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The University of Central Florida should have a significant fan advantage on Friday when the Big 12 school plays in the Gasparilla Bowl about 80 miles from campus in Tampa as the Knights take on Georgia Tech of the ACC in the lone game of the day. 2023 Gasparilla Bowl Betting & Expert Analysis Georgia Tech vs. UCF | MyBookie Sportsbook Bowls Odds, 2023/24 CFP College Bowl Game Lines

How to Bet Georgia Tech vs. UCF Gasparilla Bowl Odds & TV Info

When: Friday, 6:30 PM ET
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NCAAF Lines: UCF -4.5 (66.5)

Series History

Georgia Tech leads the series 3-2. They played last year and UCF won 27-10 at home. Central Florida scored on a blocked punt and rode four Colton Boomer field goals to the victory. RJ Harvey and Isaiah Bowser combined for 143 yards on 31 carries, and the Knights averaged 5.1 yards per rush. Georgia Tech outgained UCF, 452 yards to 333. Eight penalties, some of them prolonging UCF drives, were critical, and linebacker Charlie Thomas was disqualified for targeting during a UCF fourth-quarter touchdown drive. The first four meetings took place in Atlanta in 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2020.

Why Bet on Georgia Tech?

Georgia Tech is a lot better than expected this season and pushed rival and then-No. 1 Georgia in the season finale before losing 31-23. In his first season as the permanent head coach at his alma mater, Coach Brent Key led Tech to a 6-6 overall record, good for its best record and first bowl berth since 2018. The Yellow Jackets finished 5-3 in Atlantic Coast Conference play and in a tie for fourth place in the 14-team conference standings after being picked to finish 12th in the league’s preseason poll.

The Jackets’ six wins included two over nationally ranked opponents – 23-20 at No. 17 Miami (Fla.) and 46-42 vs. No. 17 North Carolina – which moved Tech to 4-0 against ranked conference opponents with Key at the helm (the Jackets also defeated No. 24 Pitt and No. 13/11 UNC with Key as interim head coach in 2022).

Tech ranks third nationally in year-over-year points scored (+14.0 ppg), fourth in year-over-year sacks allowed (-2.0 pg) and fifth in year-over-year yards per game (+103.9). The Jackets lead the ACC and rank 16th nationally in rushing offense (197.1 ypg).

Tech’s offense is led by redshirt-sophomore quarterback Haynes King (2,755 passing yards, 648 rushing yards, 26 touchdown passes, nine touchdown runs), who is one of only two players in the nation with at least 2,700 passing yards, 600 rushing yards, 25 touchdown passes and five touchdown runs this season, joining LSU’s Jayden Daniels. The Jackets’ offense also features redshirt-sophomore running back Jamal Haynes, a third-team all-ACC selection who ranks fifth in the league with 931 rushing yards this season and is on the verge of becoming Tech’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2017.

Defensively, Tech ranks 13th nationally in takeaways (23) and fumble recoveries (10) and 20th in interceptions (13). Leading the way is redshirt-senior defensive back and second-team all-ACC honoree Jaylon King, who ranks 16th nationally in interceptions (4) and 17th in fumble recoveries (2) to go along with 68 tackles, eight pass breakups and a blocked kick.

The bowl invitation is the 46th in Georgia Tech history, which is the 16th-most in college football history and the third-most for a member of the ACC. With a 25-20 all-time record in bowl games, Tech is tied for 13th all-time in bowl victories and stands alone in 13th all-time in bowl winning percentage (.556).

Why Bet on UCF?

The Knights (6-6) had to win their regular-season finale to get bowl eligible and did, beating Houston 27-13. UCF compiled 476 yards offensively and limited the Cougars to just 260 yards. UCF held Houston to 94 rushing yards to mark the fourth time this season the Black and Gold have held an opponent to fewer than 100 rushing yards.

UCF scored touchdowns on each of its first two drives to jump out to a 13-10 lead early in the second quarter and never trailed again, as the offense was firing on all cylinders and the defense was strong to send the Knights to their sixth win of the season.

For the sixth time in the last seven games, running back RJ Harvey surpassed 100 rushing yards as he logged 136 with a pair of rushing touchdowns. The Orlando native now owns 1,296 rushing yards, the fourth most in a single season in UCF history, and 16 rushing TDs to tie for the second most in a single season in program history. Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee was on target throughout the day, completing 23 of 27 passes for 253 yards with a touchdown. He also rushed 15 times for 58 yards and found the end zone with his legs on an eight-yard TD rush.

Defensive tackle John Walker has been named a Freshman All-American by a few sites, the first freshman All-American for the Knights since Matt Lee claimed the honor in 2020. Walker played in all 12 games and recorded 22 tackles, including five tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup.

UCF leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth nationally in passing yards per completion with 15.11 and the Knights’ defense paces the conference and ranks 41st in the nation in fewest passing yards allowed per game at 209.5. However, it has lost starting defenders Kyle Kennard, a pass rusher, and cornerback Kenan Johnson to the transfer portal.

It’s a program-record eighth consecutive postseason bowl appearance for the Knights, the 11th in 12 seasons and the 15th in 19 years. UCF also previously played in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1987 and in the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 1990 and 1993. It’s the third time in five years UCF has played in the Gasparilla Bowl—and the second time in three years that has happened under current UCF coach Gus Malzahn. The Knights defeated Florida 29-17 in the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl and won 48-25 against Marshall in the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl.

NCAAF Gasparilla Bowl Expert Prediction

UCF 31, Georgia Tech 24

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