Finally, there are college football games this Saturday, as week zero kicks off the 155th college football season. The Florida State Seminoles and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have the honor of being the first game of the year. The anticipation is high as the contest has a different venue this year. The game won't be in Georgia, Florida, or the United States. Instead, the two teams will compete in Dublin, Ireland. Though neither team is known to have strong Irish roots, it will still be a fun, neutral site game for the fans and locals. Right now, the Seminoles are favored to win by 11.5 points, but I can see the game being much closer. I've assembled an in-depth matchup of both teams to build on the excitement. In the end, I will predict the winner and the final score.
Coaching Comparison
Georgia Tech Coaches
Last year, Georgia Tech went 7-6 with their new head coach, Brent Key. Key originally comes from Alabama, where all great coaches spend at least one season. Key was the offensive line coach for the Tide and took the same position for Georgia Tech. He is a Georgia Tech guy through and through, playing right guard in the late 90s and starting his coaching journey as a graduate assistant. Key has been at Georiga Tech since 2019. He was named the interim head coach in 2022 after Geoff Collins got the axe in the middle of the season. The Yellow Jackets went 4-4 under Key and decided to make him the permanent head coach. In his first full year as head coach this past season, Key led Georgia Tech to their first winning season since 2018. Georgia Tech has won its first bowl game since 2016. Key has rejuvenated the once-excellent Georgia Tech, and there's no telling what they can do this year under his leadership.
Brent Keys is a great coach, but Georgia Tech added even more quality coaching this offseason. Last year, Georgia Tech finished 97th out of 133 FBS teams in points allowed per game. The abysmal ranking resulted in them firing their defensive coordinator, Andrew Thacker. Replacing him is former Duke defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci. Santucci helped coach an excellent Duke defense last year. Duke finished seventeenth in points allowed per game and gave FSU fits the previous season in their matchups. Like FSU, Duke plays in a 4-2-5 with lots of man coverage. However, what made them so effective was their dominant defensive line. Duke would play a light box, meaning they only had two linebackers in the box. The rest of the team would then drop back in coverage and be able to double-team some key receivers like Keon Coleman. Despite the light box and heavy emphasis on coverage, FSU still had trouble running the ball because Duke's defensive line won their one-on-one matchups.
Santucci will call the plays on defense for the first time. While at Duke, head coach Mike Elko was the defensive play caller. Elko is a defensive mastermind and current head coach of Texas A&M. Santucci has been under Elko's wing for quite some time, with the pair coaching together since 2014, spanning multiple universities. With that experience under Elko, Santucci has what it takes to lead a successful defense and will be fine calling the defensive plays. Flipping this Georgia Tech defense will take a lot of work, but seeing what he can do in year one will be interesting.
Georgia Tech also has a coach who is very familiar with the Seminoles. The quarterback's coach and co-offensive coordinator for the Yellow Jackets is former FSU Heisman Trophy winner Chirs Weinke. Unfortunately, the game won't be in Tallahassee, so Weinke won't be able to see his jersey hanging in the stands, but it's still a neat story. Weinkie is going into his third season with Georgia Tech and will be coaching a talented quarterback in Haynes King. Georgia Tech had a quality offense that averaged 31.1 points per game. They did an excellent job utilizing their playmakers and getting the most out of their quarterback. With much of that talent returning next year, it will be a fun offense to watch.
FSU Coaches
Head coach Mike Norvell is going into his fifth season with the Noles after a controversial end to last year. Norvell and his team went undefeated 13-0 record and had ten players taken in the NFL draft. The turnaround for FSU has been spectacular, and it's all thanks to Norvell. After having two back-to-back losing seasons in his first two years at FSU, he responded with a 23-3 record in his last two years. Norvell's first-ever game coaching FSU was against Georgia Tech in 2020. During a fanless Covid season, FSU came in as favorites to beat the struggling Yellow Jackets, who had won only three games in 2019 and were starting a true freshman quarterback. Unfortunately, FSU lost that game pretty tragically, and that was the start of many challenging games for the Noles. Norvell recently redeemed himself against Georgia Tech by dominating them 41-16 in 2022, but Georgia Tech has changed a lot since then as well. With Norvell working with a new quarterback and group of wide receivers, it'll be interesting to see how he manages this new offense.
