The Georgia State Panthers and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will face off in college football action on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Here is a Georgia Tech vs. Georgia State prediction. We will look at it all from a betting perspective and come up with the best Georgia Tech vs. Georgia State picks.

Betting preview for the Georgia State Panthers

Last season, the Panthers managed to stay above .500 and qualify for a bowl berth with a record of 7-6, but went just 3-5 in Sun Belt play, finishing ahead of only Marshall and Georgia Southern in the standings. The Panthers capped off the season with a 45-22 win over Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Looking ahead to 2024, Georgia State will have a new group of leaders on the sidelines, led by head coach Dell McGee, but the Panthers finished last among East Division teams in the preseason coaches poll, so they face quite an uphill battle.

Betting Preview for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Georgia Tech also finished last season with an overall record of 7-6. The Yellow Jackets went 5-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, a respectable fourth place finish behind Florida State, Louisville and NC State. Georgia Tech finished with a 30-17 victory over UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl.

The Yellow Jackets already have one game in the books, a matchup against Florida State last weekend. In that game, Georgia Tech pulled off a surprise 24-21 victory with a 10-point fourth quarter lead. QB Haynes King threw for 146 yards, but Jamal Haynes did most of the work with 11 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns.

Why the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will win

• Georgia State has lost five of its last six games.
• As an underdog, Georgia State has failed to cover the spread in six of its last seven road openers.

Why the Georgia State Panthers will win

• Georgia State has won five of its last six games against non-conference opponents.
• Georgia State has covered the spread in seven of its last eight games as an underdog against non-AP ranked teams.
• Georgia State has won the first half in five of its last six games against non-league opponents.
• Georgia State has won the first quarter in six of its last seven games against non-league opponents.

Facts about the total score

• Georgia State has exceeded the total points in five of its last six season openers.

Facts about the game/league

• Georgia Tech ranked 14th among FBS teams in fourth-quarter winning percentage (.615) last season.
• Georgia Tech ranked 15th among FBS teams in Q4 points per game last season (9.6).
• Georgia State ranked 17th among FBS teams in first-half winning percentage last season (0.692).
• Georgia State ranked 20th among FBS teams in second-quarter winning percentage (.615) last season.

Prediction for Georgia Tech vs. Georgia State

I’m leaning towards Georgia Tech. Granted, the Yellow Jackets have a very difficult schedule ahead of them and not many experts give the team much of a chance of returning to a bowl game. Still, this should be a manageable game for Georgia Tech and their experience from opening week should stand them in good stead.

In the game against Florida State, the Jackets played a fairly even game, totaling 336 yards (190 rushing), 18 first downs, no turnovers, and only three penalties. On defense, Georgia Tech held the Seminoles to 291 yards (98 rushing) and a 5-of-12 third down success rate. As long as the Yellow Jackets don’t suffer from a major win hangover, they should be in top form for game two.