Connect with us

Georgia

Looking at Georgia Tech Football’s 2024 Schedule and Opponents Through ESPN’s FPI

Published

on

Looking at Georgia Tech Football’s 2024 Schedule and Opponents Through ESPN’s FPI


In case you have not heard, Georgia Tech Football is going to face one of the toughest schedules in the country this upcoming season and whil this Yellow Jackets team might be much better than last year’s team, they might not have a better record due to the schedule.

This is nothing new for the program or for Yellow Jackets fans. Each year, the team has to play Georgia at the end of the year and until this season, they also had to play Clemson each year. Georgia is still on the schedule, but Clemson is off this year, but the schedule is arguably the toughest in the ACC and among the toughest in the country. Georgia Tech has to play Notre Dame, Florida State, Miami, Louisville, NC State, and Virginia Tech, among others on their 2024 slate. Each week is going to present unique challenges to Brent Key and his team.

ESPN released its initial FPI numbers for the 2024 season and Georgia Tech is starting the season 54th. ESPN uses its FPI (Football Power Index) as an advanced analytical model to help look at matchups and predict outcomes. In ESPN’s own words: “FPI is a predictive rating system designed to measure team strength and project performance going forward. The ultimate goal of FPI is not to rank teams 1 through 128; rather, it is to correctly predict games and season outcomes. If Vegas ever published the power rankings it uses to set its lines, they would likely look quite a lot like FPI.”

So where are Georgia Tech’s opponents ranked on this initial FPI rankings release?

Advertisement

1. Georgia (No. 1 nationally)

2. Notre Dame (No. 7)

3. Florida State (No. 11)

4. Louisville (No. 21

5. Miami (No. 23)

Advertisement

6. NC State (No. 28)

7. North Carolina (42)

8. Virginia Tech (50)

9. Duke (52)

10. Syracuse (70)

Advertisement

11. Georgia State (89)

I think there are some arguments to be had about where certain opponents should be ranked instead, but this still shows an overall tough strength of schedule for the Yellow Jackets. Six opponents are in the top 30 and eight are in the top 50. You could argue that both Virginia Tech and Syracuse should be higher.

247Sports Analyst Brad Crawford ranked the Yellow Jackets 2024 schedule as the 6th toughest schedule in the country:

“One of only two ACC teams in our toughest schedules rankings, Georgia Tech has a difficult road ahead, especially if November when the Yellow Jackets play Miami, NC State and Georgia to end it. Brent Key must have this team ready to go every week, or else getting to bowl eligibility will be a challenge.”

Seven of Georgia Tech’s opponents appeared in the 247Sports post-spring top 25. 11 of Georgia Tech’s 12 opponents played in bowl games last season.

Advertisement

Most sportsbooks have the Yellow Jackets win total set at 5.5 and On3 Sports analyst Jesse Simonton thinks that 5.5 might be too high:

“The Yellow Jackets upset Miami and North Carolina last season to make the postseason for the first time since 2018, but the books see a slight regression season with maybe the most difficult schedule (non-conference included) in the ACC in 2024. 

While Georgia Tech returns quarterback Haynes King (who led the league in touchdowns and interceptions last season), 1,000-yard rusher Jamal Haynes and infused a bad defense (worst in the ACC in 2023) with 11 newcomers via the portal, it has just five true home games on the slate this fall. The Yellow Jackets open against FSU in Ireland and end the season against top-ranked Georgia in Athens. In between, they play at Syracuse, Louisville, North Carolina and Virginia Tech and draw Notre Dame, Miami and NC State at home. That’s a gauntlet by ACC standards.”

While the schedule is a gauntlet, there are not going to be many games where the Yellow Jackets are massive underdogs and Brent Key has shown the ability to be able to get his team to play at a high level to pull an upset ever since he was the interim head coach. They might be significant underdogs in games vs FSU, Notre Dame and Georgia, but the might not be a double-digit underdog in the rest of the games. Still, this team is going to have to work to make a bowl game and improve on last year’s 7-6 mark.