A big storyline going into Saturday's game is offensive coordinator Alex Atkins's suspension. In 2021, Alex Atkins broke recruiting rules when speaking to a transfer player in 2021. Unfortunately, the rules he failed would be allowed today, and at the time, the rules about talking to transfers could have been more transparent. Atkins will have to serve a three-game suspension, but luckily, he could still travel to Ireland. Atkins is the offensive coordinator, but his most significant contribution to the team is as the offensive line coach. When Atkins arrived, FSU had one of the worst lines in the Power Five. Through recruiting and development, he completely flipped that, and now, going into 2024, FSU has one of the country's most experienced and talented offensive lines.
On the defensive side of the ball, Adam Fuller will lead the way. After a rocky first few years, Fuller's defense proved to be one of the best in the country last season. Through thirteen games, the FSU defense allowed a minuscule 15.9 points per game, which is sixth best in the nation. It is an impressive feat, as there are high-flying offenses nationwide nowadays. Adam runs a 4-2-5 defense and plays in mostly man coverage. He relies heavily on his corners to lock down their matchups, and at FSU, that is historically a safe bet. Many eyes have been on the FSU defense lately, and if this year is as successful as last, Adam Fuller could be looking at a head coaching job soon.
Georgia Tech Offense
The Yellow Jackets will return many key players from last year, including their starting quarterback, running back, two leading receivers, and most of the offensive line. It's infrequent to have this much talent return from a previous year, and whenever that does happen, it usually results in a very successful season. You can look at FSU's offense from last year as an example.
Quarterback
Haynes King will command the offense for Georgia Tech. King came to the team last year after spending two years at Texas A&M. King was a big-time high school recruit who sought interest from many schools. Memphis was one of the first schools that reached out to King in his Junior year of high school. The head coach at the time was Mike Norvell.
Things didn't work out for King at Texas A&M. He struggled to get on the field and had too many turnovers. Once he transferred to Georgia Tech, many expected he would be the backup to Zach Pyron, who made some flashes in 2022. However, King showcased his talent and athletic ability in camp, becoming the starter. Last year, as the starter, he threw for 2,800 yards and ran for an additional 700. He accompanied these stats by throwing twenty-seven touchdowns and rushing for ten more. King was the pinnacle of the success of the Georgia Tech offense and has proven to be a legitimate dual threat.
King is highly talented and will be one of the best quarterbacks in the conference next season, but he's a double-edged sword. The prominent comparison people make to Haynes King is Brett Favre. Brett Favre, of course, is an NFL Hall of Famer and was a record holder in multiple categories when he retired; however, he turned the ball over A LOT. Favre was a gunslinger, and so is King. King is fearless of throwing it deep or throwing a risky ball into coverage. When it works out, it's a huge play; when it doesn't, it's a massive play for the defense. That's what you'll get with King; you get a lot of good, but the bad also comes with it. That's why he led the conference in total touchdowns and turnovers.
King is a dynamic player that moves extremely well on his feet. Adding in his rushing ability creates a new layer of trouble for a defense. King had five games last year where he had over eighty yards rushing. So he can extend plays and drive with his feet whenever he's in trouble in the pocket. This combo makes him highly frustrating for opposing defenses and extremely exciting to watch. King has all the potential in the world; if he cuts down on turning the ball over, King can be an All-Conference caliber quarterback with NFL upside.
Running Back
The starting running back for the Yellow Jackets, Jamal Haynes, has a unique story. For his first two seasons, he was a wide receiver. However, Haynes didn't see the field in those two years and had a career of zero receptions. Just last year, he changed his position to running back and has been a natural. Jamal Haynes paved the way for the Georgia Tech running game, rushing for over 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns—a remarkable stat line, especially for someone playing a new position.
