Oddsmakers at SportsBetting.com have installed Notre Dame a -1 ½ point favorite with a 45 ½ point total in its game with visiting Georgia Tech. Money line prices, currently unavailable, will be released Saturday morning. Betting trends show the early money (65 percent) stacking on the side of Georgia Tech (+1 ½) while the UNDER is getting 95 percent of the love on the total.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets open the 2007 football season against each other for the second straight season when they kick off at 3:30 pm ET at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., in a nationally televised game on NBC.
Both schools have similarities in that each is replacing a legendary quarterback-receiver combination. Gone from Georgia Tech is QB Reggie Ball and All-American wide-out Calvin Johnson while Notre Dame loses All-American QB Brady Quinn and his go to guy, Jeff Smardzija. Quinn and Johnson were both first round picks in the NFL Draft and Smardzija is playing baseball in the Chicago Cubs organization.
While the quarterback battle at South Bend has been well publicized between highly touted freshman Demetrius Jones and Jimmy Clausen, its Jones who will probably get the start on Saturday according to unofficial reports.
Yellow Jackets junior QB Taylor Bennett steps into the starters role after spending two years as an understudy to four-year starter Reggie Ball. He’s a pure drop back passer, able to do with his legs the way Ball could.
“He’s played well when he’s had the opportunity,” Tech coach Chan Gailey said. “He’s going to be a very good quarterback. But time tells on those things. Can he handle it when it’s all his?”
Biletnikoff Award winner Calvin Johnson left for the NFL after his junior season and was drafted second overall. But Tech’s No. 2 offensive star of 2006 sees enough big things from Bennett and young receivers Greg Smith and Demaryius Thomas to make a surprising prediction.“I think we’ll be better in the passing game this year than we were last year,” Tashard Choice said.
The defense that held Notre Dame to 14 points returns eight starters, including middle linebacker Philip Wheeler, who mulled an early jump to the NFL. Coordinator Jon Tenuta’s high-pressure scheme has proven especially successful against rookie quarterbacks and held 10 of 14 opponents last season under 100 yards rushing.
In last years opening game at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta , Quinn and hometown favorite Darius Walker each ran for a touchdown as the No. 2 Fighting Irish, rallied for a 14-10 victory over Georgia Tech. Notre Dame fell behind 10-0, but Quinn ran it in from the five-yard line on a gutsy call by coach Charlie Weis with just 11 seconds remaining in half. Then, taking advantage of a personal foul against the Yellow Jackets, Walker raced to the corner for a 13-yard touchdown with 6 ½ minutes to go in the third period. Quinn completed 23-of-38 passes for 246 yards and converted a fourth-and-one sneak near midfield with 1:07 remaining that sealed the win.
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