The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets take on the Duke Blue Devils in Durham, N.C., on Saturday, Oct. 18. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Duke is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -125. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, comes in as a +1.5 underdog and is +105 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 60 total points.
Here’s my Georgia Tech vs. Duke prediction and college football picks for Saturday, October 18.
Georgia Tech vs Duke Prediction
- Georgia Tech vs. Duke Pick: Over 60
My Duke vs. Georgia Tech best bet is on both teams to go over the total. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Georgia Tech vs Duke Odds
| Yellow Jackets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 60 -110o / -110u | +105 |
| Blue Devils Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 60 -110o / -110u | -125 |
- Georgia Tech vs Duke Spread: Duke -1.5, Georgia Tech +1.5
- Georgia Tech vs Duke Over/Under: 60 Points
- Georgia Tech vs Duke Moneyline: Georgia Tech +105, Duke -125
Georgia Tech vs Duke College Football Betting Preview
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Betting Preview: Pair of Kings
I continue to be amazed at the type of program Brent Key has built.
From the moment he grabbed the keys (pardon the pun) of the program, there’s been an impressive uptick in how the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have fared.
This season is no different, with the best record in the ACC and one of the best rushing attacks in the country.
Quarterback Haynes King has certainly led the charge on that front.
You worry about his long-term health given his ability to play through injuries and continuing to welcome contact, but he currently leads the team in rushing yards.
Behind King, Malachi Hosley and Jamal Haynes have been great on the ground.
Hosley is playing at an insane pace, leading the FBS with 8.9 yards per carry for five rushing touchdowns while helping Tech rank 12th in Rushing Success Rate.
The one thing is, Duke is semi-decent at stopping the run, so I’m curious to see how the Yellow Jackets fare here — and even more curious to see how Duke handles King with his several QB draws.
That leads us to GT’s defense.
This should be a fascinating matchup because of Duke quarterback Darian Mensah’s propensity to chuck up the ball. He could find some success there, as the Jackets rank 80th in Passing Success Rate allowed and 61st in passing down Success Rate allowed.
There aren’t many needle movers on Georgia Tech’s defense, so this could be where Mensah shines.
Duke Blue Devils Betting Preview: Letting It Fly
Mensah very well might be one of the most talented quarterbacks in the country.
He was a monster last year as a freshman starting for Tulane, leading the American Conference in completion percentage, and now he currently leads the ACC in passing touchdowns.
In his first couple of games in Durham, he tried to do a little too much, perhaps to live up to the blank check that Duke gave him. But it seems like he’s now settling in just fine.
The Blue Devils are one of the better teams in the FBS when the ball is in the air, ranking for 10th in passing downs Success Rate and 29th in Passing Success Rate.
Receivers Cooper Barkate and Que'Sean Brown have been total beauties commanding the majority of the targets, but Sahmir Hagans is also a receiver defenses don’t want to leave open either.
On the ground, Duke doesn’t really run the ball as much. It currently ranks 130th in rushing rate, but I genuinely think it would have a ton of success running the ball more.
Anderson Castle is a bowling ball, and Nate Sheppard has quickly stepped onto the scene and become an RB1 as a freshman. I’m also a big fan of senior Jaquez Moore, who hasn't had great luck.
Defensively is where this program will crumble.
I came into this season quite bullish on the Blue Devils on the offensive end, not knowing what to expect defensively — and minus Vincent Anthony Jr., they’ve been terrible.
They’re one of the worst teams in allowing explosive plays and rank 107th and 119th in passing down PPA allowed and Passing PPA allowed, respectively.
Georgia Tech vs Duke Pick, Betting Analysis
We’re going to see which program controls the pace here.
In six games, Duke has hit the over five times, while Georgia Tech has only hit three.
This number of 60.5 seems high, but given how run-and-gun Duke is and Georgia Tech not being very effective against the pass, the Blue Devils should run the board.
It's the same thing on the other end. Duke is terrible on defense, and even though it does stop the run fairly well, Tech’s run game may be too much to handle for the Blue Devils.
I’m taking the over here because, even though Halloween is in two weeks, I think we’ll be in for an early treat.
Pick: Over 60