Haynes is a small back, listed at only 5'9 and 175 pounds. He doesn't possess elite speed and not elite power. However, what makes Haynes so compelling is his vision and quickness. Haynes has incredible vision and an innate sense of finding the open hole. Then, when he sees the hole, he can shift his body in and out to evade defenders successfully. One of my favorite plays from Haynes last year came against South Carolina State. Georgia Tech calls a running back dive up the middle out of shotgun formation. Georgia Tech is at their own twenty-five, and there are about thirty seconds left in the first half, so they're just trying to send the game to halftime. Lined up to the quarterback's left, Haynes receives the handoff. However, the edge defender on the left side of the line is unblocked and immediately meets Haynes in the backfield. Then, without panic, Haynes spins to his left, leaving the defender to fall. Haynes cuts to the outside and then, two yards past the line of scrimmage is met by a linebacker. He puts one foot on the ground to go left, then strikes to the right. The linebacker was so shaken he was facing the wrong direction whenever Haynes ran by. With blockers in front of him, Haynes moves back outside down the left sideline and books it before being dragged down at the ten-yard line. That's the type of player Haynes is, and if he improves in his second year as a running back, FSU could be in trouble.
Wide Receivers
Georgia Tech is returning their two leading receivers from last season. Eric Singleton had 700 yards last year as a true freshman. He made the freshman all-American list and is one of the best young receivers in the entire conference. Singleton is a springy, uber-athletic wideout who immediately hit it off with Haynes King. King would throw the true freshman balls while in double coverage. There's no telling how many targets he'll get as a proven sophomore.
Next to Singleton is senior Malik Rutherford. Rutherford is a Swiss Army knife and can attack the defense in multiple ways. He's lightning-fast and elusive, and Tech will often use him in screen games, jet sweeps, or anything that gets the ball in his hands. Last season, Rutherford had 500 yards and four touchdowns in his breakout season. Rutherford is so dangerous; he can score at any moment. If FSU wants to secure their win, they must contain him.
Offensive Line
The Georgia Tech offensive line is very underrated. They're returning four of their five starters from last season and adding a quality transfer to Keylan Rutledge. Having an experienced O-line is a massive advantage, especially when there's talent across the board. Tackle Jordan Williams and guard Joe Fusile were both on the All-Conference honorable mention list last year and should be poised to cut this year. However, they'll have a true test against the 'Noles as the FSU defensive line may be the best they face all season.
FSU Offense
FSU has a brand new team, and almost all of its primary offensive production has graduated or gone to the NFL. It replenished its talent in the transfer portal, but this year's offense will look a lot different than in years past.
Quarterback
There's a new guy under center this year, and he's a familiar face in the ACC. Former Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei transferred to FSU during the offseason. DJ comes from Oregon State, where he had a bounce-back year, throwing 2,600 yards and twenty-one touchdowns. He also ran for an additional six touchdowns. The six-foot-five 250, plus-pound senior has generational arm strength and can run over linebackers. He'll be an arduous task for Georgia Tech to contain as, like King, DJ is a threat in both the passing and rushing game. Except DJ turns the ball over less than King. DJ and FSU will establish a strong run game and then attack Tech deep with long passes down the field. If Georgia Tech wants to contain him, they must pressure him and force bad throws.
Running Back
FSU has one familiar face returning, Lawrence Toafili. Besides him, the running backs will consist of newly acquired talent from the transfer portal. Toafili, so far in his career, has been used mainly as a change of pace back that can also be a mismatch as a receiver. I still expect him to have his role as a receiver, but we will finally see him as an every-down runner. Going into his fifth year with FSU, Toafili has grown and developed tremendously, and the coaches all agree that it's his time to shine. We saw glimpses of this in the ACC championship, where he won MVP. He carried the ball only ten times in that game but ran for 118 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
Next to Toafili, transfer Roydell Williams will receive most of the carries. He comes from Alabama, where he was productive behind Jase McClellan. Williams ran for 500 yards last season, and his power rushing will be a big proponent for FSU. He has excellent vision and control, and FSU will try to wear defenses down with his power late in games. I expect Williams and Toafili to be the lightning and thunder of this year's offenses.
Besides Toafili and Williams, there's transfer running back Jaylin Lucas. Lucas comes from Indiana, where he was a first-team All-American kick returner his first year. He possesses elite speed and change of direction, and he will surely get the ball on Saturday. When Lucas touches the ball, it's electric, and he has been a problem for everyone in camp this offseason.
