BGI staff predictions: Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame
The No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-1) will be looking to extend their winning streak to six games when they host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-7) on Senior Day this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
This will be the 37th all-time meeting between the Irish and Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech is the most-faced opponent in Notre Dame’s football history (Miami is next with 27 games), with the series extending all the way back to 1922.
The Irish won 31-13 in Atlanta last year and hold a commanding 29-6-1 advantage in the series. This will be the 20th meeting between the two schools in South Bend, with the Irish having won 16 of the first 19. However, the Yellow Jackets and Irish have split their last two meetings at Notre Dame Stadium, with the Jackets shocking the Irish 33-3 on Sept. 1, 2007 and ND notching a 30-22 win over Tech on Sept. 19, 2015.
Georgia Tech will be attempting to snap a four-game losing skid by notching its first win over a top-10 team since its 22-16 triumph over No. 9 Florida State on Oct. 24, 2015. Since that win, the Jackets have lost nine straight against top-10 foes.
The Fighting Irish have been installed as 17-point favorites over the Yellow Jackets for Saturday’s game.
Season-to-date records
Todd Burlage — 8-2 straight up, 6-4 against the spread
Steve Downey — 8-2, 7-3
Patrick Engel — 8-2, 6-4
Tyler Horka — 8-2, 6-4
Greg Ladky — 5-1, 4-2
Mike Singer — 8-2, 6-4
Todd Burlage, contributing writer
Notre Dame 41, Georgia Tech 17
When Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins arrived in Atlanta for the 2019 season, the former Temple headman faced the tall task of replacing the unique triple-option rushing offense installed by successful 11-year Yellow Jackets head coach Paul Johnson.
Reconstruction challenges were expected for Collins, but entering this weekend’s game against Notre Dame — deep into his third season with a 9-23 overall record — Collins’ program momentum seems flatlined.
Georgia Tech allows 30.2 points a game while Notre Dame has scored no fewer than 28 points during its five-game winning streak.
As a rusher, receiver and return man, Yellow Jackets all-purpose freshman running back Jahmyr Gibbs — a player Irish head coach Brian Kelly called an ACC Player of the Year candidate — leads the conference in all-purpose yardage at 167.5 yards per game.
For Notre Dame, Kelly has won 23 straight regular-season games against ACC opponents, 40 consecutive matchups against unranked teams, 14 in a row during the month of November, and he’ll comfortably win his fifth straight Senior Day at Notre Dame Stadium.
Steve Downey, managing editor for Blue & Gold Illustrated
Steve Downey: Notre Dame 33, Georgia Tech 14
Even though it hasn’t really shown up in their record, head coach Geoff Collins is adamant his program is making progress. The average margin in the Yellow Jackets’ seven defeats is just 9.7 points, marked improvement from the 24.9 in 2020 and 22.4 in 2019. In six of the seven losses, Georgia Tech has led in the fourth quarter or had a possession to tie or take the lead.
One of the main reasons the Yellow Jackets have been in games has been the play of second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs. He ranks No. 2 nationally with 168.0 all-purpose yards per game and has had a play of 50 yards or longer in each of the past six contests, including a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last Saturday against Boston College. That makes him one of only two Power Five players with six plays that have gone 50 or more yards, joining Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams (eight). Last year, the Irish “limited” him to 110 yards from scrimmage (61 on 14 rushing attempts and 49 on five receptions) in a strong defensive performance that saw the Tech offense manage just 238 total yards and six points in a 31-13 defeat.
The biggest issues for the Yellow Jackets have come on the other side of the ball. Despite a veteran-laden unit, Georgia Tech has struggled mightily to slow down opposing offenses. They rank last in the ACC and 126th nationally in passing efficiency defense (166.78 rating), 117th in passing defense (271.9), 114th in total defense (448.5 yards allowed per game) and 99th in rushing defense (176.6). Of Georgia Tech’s last four opponents, two have hit season highs for total offense (Virginia and Virginia Tech) and two (Miami and Boston College) recorded their total offense season high against an FBS opponent.
The Fighting Irish have the personnel to exploit those defensive issues and should cruise to another Senior Day victory.
