Georgia Tech vs UCF Odds, Pick & Prediction

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The Knights are experts when it comes to the Gasparilla Bowl. This is their third appearance in the game since 2019. It’s also the eighth year in a row that UFC has gone to a bowl game. All-time, the Knights are 6-8 SU in 14 prior bowl game appearances.

Georgia Tech is appearing in the school’s 47th bowl game dating back to the 1928 Rose Bowl. They are 6-11 SU in bowl games since 2000. The Yellow Jackets are playing in the Gasparilla Bowl for the first time.

Kickoff for this game at Raymond James Stadium on Friday, December22 is set for 6:30 pm ET. The broadcast is being carried by ESPN.

Yellow Jackets vs Knights Betting Trends

Anaylsis of the college football public betting splits is showing that there’s plenty of indecision in the spread splits regarding this game among the people. However, the moneyline splits are displaying unification.

In spread splits, the underdog Yellow Jackets are pulling 66% of handle, while the Knights are getting 52% of bets. UCF is 3-6 against the spread over the past nine games.

Moneyline bettors are all aboard with the Knights. UFC is generating 54% of handle and 89% of bets in the splits. The Yellow Jackets haven’t beaten the Knights SU since 2000.

There’s more uncertainty when it comes to the total. On the handle, 67% of money is going with the over. There’s 60% of bets backing the under, though. UCF has hit the under in fourth straight games.

Knights Know How To Run

Grinding out 233.2 yards per game, UCF is the nation’s #4 rushing team. The Knights have scored 28 rushing touchdowns.

Senior RB RJ Harvey is doing much of the damage in the ground game. He’s rushed for 1296 yards, which is 12th in the nation. His 16 rushing TDs put Harvey in a tie for sixth in the NCAA.

Defensively, UCF is #118 at stopping the run. The Knights allow 186.8 yards per game on the ground. They’re 2-6 SU this season when the opposing team gains 100+ yards rushing.

Transfer Portal Stings Yellow Jackets

Two key defensive players from the Yellow Jackets opted to enter the NCAA transfer portal and will miss the Gasparilla Bowl. Defensive end Kyle Kennard, leading the team with six sacks, is one of those losses. Kennard was good for 54 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and one interception this season.

Also opting out of the Georgia Tech program to move elsewhere is CB Kenan Johnson. He picked off a pass and forced two fumbles this season, recovering one of them.

The Yellow Jackets are a dreadful run-stopping defense. They rank 128th out of 130 FBS schools, allowing 225.7 yards per game on the ground.

Offensively, sophomore QB Haynes King threw for 2,797 yards, along with an ACC-leading 26 TD passes. King also gained 648 yards on the ground, while running for nine TDS. Sophomore RB Jamal Haynes ran for 931 yards and seven TDs.

Georgia Tech vs UCF Prediction

Recency shows both of UCF’s wins over Georgia Tech have come since 2020. This season the Knights are 1-1 SU against ranked teams, while the Yellow Jackets are 0-3. UCF lost three games by a grand total of five points, so the Knights weren’t far off from being a 9-3 SU team.

The UCF run game, coupled with Georgia Tech’s inability to stop the run, spells trouble for the Yellow Jackets.

Georgia Tech vs UCF Pick: UFC Knights -5 (-105)