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Two games in and Georgia Tech football has been performing in a way that makes their fans happy. The Yellow Jackets are currently 2-0, holding wins over fellow ACC member Florida State (Week 0) and nonconference opponent Georgia State (Week 1).
Their offense has been in sync. With Haynes King leading the charge again, the Yellow Jackets' passing attack continues to improve. Against Georgia State this past Saturday, King threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-29 attempts. Wideout Eric Singleton has yet to explode for a big game (receiving-wise), but in the meantime, Malik Rutherford has been tallying the yards. During Saturday's win, Rutherford put up 131 yards and a 52-yard touchdown on seven catches.
Of course, if there's one thing that Georgia Tech likes to do, it's run the ball. In their two wins (combined), the team ran for a total of 415 yards. Jamal Haynes continues to deliver, already tallying three rushing touchdowns to his name so far. Haynes King keeps showing flashes of his dual-threat capabilities, running for a score of his own against Georgia State. And to make up for his quiet outings in the receiving department, Eric Singleton ran for a touchdown last Saturday as well.
Let's not forget special teams. Against Florida State, Aidan Birr's 44-yard field goal broke the tie as time expired, giving Georgia Tech the upset victory.
All in all, things look good as the Yellow Jackets enter their Week 2 clash versus Kyle McCord and Syracuse. With that being said, here are a couple of bold predictions for the upcoming game.
Georgia Tech runs for 200+ yards as a team
Only a select number of schools have defenses that are capable of making life difficult for Georgia Tech — Syracuse isn't one of them. Last season, the Orange allowed 148.2 rushing yards per game, ranking 7th among ACC teams in rushing defense (per theacc.com). Did a full offseason result in improvements? It doesn't look like it so far. In fact, the numbers are even more worrisome. Syracuse may have defeated Ohio in their season opener last Saturday, but they allowed the Bobcats to tally 255 yards on the ground, 203 of which came from running back Anthony Tyus III.
With what they showed, it's difficult to believe that Syracuse will have an answer for the ACC's top rushing team. It also doesn't help how the Orange will be without starting linebacker Marlowe Wax in their next few games. Wax is expected to be out for six weeks after suffering an injury against Ohio.
An offense-heavy game with red zone play as the determining factor
While it's easy to point out flaws in Syracuse's defense, Georgia Tech isn't really known for theirs as well. In 2023, the Yellow Jackets gave up 437.1 total yards per game (rushing and passing combined) — last among all ACC squads. While two games aren't enough to make a bold conclusion, Georgia Tech seems to be making strides, bringing that number down to 325.5 per game so far this season. Still, it doesn't sound comforting enough against a Syracuse team that's coming off a red-hot outing against Ohio.
Led by prized transferee Kyle McCord, the Orange put up a total of 480 yards for a 38-22 win against the Bobcats. McCord threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns, giving the Yellow Jackets a glimpse of what they'll be going up against.
What's in store for fans when a run-heavy Georgia Tech faces off against a pass-heavy Syracuse — with defense as both teams' weak spots? An offense-heavy game. It's going to be an epic clash between Haynes King and Kyle McCord. Plenty of yardage will be tallied during drives, but it may all come down to who does better in the red zone.
In both teams' previous outings, their offenses have made the most out of their trips down the 20, while their defenses have also protected their endzones zealously in such situations. Through two games, Georgia Tech gave up just one field goal and one touchdown in four red zone situations. As for Syracuse, their defense allowed only one touchdown in five trips down the 20.
Georgia Tech football wins by a close margin
Both teams look good entering their Saturday clash, but it will be the Yellow Jackets' to take. This new-look Syracuse team has yet to go up against an in-conference opponent, so there are still questions surrounding their full capabilities. On the other hand, Georgia Tech's Week 0 victory over Florida State spoke volumes.
Syracuse will put up a fight, but Haynes King and Co. will get their third win of the season in a nail-biter.
