Capital One Orange Bowl

Capital One Orange Bowl, Dec. 31
Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State

– After pushing Florida State to the wall in a phenomenal ACC championship, and with the running game rocking and rolling finishing second in the nation, Georgia Tech is humming. The win over Georgia was big, the 28-6 thumping of Clemson was bigger, and despite a two-game midseason misfire against Duke and North Carolina, this has grown into a dangerous team. However, can the offense work against a D that has a month to prepare? Can the attack stay hot? This will be one of the toughest teams to call.

– It might have been a disappointment for Mississippi State to lose two of the last three games and miss out on the SEC championship and a possible playoff spot, but it’s still been a terrific season that can close out with a special bowl win and one of the strongest seasons in school history. The pass defense is lacking – to be nice – and the offense might have struggled in the two key games, but Dak Prescott and the Bulldog ground attack are devastating, helping the offense average 506 yards per game. For all the positives this year, it’s time to come up with another good win, considering the LSU victory was back in mid-September and the Auburn win isn’t quite that big a deal now. A loss wouldn’t be devastating, but it would tarnish the campaign.
First Reaction: Mississippi State will get time. What does it take to stop the Georgia Tech offense? 15 practices to be disciplined enough to figure it out. The Bulldogs will give the Yellow Jackets a taste of their own running game medicine, even if it’s in a different way. Dak Prescott will look like a different player with a month to get healthy.
First Prediction: Mississippi State 37 … Georgia Tech 17