A surprising early-season loss to the Northern Illinois Huskies has clouded the national perception of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. However, they’ve bounced back with four consecutive wins, putting themselves back in the College Football Playoff discussion as they prepare to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who are riding a winning streak of their own.
Can the Yellow Jackets maintain their momentum, or will the Fighting Irish solidify their status as a postseason contender? Read on to see our take in this Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech prediction.
Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech Betting Preview
All Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Notre Dame -5.5 - Spread
Notre Dame -9.5 - Moneyline
Notre Dame -375, Georgia Tech +295 - Over/Under
51 points - Game Time
3:30 p.m. ET - Location
Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, GA - Predicted Weather at Kick
Indoors - How To Watch
ESPN
Notre Dame opened as a touchdown and change favorite on Sunday, with an 8.5-point advantage toward Marcus Freeman’s team. However, since opening, there has clearly been a flurry of activity around the Fighting Irish, with the spread booming out to 12 points by midweek. If you fancy the Yellow Jackets to cover, now might be the time because there’s a good chance of another swing back toward the CFN FPM spread of -5.5.
MORE: CFN Betting Parlay Calculator
It didn’t but getting to 12 points in favor of ND played into Georgia Tech’s betting trends in the 2024 college football season. The only other time they’ve been a double-digit underdog this season was the opener in Dublin, where they covered the 10.5-point line on their way to a famous victory. They’re 4-2-1 ATS this year, whereas Notre Dame is 3-2-1 with a 2-3 record as a spread favorite.
Notre Dame’s Winning Probability
FPM favors the Fighting Irish, but only slightly. According to the metric, Notre Dame has a 65.1% chance to win the game, translating to an implied spread of about 5.5 points.
This game represents one of Notre Dame’s toughest challenges of the year, and the Fighting Irish have a good chance to win out if they can beat the Yellow Jackets. Here are their winning probabilities for the rest of the season:
- vs. Georgia Tech: 65.1%
- vs. Navy: 87.8%
- vs. Florida State: 89.0%
- vs. Virginia: 84.2%
- vs. Army: 87.2%
- at USC: 60.6%
Georgia Tech’s Winning Probability
Conversely, the Yellow Jackets have a 34.9% chance to win the game, FPM. This game represents Georgia Tech’s third-toughest challenge of the rest of a difficult schedule. Here are their winning probabilities for the rest of the season:
- vs. Notre Dame: 34.9%
- at Virginia Tech: 50.8%
- vs. Miami (FL): 33.6%
- vs. NC State: 75.3%
- at Georgia: 13.2%
Prediction for Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech
While Notre Dame is the stronger team overall, this matchup poses challenges for the Irish, who thrive on controlling both lines of scrimmage and wearing down their opponents—just the style Georgia Tech excels in as well. The Yellow Jackets present the toughest test in the trenches that Notre Dame has faced this season.
Before this past weekend, I might have leaned toward an upset by the Yellow Jackets. While that thought still lingers, Notre Dame’s recent success in the passing game with quarterback Riley Leonard gives me pause. The teams that have managed to beat Georgia Tech have done so by finding consistency through the air, especially in the middle of the field.
FREE: Sign up for the College Football Network Newsletter to receive unique stories from the world of college football directly to your inbox!
Leonard’s progress over the past year has been impressive, and Notre Dame’s offensive line is capable of protecting him against a formidable Georgia Tech front.
Defensively, Notre Dame’s line is the toughest Georgia Tech has faced this season, setting up a crucial battle. For me to pick Georgia Tech, I need to see more from Haynes King through the air.
While both teams prefer a physical, ground-based style, the team that can execute more consistently in the passing game will come out on top. That’s likely to be Notre Dame, but expect a low-scoring, close contest. Notre Dame wins, but Georgia Tech covers the spread.
Prediction: Notre Dame 27, Georgia Tech 21
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.