College Football 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl: Georgia Tech At Kentucky

The Kentucky Wildcats will look to pull off the upset over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets when the two teams square off in the Taxslayer Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 31 live from EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. This annual postseason bowl game will air live on ESPN at 11:00 AM ET. Now, let’s find out if the Wildcats can get the upset as 5-point underdogs.

College Football 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl: Yellow Jackets (8-4) At Wildcats (7-5)

When: Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11:00 AM ET Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL TV: ESPN Live Stream: Watch ESPN NCAAF Odds: Georgia Tech -5 / Total: 62    

Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets (8-4 SU, 6-5 ATS) won their final three games of the season including their hard-fought 28-27 win over Georgia in their regular season finale. Georgia Tech has put up a respectable 28.7 points per game to rank 69th in scoring nationally as quarterback Justin Thomas has passed for 1,454 yards with eight touchdowns and just two interceptions. Running back Marcus Marshall has rushed for a team-high 624 yards and four touchdowns while Thomas has added 562 rushing yards and five scores. Wide receiver Clinton Lynch has caught 16 passes for a team-high 490 yards and six scores. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets allow 25.0 points per game to rank 47th nationally in points allowed.

Kentucky

The Wildcats (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS) won their final two games and come into this game off a thrilling 41-38 win over Louisville and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson in the irregular season finale. Kentucky averages a solid 31.0 points per game to rank 53rd nationally in scoring as quarterback Stephen Johnson has passed for 1,862 yards with 12 touchdowns and six picks while running back Stanley Williams has rushed for a team-high 1,135 yards and seven touchdowns. Wide receiver Jeff Badet has 28 catches for a team-high 639 yards and four scores. Defensively, Kentucky gave up a generous 31.1 points per game to rank an uninspiring 87th in points allowed nationally.

Expert ATS Pick & Final Score Prediction

57 percent of the betting public likes Kentucky to cover the college football betting line, but I’m not feeling the Wildcats at all seeing as how the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are playing their best football of the season coming into this matchup. Kentucky has gone 5-1 ATS in their last six games following an SU win and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games, but the Wildcats are also just 9-20 ATS in their last 29 games following an ATS win and 1-4 ATS in their last five non-conference games. Georgia Tech is 2-6 ATS in their last eight bowl games, but the Yellow Jackets are also 10-4 ATS in their last 14 games following an ATS win, 5-2 ATS in their last seven games and 4-1 ATS in their last five games against a team with a winning record. I’m going with Georgia Tech’s stupendous rushing attack to get the ob done against a Kentucky team that has its issues and simply isn’t as good on both sides of the ball as the Yellow Jackets.

Pick: Georgia Tech 31 Kentucky 24