The season hasn’t gone the way either team thought, and the Tech’s are hooking up with an eye to stay out of the cellar in the ACC Coastal, rather than fighting for first like was projected before the year began. Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer is calling it quits after 29 years in Blacksburg and the Hokies would like to hold off on the retirement party until December. They need a few more wins to do that.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets -3.5
Virginia Tech Hokies +3.5
Over/Under: Off the board
ODDS
Both teams are coming off a bye and the Hokies had some time to digest the news that their long-time coach is retiring at the end of the season. And that’s just added motivation for Virginia Tech to prolong their season. Georgia Tech is just 1-6 SU and ATS in its last seven games and has scored more than 24 points twice in that span. The total had yet to hit the board as of this writing.
KEY MISMATCH
Georgia Tech was the preseason favorite to win the ACC’s Coastal Division. Instead, the Jackets sit in last place in league play and just 3-6 overall. Still, coach Paul Johnson’s triple-option offense is built to exploit assignment breakdowns in opposing defenses and that’s something that has plagued the Hokies this season. Bud Foster’s unit has allowed eight runs of 40 yards or more this season, the most in the ACC and more than all but five other teams in the nation. The Yellow Jackets are eighth in the FBS in rushing yards with 267.9 per game with four players totaling better than 300 yards. Marcus Marshall leads the team with 526 yards and averages 8.2 per carry. Quarterback Justin Thomas is the ultimate threat in the option offense. He’s rushed for 418 yards while passing for 1,160. Georgia Tech ran for just 144 yards in a loss to Virginia on Halloween but will look to get the triple-option revved up against Virginia Tech’s 66th-ranked rushing defense that gives up 166.4 yards per game on the ground.
KEY STAT
3.6 – Georgia Tech’s penalties per game. The Yellow Jackets are the least penalized team in the FBS. Virginia Tech averages 8.2 penalties 70.0 penalty yards per game.
BETTING ANGLE
Beamer announced he is retiring at the end of the NCAAF season after 29 years and the most wins of any current coach in college football. The success of his Hokies teams helped popularize the term “Beamerball.” Under Beamer, Virginia Tech has become famous for its defensive and special teams touchdowns. But after eight straight double-digit win seasons, Beamer’s teams haven’t won 10 or more games since 2011. Beamer made the announcement at the start of the Hokies’ bye week. Now he needs his team focused on playing a disappointing Yellow Jackets squad. With just a 4-5 record this season, Virginia Tech needs to win two of its final three games to make a bowl game for the 23rd consecutive season. The good news? The Hokies have won four of their last five meeting with the Jackets and haven’t lost in Atlanta since 2009, winning the last two times they played there.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Both teams have been a huge disappointment this season. Even Georgia Tech’s miracle win over Florida State couldn’t save their season. The Jackets flopped the following week losing at Virginia, 27-21, as a 4-point favorite. The Hokies’ season took a downward turn when quarterback Michael Brewer was lost in the opener with a broken collarbone. They weren’t that competitive with backup Branden Motley at the helm. Brewer is back and looked invigorated in his first game since the opener throwing three scoring passes in a loss to Duke. He helped the Hokies end a two-game losing streak throwing for 180 yards and a touchdown against a strong BC defense two weeks ago. No doubt VT is a better team with Brewer running the offense, but the onus is on the D to slow down Thomas and the Jackets’ triple-option. The Hokies will use the pending retirement of Beamer as motivation to upend the Jackets.
Virginia Tech 34, Georgia Tech 30
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