Patrick Engel, editor
Notre Dame 38, Georgia Tech 14
It has been a long time – 2016, to be exact – since Notre Dame has lost one of these kinds of games.
I won’t be surprised to see this one unfold in a similar manner as the 2019 home finale, a 40-7 win vs. Boston College. Between dynamic all-around running back Jahmyr Gibbs and electric but erratic quarterback Jeff Sims (if he plays), Georgia Tech has enough on offense to score a couple touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets’ defense, though, doesn’t appear well-equipped to stop the Irish.
The worst-case scenario here feels like a repeat of last year’s Senior Day, a 45-21 win over a 1-10 Syracuse team. There wasn’t a moment in that game where it felt like Notre Dame would lose, but it was closer than expected for two-plus quarters and far from a wire-to-wire handling.
The Irish’s 28-3 win over Virginia could’ve been even more lopsided if they didn’t squander two prime scoring chances. The opportunities should be plentiful again this week. Notre Dame could surpass 40 points if it cashes in on all of them.
Tyler Horka, staff writer
Notre Dame 41, Georgia Tech 14
Notre Dame is officially past the point in its schedule where people could reasonably say, “Oh, this might be the game that trips the Irish up and officially puts a nail in their College Football Playoff hopes.” Georgia Tech just isn’t good enough to go into Notre Dame Stadium and compete with an Irish team that still has eyes on earning a bid to the CFP.
The Ramblin’ Wreck’s offense is average at No. 65 in the nation. The defense? Incredibly poor at No. 114 nationally. Junior running back Kyren Williams should have no problem with that. Graduate student quarterback Jack Coan hasn’t had huge numbers in the passing game lately, but he’ll be good for a few scores and effective, efficient play. That’s been the norm for him ever since the final few minutes at Virginia Tech. That won’t change against one of the worst passing defenses in the country. Georgia Tech ranks No. 117 in that department.
Georgia Tech has a couple playmakers in quarterback Jeff Sims and do-it-all playmaker Jahmyr Gibbs, but Sims didn’t play last week against Boston College. His health is a real concern for the Jackets. Gibbs, who Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said should be the ACC Player of the Year, is going to dazzle the fans in South Bend here and there. But one player won’t win Georgia Tech a football game it’s heavily favored to lose.
Notre Dame wins big on Senior Day and reaches 10-plus victories for the fifth straight season.
Greg Ladky, managing editor for BlueandGold.com
Notre Dame 47 Georgia Tech 16
Notre Dame's offense is due for a “man, that felt good” type of performance, where big plays are made, long drives end in touchdowns, and everything is firing on all cylinders. Georgia Tech is ripe to give this up.
The Yellow Jackets’ pass defense ranks 117th in the nation (out of 130 teams). Their run defense is not much better, ranking 99th.
I think the Irish offense rolls in this game. They scored 28 points against a Virginia defense that is similarly subpar. But, continued improvement and multiple Georgia Tech blown coverages gets the Irish point total toward 50 in this game.
Jamyr Gibbs is an outstanding running back for Georgia Tech, the best back the Irish have faced this season. He can make big plays out of the backfield and in the passing game. Count on him to score a touchdown or two, but Georgia Tech’s offense leaves little to be desired after Gibbs.
Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins is moving the Yellow Jackets in the right direction. Recruiting is better. They are on pace to sign their second top-25 class in the last three years after failing to crack the top 25 in each year since the class of 2007. But Georgia Tech’s overhaul from the option style attack is a five-year project, and Collins is in year three.
Mike Singer, recruiting insider
Notre Dame 37, Georgia Tech 13
The spread for this game opened at Notre Dame -17.5, and as I write this, it’s been bet down a half point. I will take the Fighting Irish to cover that spread.
Georgia Tech hasn’t been all that impressive this season, but from the outside looking in it seems like the Yellow Jackets are much more competitive after an abysmal year in 2020.
I don’t foresee Georgia Tech being able to slow down the Irish offense, but this game won’t be a complete blowout. The Fighting Irish just have too many horses in the stable offensively despite their injury issues.
Notre Dame will win this football game. There’s no doubt about that. Predicting this game is more about giving an outcome for the betting degenerates out there. The Fighting Irish are 5-0 against the spread in as many contests. I like that to improve to 6-0.
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