Wide Receivers
FSU lost two giants to the NFL. Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman leave massive holes, but FSU has replaced them with players with a completely different play style. Coleman and Wilson were jump-ball guys, but their new transfers are burners. First, FSU's new number one option will be Malik Benson. Benson has track-star speed and was the number-one JUCO prospect two years ago. He was previously at Alabama but wanted more usage and production. The reviews on Benson so far have been all positive. The coaches rave about his speed as well as his hands. He'll also be a perfect fit for Uiagalelei's play style.
Lined up opposite Benson will be redshirt freshman Jalen Brown. Brown spent his true first year at LSU and redshirted. FSU recruited him heavily out of high school, and after coming just shy of his commitment, Brown circled back this offseason. Brown is tall and skinny wideout, but he flies past corners. Brown was a track star in high school, making it to the state championship in the 100 and 200m race. He'll be playing a similar role to Benson.
After Brown and Benson, FSU has veteran talent that hasn't yet found its mark at FSU. Ja'khi Douglas is the starting slot receiver for the 'Noles, and he'll be entering his fifth year of college football. Douglas is the brother of running back Jaylin Lucas, and they share many similarities in their style of play. Ja'khi only has 700 yards in his career but has been riddled with injuries over the past few seasons. When healthy, Douglas has proven to be a mismatch for defenders. Another two wide receivers to note are Kentron Portier and Darion Williamson. They both have had flashes in their careers but, like Douglas, have found trouble staying healthy and being available for the team when needed. If they can finally stay healthy this year, they will all be impactful this season, and Georgia Tech should keep an eye on them.
Offensive Line
The offensive line for FSU may be its biggest strength as a whole team. FSU is returning its starting tackles and starting center. Darius Washington was first-team All-Conference at tackle last season, and he's gotten even better. Maurice Smith, the center, has been starting for FSU for over three seasons and got All-Conference nods a year ago. Those guys, combined with the other talent and the two SEC guards FSU added in the transfer portal, will make for a scary matchup for Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech Defense
Defensive Line
The Yellow Jackets did not have a strong defense last season as they struggled to contain anything, especially the run. Georgia Tech allowed over 220 rushing yards per game in 2023. It's a pathetic amount, and the defensive line is to blame. Some experienced guys are lined up in the trenches, each playing at least four years of college football. However, most of them lack any production. Their best interior line option must be a nose tackle, Zeek Biggers. Biggers was an All-Conference honorable mention last season, with four tackles for loss and one sack. He's a massive 360-plus pound and can absorb the line of scrimmage.
Off the edge, Georgia Tech brought in Romello Height, a transfer from USC. Last season at USC, Height had six tackles for loss and four sacks. A funny fact about Romello Height is that he's from Dublin, Georgia. So, it's not necessarily a homecoming game for him this weekend, but the town's name is the same. He'll have to bring his A-game on Saturday because he'll face Darius Washington.
Linebackers
Redshirt Sophmore Kyle Efford burst onto the scene for the Yellow Jackets last year, recording a total of eighty-one tackles. Efford was initially a backup but saw more playing time as the season progressed. He ended the season as Georgia Tech's leading tackler and did so by a wide margin. Efford will line up next to Trenilyas Tatum. Tatum is an experienced senior but needs to produce on the stat sheet. As a co-starter last season, Tatum only had thirty-eight total tackles. Hopefully, bringing in a new defensive coordinator will help his numbers, but he'll have a tough matchup with whoever FSU trotted out there at running back.
Defensive Backs
Georgia Tech added much-needed talent at cornerback this offseason. They brought in Warren Burrell out of Tennessee. Burrell is about to play his sixth year of college football and was an impactful player for most of his tenure for the Vols. In 2021, Burrell had a breakout year, racking up seven pass deflections, forty-one tackles, and two tackles for loss. He is an excellent addition to Tech's defense and will likely face Malik Benson.
