Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech
Talk about hype surrounding a team. Notre Dame enters this season with perhaps the highest season expectations ever in the history of this fabled school.
The line reflects the public's enthusiasm for the like of the Irish as well and their season could be abruptly stalled with an upset loss against a very good GT team. My AiS shows a 77% probability that GT will lose this game by 6 or fewer points and a 55% probability that they will win the game. The matchup in this game features the ND defense that is returning 9 starters facing the GT offense that is returning 10 starters including the QB.
As many of you already know, teams returning starters, especially 9 or more on offense including the the QB do extremely well in the first 4 weeks of the season. It takes about 4 weeks for teams that are starting out with retooled offenses to catch up to the teams that have played together for more than a season with 9 or more starters.
Although many months ago, the ND defense gave up 617 yards to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl showing that this same bunch of players may be quite vulnerable to a balanced attack like the one GT possesses. Also, Georgia Tech showed a knack for playing well against national-ranked teams last year.
The Yellow Jackets defeated No. 15 Auburn in the season opener and stunned third-ranked Miami at the Orange Bowl on November 19. So, the offense knows they can play with anyone in the country period. GT has shown over the years and under HC Gailey that they are prepared to start the season well sporting a 47-27 ATS record in the first half of the season since 1992.
Game Time: 9/7/2006 8:00:00 PM
By: John Ryan
Talk about hype surrounding a team. Notre Dame enters this season with perhaps the highest season expectations ever in the history of this fabled school.
The line reflects the public's enthusiasm for the like of the Irish as well and their season could be abruptly stalled with an upset loss against a very good GT team. My AiS shows a 77% probability that GT will lose this game by 6 or fewer points and a 55% probability that they will win the game. The matchup in this game features the ND defense that is returning 9 starters facing the GT offense that is returning 10 starters including the QB.
As many of you already know, teams returning starters, especially 9 or more on offense including the the QB do extremely well in the first 4 weeks of the season. It takes about 4 weeks for teams that are starting out with retooled offenses to catch up to the teams that have played together for more than a season with 9 or more starters.
Although many months ago, the ND defense gave up 617 yards to Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl showing that this same bunch of players may be quite vulnerable to a balanced attack like the one GT possesses. Also, Georgia Tech showed a knack for playing well against national-ranked teams last year.
The Yellow Jackets defeated No. 15 Auburn in the season opener and stunned third-ranked Miami at the Orange Bowl on November 19. So, the offense knows they can play with anyone in the country period. GT has shown over the years and under HC Gailey that they are prepared to start the season well sporting a 47-27 ATS record in the first half of the season since 1992.
Game Time: 9/7/2006 8:00:00 PM
By: John Ryan