Source link

Advertisement

Georgia

Georgia House Special Runoff Election 2026 Live Results

Published

on

Georgia House Special Runoff Election 2026 Live Results


The expected vote is the total number of votes that are expected in a given race once all votes are counted. This number is an estimate and is based on several different factors, including information on the number of votes cast early as well as information provided to our vote reporters on Election Day from county election officials. The figure can change as NBC News gathers new information.

Source: Vote data via the Associated Press. Projections by the NBC News Decision Desk.



Source link

Continue Reading

Georgia

New Safe Haven Law: Georgia ‘baby box’ bill heads to Gov. Kemp

Published

on

New Safe Haven Law: Georgia ‘baby box’ bill heads to Gov. Kemp


A new bill headed to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk aims to provide Georgians with a safe way to surrender an infant through the installation of “baby safe haven boxes.” The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate last week, serves as an extension of Georgia’s current Safe Haven law.

What we know:

Advertisement

Under existing state law, a mother can surrender a child up to 30 days after birth at a fire department, police station, or hospital without facing prosecution. The new bill would expand these options by allowing for the installation of medical-grade safety boxes at these locations.

The boxes are designed to be installed on the exterior of hospitals, fire stations, or police stations. According to the legislation, these units will be equipped with security cameras to record anyone accessing the box. Once a child is placed inside, an automated system will trigger a 911 call to alert emergency responders. The infant is then transported to a hospital before being placed into the custody of the Department of Family and Children Services.

Advertisement

Local governments will not be responsible for the cost of the units. Instead, individual communities must fundraise if they wish to install a safety box in their area.

What they’re saying:

Advocates like Brittany Almon, who worked with legislators to support the bill, say the mission is deeply personal. Almon became an adoptive mother in 2022 to a boy who was surrendered under the state’s current Safe Haven Law.

Advertisement

“In 2022, I became an adoptive mom to a little boy who was surrendered under our current safe haven law. His biological mother did a face-to-face surrender,” Almon said. “He was a healthy baby boy and whatever her circumstances were, she knew that she couldn’t give him the life he deserved, and she knew there was somebody out there that could.”

Almon explained that the boxes provide a specialized environment for the infant while offering support to the parent.

Advertisement

“Inside the box, there’s a medical-grade bassinet that she will place her baby in. There’s actually also some resources that will fall out to her in an orange bag,” Almon said. “Once that door is shut, there’s a 30-second delay let her, the person, walk away. And from there, an alarm goes off, and that alarm will alert fire station or hospital staff that a newborn is in the box.”

Once the alarm sounds and the child is recovered, Almon noted that “then from there that baby is placed into the Department of Family and Children Services’ custody.”

While the use of surrender boxes has sparked debate, Almon argued that increasing available options is the priority.

Advertisement

“The more resources offer someone, the better it can be to help someone navigate the situation they’re in,” Almon said. “We can always judge people for what they do, and why do it, because we don’t know their circumstances.”

You can read more about Almon’s efforts here.

Advertisement

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the text of the Georgia legislation, an interview with advocate Brittany Almon, and official records from the Georgia General Assembly. 

GeorgiaGeorgia PoliticsFamilyNews



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Georgia

Falcons address biggest hole with Georgia prospect in new mock draft

Published

on

Falcons address biggest hole with Georgia prospect in new mock draft


For a long time it seemed the Atlanta Falcons were purposefully avoiding drafting prospects from Georgia for some reason. There are signs that’s changing with the new front office regime, though. Last month Kirby Smart commented on how his program is developing a relationship with the Falcons.

That’s a good sign for Atlanta’s defensive front-seven, because that group needs all the help they can get and it’s where the Bulldogs have thrived the most in recent years. Jalon Walker is helping to reinvigorate their pass rush, and more help could be on the way soon.

In a new five-round mock draft from NFL.com, the Falcons hit up that local resource again and take Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller at No. 48 overall.

At the combine Miller checked in at 6-foot-4, 321 pounds with 33″ arms and 10″ hands. Here’s the highlight reel.

Advertisement

Like most nose tackle prospects, Miller’s college production (four sacks, 11.5 TFL) doesn’t exactly jump off the page.

However, the scouting report on Miller mentions both upper and lower body power in addition to good balance. Those traits should make him a solid nose tackle at the next level.

If the Falcons do end up drafting Miller, he should project to be starting up front in Week 1.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending