The 2024-2025 college football season comes to a close today in Atlanta with the national championship game between Notre Dame and Ohio State, but every other program is looking ahead to next year. While it is only January and next season is quite a ways away, the way-too-early top 25 lists are starting to be published by major publications and the latest one is coming from On3 Sports. College Football analysts Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman released their top 25 for the 2025 season and coming in at No. 23 was none other than Georgia Tech. Clemson (No. 10) was the highest-ranked team from the ACC, with Miami (No. 21) and SMU (No. 22) also coming in ahead of the Yellow Jackets.
NEW: 2025 Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 via @Andy_Staples & @AriWasserman
— On3 (@On3sports) January 20, 2025
Do you agree? https://t.co/7RazdrYgQ7 pic.twitter.com/zgPp0pFpQn
This is not the first way-too-early top 25 list that Georgia Tech has appeared on. Just recently, Bleacher Report ranked the Yellow Jackets.
Coming into the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Georgia Tech has not had to face high pre-season expectations. The win totals in Vegas had them falling short of a bowl game in each of Brent Key's first two seasons as the head coach of his alma mater, but the Yellow Jackets exceeded expectations both times and ended up in a bowl game. Georgia Tech has played the underdog role pretty well, but with talented players returning, one of the program's best recruiting classes getting on campus, and a pretty solid transfer portal class, the Yellow Jackets could enter the 2025 season ranked in the top 25.
There is still plenty of time between now and August, but there is certainly a case for Georgia Tech to be ranked in the preseason top 25. