Orange Bowl 2014: Updated Odds, Preview for Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State
Make no mistake, the 2014 Capital One Orange Bowl between Georgia Tech (10-3, 6-2 ACC) and Mississippi State (10-2, 6-2 SEC) is more than just one last showcase for two of the bigger programs in the nation.
This competition, despite taking place outside of the College Football Playoff, which should siphon most of the attention placed on NCAA football this winter, is plenty meaningful to the teams involved.
"We felt this was an unbelievable destination for us to go to," Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen said, via the AP (h/t FoxSports.com). "If you went and asked all our players to what bowl game they wanted to go, this would be their No. 1 choice."
It's been 75 years since the Bulldogs last played in the Orange Bowl, making this perhaps one of the most meaningful bowl games outside of the CFP, if one is capable of getting emotionally invested in this year's overcoming of a stark history in Starkville.
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The two-loss team's real No. 1 choice was assuredly a spot in the playoff, but this is quite the consolation prize.
Georgia Tech is coming off a close loss to Florida State in the ACC title game, but the Yellow Jackets have had plenty of time to shrug off that disappointing result and come out ready to prove the Seminoles aren't the only ACC team capable of defeating marquee opponents from the other Power Five conferences.
A battle against an SEC squad is the perfect opportunity for some interconference jockeying.
Here is a look at the latest odds and viewing information for the Capital One Orange Bowl, followed by a quick preview of what to watch for in this high-profile contest.
2014 Orange Bowl Odds, Viewing Info
Date: Dec. 31
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Matchup (spread): Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State (-6.5)
Odds: Georgia Tech +105, Mississippi State -115
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark and updated as of Dec. 28 at 12 a.m. ET.
Preview
The first task for Mississippi State will be contending with the Yellow Jackets' triple-option offense, a throwback attack that produced 4,337 rushing yards this season.
There is no big secret to head coach Paul Johnson's offense, just a beguiling mix of option runs, dive plays, counters and tosses designed to flummox even the most disciplined of defenses. Sticking to assignments and maintaining gaps will be key to the Bulldogs' success in this contest.
"They catch a lot of people out of gaps a lot of time," Bulldogs defensive lineman Preston Smith said, via the Sun Sentinel's Ryan S. Clark. "They catch people slipping who are trying to do too much. They break on a lot of the mistakes that other teams make. Watching film, we've seen we have to do to eliminate the mistakes other teams have made against them."
Yellow Jackets quarterback Justin Thomas was in fact the team's leading rusher, with 965 of the 4,337 rushing yards, but it's not like the team's preeminent ball-carrier is allergic to the pass. Thomas still managed to throw for 1,594 yards and 17 touchdowns against just five interceptions.
Dive back Zach Laskey and Synjyn Days were key cogs in the triple-option machine, combining for 1,441 rushing yards this season.
Of course, much of the team's success through the air comes from catching its opposition off guard, and Thomas completed just 50.9 percent of his passes.
If Mississippi State can manage to force this team into 3rd- and 4th-and-long situations, it should have a solid chance of ending drives early. The Bulldogs boast a voracious defensive front, anchored by Smith, who racked up 14.5 tackles for loss this season, per CFBStats.com.
Johnson is aware of the challenge.
"All of those guys that they have up front are good," Johnson said, via the Sun Sentinel's Scott Alan Salomon. "They have a really good front seven, and I spoke to some coaches in the conference and they think that they might be the best front seven in the entire SEC."
Mississippi State allowed just 126.5 rushing yards per game this season.
Fourth down is mentioned because Johnson isn't keen on punting the ball. Georgia Tech converted on 12 of 17 fourth downs and punted just 29 times all season.
Johnson will do all he can to establish an early lead and hold on for dear life, as his defense is liable to let him down against Dak Prescott and the Bulldogs offense.
Prescott accounted for 37 total touchdowns and 3,935 all-purpose yards this season. He formed an effective backfield tandem with running back Josh Robinson, who averaged 6.4 yards per carry and rushed for 11 touchdowns.
The Yellow Jackets ranked 49th in points against and 64th in yards allowed per contest. The Bulldogs couldn't have achieved such great balance without a stout offensive line.
SB Nation's Reid Coker noted offensive lineman Ben Beckwith as perhaps the most important offensive player not named Dak or Josh:
"The fact that the guy went from being a walk on to a starter in the SEC says all you need to know. But not only was he a starter, he had so good of a season that he received All-SEC and All-American honors. The interior of the offensive line dominated in the big wins this season, and Beckwith was a big reason why. The offensive line as a whole made the difference for the offense this year. They don't have a lot of star power, but they are experienced and played well enough to give us a chance to win every single game.
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If the Bulldogs can storm out to an early lead, it could prove to be a tough uphill climb for the Yellow Jackets, who can't rely on quick-strike attacks to shift the tide of the game. Their best bet for racking up an early advantage might be getting pressure and forcing Prescott into making mistakes.
The Yellow Jackets picked off 17 passes this season. Junior defensive backs Jamal Golden and D.J. White led the way with four each.
However, Prescott doesn't make too many mistakes and is liable to tuck the ball and run instead of forcing passes into coverage. Georgia Tech recovered 12 fumbles this season, but those can't be relied upon in a game of this magnitude.
Look for these teams to trade blows early on, with Georgia Tech's misdirection dizzying the Bulldogs for the first couple quarters and racking up a ton of yardage. Prescott will hook up with wideout De'Runnya Wilson early and often and keep Mississippi State in contention.
Once the Bulldogs start picking up their cues on defense, they should be able to build a slim advantage and hold it against a Yellow Jackets team that doesn't have the ability to mount a quick, late comeback, especially against a disciplined defense used to big-game pressure by this point.
Prediction: Mississippi State 34, Georgia Tech 28
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