nationally last season and allowed a somewhat shocking 255 rushing yards to Ohio last week.
King and Haynes could do damage against an Orange defense that has struggled to plug running lanes and gang tackle to stop yard-after-contact runs. If the Yellow Jackets can sustain long, clock-draining drives with their potent rushing attack, Syracuse will need to make the most of its offensive opportunities. Fewer possessions could put added pressure on the Orange to capitalize every time they have the ball.
McCord and the ‘Cuse offense were excellent last week, but this is a new and improved Georgia Tech defense that has looked extremely good through two games. They limited a high-powered FSU offense to 291 total yards and gave up only 12 points against Georgia State.
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This is a challenging game to cap as there are still quite a few unknowns in the early 2024 season, and both teams seem to be improving from 2023. Despite the Orange playing at home, I have to give this Yellow Jackets squad the edge. Defensively, they seem a bit more capable, and I think ‘Cuse will struggle to slow down their running attack.
The Prediction: Georgia Tech 31, Syracuse 23
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