The 2024 school soccer season begins abroad in a giant means with a top-10 crew in motion as No. 10 Florida State takes on Georgia Tech within the Aer Lingus Basic in Dublin, Eire. The convention showdown additionally kicks off an unprecedented 12 months of ACC soccer after the league expanded to 17 full-time members with the additions of Cal, Stanford and SMU over the summer season.
So, in a 12 months of change, it is becoming that the reigning ACC champs start their pursuit of one other convention crown in a most unusual setting. Eire has hosted video games in Aviva Stadium, the house turf for Eire’s nationwide groups in each rugby and soccer, in every of the final two seasons and has future dates set for 2025 and 2027. It is a one-of-a-kind expertise for the gamers, coaches and followers however has include some price when it comes to an accelerated fall camp schedule to accommodate the journey.
Whereas pomp and circumstance of faculty soccer overseas will make for fairly a spectacle, on the coronary heart of this matchup are two groups with expectations of constructing on final season’s success. Florida State eyes one other ACC title and with it a spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff after final 12 months’s snub. Georgia Tech, in the meantime, has a ton getting back from a crew that completed tied for fourth place within the ACC standings and reached a bowl sport for the primary time since 2018. Any of their objectives are nonetheless attainable with a win on Saturday, which brings midseason urgency to this early season showdown.
Florida State vs. Georgia Tech: Have to know
DJ Uiagalelei making his ACC return, Florida State debut: One other 12 months brings one other wave of recent faces for Florida State as Mike Norvell has as soon as once more tapped the switch portal for instant-impact additions. There are acquainted names all through the group of newcomers — together with a number of gamers off final 12 months’s SEC Championship squad at Alabama — however no participant goes to command consideration fairly like quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. As soon as one of many Seminoles’ largest rivals from his time at Clemson, Uiagalelei arrives after a one-year stint at Oregon State that featured profession highs in yards per sport (219.8) and yards per try (8.4) together with the most effective passer ranking since he grew to become a full-time starter. The offense has an ideal basis because of an skilled offensive line and a few robust expertise at operating again, however being as dynamic as Florida State was final season would require Uiagalelei to assist elevate the offense with the passing assault.
Georgia Tech hoping for improved protection: Brent Key’s breakthrough season with the Yellow Jackets was powered by an offense that led the ACC in speeding and ranked third within the convention (and high 30 nationally) in whole offense, averaging 424.6 yards per sport and 6.34 yards per play. That group brings again its beginning quarterback, Haynes King, its main rusher, Jamal Haynes, 4 of its 5 starters alongside the offensive line and three of its high 4 receivers. The largest query mark for the Yellow Jackets heading in 2024 is the defensive facet of the ball, which underwent a management change after ending final within the ACC in whole protection. Fixing that facet of the ball is the problem for brand spanking new defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci, who arrives after a profitable defensive coordinator stint underneath Mike Elko at Duke. If Georgia Tech goes to tug off the abroad upset, it would want its protection to indicate greater than a pair leaps in efficiency.
Worldwide journey producing shut contests: Final 12 months’s 42-3 win for Notre Dame towards Navy within the Aer Lingus Basic broke a streak of one-score video games when school soccer is performed in Eire. Every of the earlier 3 times an early season sport was hosted in Eire, it produced an exhilarating end, together with Northwestern storming again from a double-digit, second-half deficit to beat Nebraska 31-28 in 2022, Georgia Tech beating Boston Faculty 17-14 with two fourth-quarter scores and Penn State successful with a walk-off subject purpose towards UCF in 2014 for the primary win of the James Franklin period.
Find out how to watch Florida State vs. Georgia Tech dwell
Date: Saturday, Aug. 24 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Aviva Stadium — Dublin, Eire
TV: ESPN | Dwell stream: fubo (Attempt free of charge)
Florida State vs. Georgia Tech prediction, picks
I see this as a matchup-based play the place the strengths and weaknesses for each groups might find yourself creating some stalemate possessions. New Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci was part of Duke defenses that did a terrific job of limiting scoring over the past two years, and I believe he’ll have some issues cooked up schematically to make life robust on DJU. That can have Florida State responding by leaning on the run sport, which is what I believe shall be their power and preserve the clock transferring versus pass-happy assault. On the opposite facet of the ball, I believe Georgia Tech’s offense may have its palms full with the most effective cross rush duos within the nation with Florida State’s Pat Payton and Marvin Jones Jr. Their impression on the sport will make it troublesome for Haynes King to transform in third-and-long conditions. Decide: Underneath 55.5
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