#14 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at #8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Stadium – Notre Dame, Indiana
Saturday, September 19, 2015, 3:30 pm Eastern, TV: NBC
Opening Line: Notre Dame -1 1/2
Current Line: Georgia Tech -2 1/2
Opening Total: 59
Current Total: 54 1/2
Opening Money Line: Notre Dame -115 / Georgia Tech -105
Current Money Line: Georgia Tech -140 / Notre Dame +120
Two top 15 teams renew a rivalry that began in 1922 as the #8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the #14 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Saturday. Both teams are 2-0 this season.
Notre Dame leads the series 27-6-1, including 15-3 in South Bend. The teams haven’t played since Georgia Tech won at Notre Dame 33-3 in 2007. They are are scheduled to play three more times between 2019 and 2024. The most famous game in the series from 1975 was depicted in the movie Rudy.
Georgia Tech is coached by Paul Johnson. The Yellow Jackets have crushed Alcorn State 69-6 and Tulane 65-10 both at home this season. Not surprisingly, Georgia Tech is 2-0 ATS and both games have gone over the total. Georgia Tech was a 32.5 point favorite over Tulane and the total was 60.5.
Notre Dame is coached by Brian Kelly. The Fighting Irish have a home win over Texas 38-3 and last week at Virginia 34-27. Against Virginia, Notre Dame jumped out to an early 12-0 lead but Virginia would lead 14-12 at halftime. Two third quarter touchdowns for the Irish game them a 26-14 lead. Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire suffered a broken ankle in the second half and is lost for the season. After Virginia rallied to take a 27-26 lead with less than two minutes to go in the fourth, Zaire’s replacement redshirt freshman DeShone Kizer marched the Irish down the field and threw a 39 yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller with 12 seconds left. Notre Dame converted the two point conversion to make it 34-27. That would be the final. Notre Dame was a 13.5 point favorite and the total was 47. The Irish are 1-1 ATS and the total is 1-1 this season.
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Georgia Tech is outscoring teams 67-8 this season. The Yellow Jackets average 562 yards including 458 rushing and 105 passing yards. On defense, Georgia Tech is allowing 260 yards per game including 142 passing and 119 rushing yards. The Yellow Jackets have forced five turnovers and have two of their own. Georgia Tech averages 12 penalty yards per game, and opponents average 58. Georgia Tech is 12/18 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 9/35. Georgia Tech has forced 5 sacks and allowed 2 this season. The Yellow Jackets are 12/12 scoring in the red zone with 12 touchdowns and opponents are 2/4 with a touchdown.
Quarterback Justin Thomas has completed 10 of 13 passes for 151 yards and 3 touchdowns, and has also rushed for 73 yards on 13 carries with 2 touchdowns. Matthew Jordan has completed one pass for a 35 yard touchdown, and has rushed for 90 yards on 6 carries with a touchdown. Tim Byerly is out indefinitely with a leg injury. He had a rushing touchdown. Another back-up quarterback Chase Martenson is probable for undisclosed reasons.
Running back Marcus Marshall has 14 carries for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns, along with a catch for 16 yards. Patrick Skov has 23 carries for 122 yards and 4 touchdowns. Fullback Quaide Weimerskirch is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Including the quarterbacks, ten Yellow Jackets have at least one rushing touchdown.
Receiver Michael Summers has 4 catches for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns. TaQuon Marshall has 2 catches for 59 yards and a touchdown, along with 3 carries for 28 yards. Ricky Jeune and Qua Searcy each have two catches. Searcy has a rushing and a receiving touchdown.
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Notre Dame is outscoring teams 36-15 this season. The Fighting Irish average 494 yards per game on offense including 260 passing and 234 rushing yards. On defense, Notre Dame is allowing 290 yards per game including 196 passing and 94 rushing yards. Notre Dame has forced one turnover and hasn’t turned the ball over yet this season. The Fighting Irish average 40 penalty yards per game and opponents average 53. Notre Dame is 10/27 on third and fourth down conversions and opponents are 9/28. The Irish have forced 5 sacks and allowed 3 of their own. Notre Dame is 6/8 scoring in the red zone with 4 touchdowns and opponents are 3/4 with 3 touchdowns.
Zaire threw for 428 yards with 4 touchdowns, and rushed 19 times for 103 yards. Kizer has 92 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, along with 11 rushing yards. Running back C.J. Prosise has 37 carries for 253 yards and a touchdown, along with 4 catches for 26 yards. Josh Adams has 8 carries for 59 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Tarean Folston is out for the season with a torn ACL
Receiver Will Fuller has 12 catches for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns. Chris Brown has 6 catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Amir Carlisle has 5 catches for 59 yards. Corey Robinson and Torii Hunter, Jr. will both get some targets as well. Tight end Durham Smythe is out for the season with knee and shoulder injuries. He had a touchdown catch.
Georgia Tech is 9-0 ATS after rushing for more than 200 yards, overall and on grass, 8-0 after passing for less than 170 yards, 7-0 after a cover, 6-0 after scoring more than 40 points, after a straight up win, and against teams with winning records, 5-0 after a win by 20 points or more, 4-0 in non-conference games, 5-1 in road games, 4-1 in September and after allowing less than 20 points, 15-5-1 after allowing less than 275 total yards, 4-9-1 against teams with winning home records, and 1-5-1 after allowing less than 100 rushing yards.
Notre Dame is 4-1 ATS after allowing more than 280 passing yards, 7-3 against teams with winning records, 2-5 in non-conference games and on grass, 2-6 overall, and 1-4 after failing to cover.
Kizer showed a lot of poise on the game winning touchdown drive against Virginia. We will have to see how he does as the full time starter. Georgia Tech hasn’t been tested at all. I do think Georgia tech is kind of under the radar and they might be the best team in the ACC, even better than Clemson or Florida State. I like the Yellow Jackets to win on the road in a low scoring game.
