For 229 days, the college football world has awaited the return of the ever-changing sport.No team is more eager to get back to the proving grounds than No. 10 Florida State.Georgia Tech and Florida State kick off the 2024 season on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland. Saturday marks the ninth college football game played in the country.THE ODDSFlorida State is a consensus 10.5-point favorite among major sportsbooks. That includes BetMGM, where the Seminoles have been backed by 54 percent of the spread-line handle since opening at -13.5. The 68 percent of the total bets backing FSU’s spread line has been the most popular bet among Week 0 games at the book.Meanwhile, BetRivers reported that the Seminoles’ -560 moneyline to win the game outright has been the second most popular play with 16.6 percent of all money wagered. That’s behind only the 22.3 percent backing the Under on 57.5 total points being scored when Delaware State visits Hawaii.The 55.5-point Over/Under between FSU and Georgia Tech at BetMGM has seen fairly split action, with 58 percent of the bets backing the Over while the Under has drawn 54 percent of the money.THE SERIESThe Seminoles have dominated the series with a 13-4 advantage in regular-season ACC meetings (2-0 in ACC title games).Georgia Tech is playing internationally for the second time. The Yellow Jackets topped Boston College 17-14 in the inaugural Aer Lingus Classic in 2016.”It’s a great opportunity for Georgia Tech,” coach Brent Key said. “It’ll be great for people to see the GT on a worldwide stage.”UIAGALELEI ERA BEGINSA College Football Playoff bridesmaid in December, the Seminoles return depth from the 13-1 conference-championship winning team. Florida State brings back 73 players, including nine All-ACC members, an unprecedented number in today’s transfer portal-dominated landscape.In the backfield, the Seminoles are led by fifth-year senior Lawrance Toafili, who rushed for 463 yards in 2023, when he backed up Trey Benson. Toafili was last year’s ACC Championship Game MVP and enters the season as Florida State’s leading returner in rushing and all-purpose yards.The offense returns a receiving core of nine Seminoles who combined for 86 receptions for 1,195 yards and five touchdowns. Although the unit lost Keon Coleman, Johnny Wilson and Jaheim Bell to the NFL Draft, a pair of experienced players in Mackey Award watch list tight end Kyle Morlock (19 receptions, 255 yards in 2023) and Ja’Khi Douglas (14-243) look to anchor the group.Maybe the most vital piece of the Florida State roster is fifth-year transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. He takes over for Jordan Travis, the 2023 ACC Player of the Year whose season ended with a knee injury that shifted the Seminoles’ fortunes. Travis was a fifth-round pick of the Jets in April.After an inconsistent career at Clemson from 2020-22, Uiagalelei found more success at Oregon State in 2023, passing for 2,638 yards and accounting for 27 total touchdowns.Back in the ACC for a final go-around, the veteran quarterback is considered a key in the Seminoles’ bid for their first College Football Playoff appearance in a decade.”DJ has played in a lot of football games,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “He’s seen it all. He’s been through the highs and lows. I could not be any more pleased with what I’ve seen since he got here in January. He’s playing with a lot of confidence. I’m excited to see him go play like he’s prepared. If he does that, I think he could have a very special season.”