Georgia Southern vs Georgia Tech prediction: Scott Cross's rebuilt Georgia Tech gets its first test from Georgia Southern

A program starting over

Georgia Tech is a new team in almost every sense. Scott Cross was named the program's 16th head coach on March 20, 2026, after seven seasons at Troy that ended with back-to-back NCAA Tournament trips in 2025 and 2026. He inherited very little. Only two players return from the 2025-26 roster, fifth-year forward Kam Craft and sophomore center Cole Kirouac, and together the returners account for 14.2% of last season's minutes.

That makes last season's team numbers a weak guide to this group. Tech went 11-20 and ranked 304th of 365 in net efficiency (points scored minus points allowed per 100 possessions). Almost none of the players who produced that record remain. Media members picked the Yellow Jackets 18th in the ACC with 119 points, and CBS Sports has them finishing last.

The early look wasn't pretty. Maryland beat Tech 85-70 in an exhibition on Oct. 11 and held the Jackets to 7-for-29 shooting in the first half. One more exhibition, at Providence on Oct. 24, remains before the season starts.

Two transfer guards carry the load

Cross rebuilt through the portal, and the offense will run through two guards who were the go-to scorers at their previous schools. Colby Garland averaged 20.3 points at San José State last season with an offensive rating of 122.7, an elite mark for a player using that many possessions. He also shot 84.8% at the line, which matters in a tight finish.

Nasir Whitlock arrives from Lehigh after averaging 20.5 points. He made 43.3% of his threes on 180 attempts and used 30.7% of his team's possessions while on the floor. Victor Valdes followed Cross from Troy, and West Virginia transfer Jackson Fields adds frontcourt minutes. Craft gives the group a returning shooter, having made 36.4% from deep last season.

The open question is how two high-usage scorers share one ball in their first meaningful game together.

Georgia Southern's style, if it holds

Georgia Southern went 21-16 last season under Charlie Henry, but little is known about its 2026-27 roster, so last season's profile is only a starting point.

That profile was distinct. The Eagles played fast, ranking 42nd in pace at 70.9 possessions per 40 minutes. They lived behind the arc, with 48.8% of their shots coming from three, the 23rd-highest share in the country. They also protected the ball, posting a 14.6% turnover rate that ranked 40th.

The weaknesses sat on the other end. Georgia Southern ranked 341st in defensive rebound rate, the share of opponents' misses a team secures, and 315th in opponent free throw rate. Its adjusted defense, which accounts for the opponents faced, finished 302nd. If that defense carries over, Garland and Whitlock should find room to attack. Garland shot 84.8% at the line last season, and second chances should be there for Tech given Georgia Southern's weak defensive rebounding.

A close series and an open market

Georgia Southern has never beaten Georgia Tech, going 0-5 all-time. The 2023 meeting was lopsided, an 84-62 Tech win in Damon Stoudamire's debut. Last November's game was not: Tech escaped 68-66 at home.

No spread or total has been posted yet. When one appears, it will price a home team with a new coach and few returning players against a visitor whose 2026-27 roster is unknown. Georgia Southern's athletics site lists a 7 p.m. tip, but Georgia Tech still shows the time as TBA, so treat it as unconfirmed.