CBS Sports Predicts Which Team Will Hand Georgia Tech Its First Loss Of The Season

Dec 27, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) warms up before the 2024 Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Clemson is the overwhelming favorite to win the ACC in 2025. The Tigers got 167 first-place votes in the ACC preseason media poll and have the preseason ACC Player of the Year, Cade Klubnik. The Tigers are going to come to Atlanta during week three and face Georgia Tech in what is going to be one of the biggest games of that weekend. This is a possible top 25 matchup, and if both teams handle their week one tests (Georgia Tech faces Colorado, Clemson faces LSU), it could be bigger than that.

The Tigers are the favorite in this big week three contest and in an article where he picked every ACC team's first loss, CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford has the Yellow Jackets losing their first game on Sept. 13th against Clemson:

"Getting past Colorado on the road to open the season on Aug. 29 will not be easy for Brent Key's program, but there are less questions surrounding the Yellow Jackets than the Buffaloes at this point. Now, beating Clemson for the first time since 2015 is a different task entirely. Georgia Tech's bread is buttered up front with veterans across the offensive line, but the Tigers have two potential future first-round draft picks in this one chasing Haynes King throughout — defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge rusher T.J. Parker."

Nov 29, 2024; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) runs the ball against the Georgia Bulldogs in the third quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

This game is not only one of the biggest games in the ACC, but one of the biggest in the country. In an episode of Josh Pate's College Football Show, Pate talked about the importance of this game and had it as one of the ten best games of the season:

“As you know, I am very high on Georgia Tech. Think about this, it is only week 3, but Clemson has played LSU, not in a conference game, but they have already played. If Clemson won that game, then everybody is hyping them up as a national championship contender even more so than they already are,” said Pate. “Georgia Tech has already played Colorado. We don’t necessarily know what that will look like. Georgia Tech will be a short favorite in that one, I would imagine. This right here is where, if Georgia Tech is going to be a player, we may find out.

They don’t necessarily need to beat Clemson. Remember Georgia Tech last year? They beat Miami at home. They took Georgia to half a dozen overtimes. They lost to Syracuse by three. I think they lost a couple of games without Haynes King. I think that team was better last year than their record indicated. I think they are a dark horse player for a playoff spot this year. If I am right about that, we will start to find out in that week 3 game.” 

With a win, Georgia Tech would instantly become a favorite to make it to Charlotte for the ACC Championship. It will be a big day in Atlanta as they try to defeat Clemson for the first time since 2014.