On the other side of the field for Georgia Tech is Tallahassee native Ahmari Harvey. Harvey had his breakout year last season. He had three interceptions for the team, finishing second for most. FSU wanted Harvey out of high school but picked Auburn. After one season with the Tigers, he packed it up and transferred to Georgia Tech. Pairing Harvey up with Burrell is a perfect duo, and they may find success quickly in going against FSU's brand new group of receivers.
FSU Defense
Defensive Line
The interior defensive line for FSU is one of nightmares. First off, Second Team All-Conference, Joshua Farmer, is returning. He had six tackles for loss and four sacks last year as a backup to Braden Fiske. Next to Farmer will be his former high school teammate and best friend, Darrell Jackson. I mean this in the kindest way possible: Jackson is a freak. He comes in at a humungous six foot five and 330 pounds. Two weeks ago, Bruce Feldman put out a list of college football's biggest athletic freaks; Jackson was number five. On top of being that size, Jackson benches over 400 pounds, squats over 600 pounds, and reaches speeds over twenty miles per hour. He is legitimately scary, and Georgia Tech should be worried. It's also worth mentioning that Farmer was thirtieth on the freak list.
Coming off the edge for the 'Noles is Patrick Payton. Payton was a problem for defenses last year. He recorded seven sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, and an absurd eleven pass deflections. Payton still has a way to go until he's at Jared Verse Levels, but he is still a problem for offensive tackles. FSU also added talented transfer Marvin Jones Jr. Marvin Jr. is an FSU legacy. His father, Marvin Jones Sr., was an All-American linebacker for the 'Noles. Marvin Jones Jr. will have big shoes to fill if he wants to become anything like his father. Junior was a five-star high school recruit and started games for Georgia last year. Unfortunately, the defensive system at Georgia wasn't an ideal fit for him, so he decided to transfer to FSU.
Linebackers
The most significant question mark for FSU on defense is its linebackers. DJ Lundy is a fifth-year senior and has played many snaps at FSU, but there are many question marks outside of him. FSU has two talented second-year players, Blake Nichelson and Justin Cryer, but they will undoubtedly be enduring growing pains. Nichelson and Cryer possess great size and athleticism, but linebacker is a position that relies heavily on vision and in-game experience.
FSU added transfer Cam Riley to help with game experience. Riley is a fifth-year senior who played a lot last year at Auburn. Riley is not your typical stand-up linebacker; he is six feet five inches, making him the tallest middle linebacker in the country. He will be a significant threat in the run game, as his skills include shedding blocks and tackling running backs in space.
Defensive Backs
FSU has another star cornerback this season. Junior Azareyeh Thomas has first-round pick written all over him. After being a backup behind some talented DBs for the last couple of years, Thomas emerged as a star in the offseason. Thomas was a superstar athlete in high school, playing receiver and corner. His recruitment came down to FSU and Georgia Tech. Thomas is a Florida native, but his older brother was a safety guard at Georgia Tech. He ultimately chose FSU due to the coaching changes at Georgia Tech, but he still loves the Yellow Jackets.
Next to Azareye'h is Fentrell Cypress. Two years ago, Cypress was a first-team All-Conference defender at Virginia but took a slight step back last year at FSU. However, that has changed so far in camp, as coaches have raved about his improvements. Having him alongside Thomas is an elite duo. Haynes King will have to be extra careful when throwing towards them.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I am very excited to see these two teams match up against one another. Georgia Tech has a lot of returning talent, and FSU has a lot of new talent. When comparing offenses, they're pretty even. I would give the edge to FSU at O-line and Georgia Tech the edge at receiver. DJ is slightly better than King, but it's very close, and you could go either way. Jamal Haynes is more proven than any other FSU running back, but the FSU running back room is better than Georgia Tech's.
On the defensive end, FSU has the best defense. I expect Georgia Tech to be better than it was, but they're not in the same weight class as FSU. That's not to say that the FSU defense won't have its struggles. The Yellow Jackets will move the ball and score against FSU. However, if FSU finds its way into the run game against Tech's defense, it will be a long night for them.
Score Prediction
I have the Florida State Seminoles defeating the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 31-21. The game will be closer than eleven points, and I could see FSU being in a dogfight in the fourth quarter, but ultimately, they will pull it out and get the win in Dublin.
Comments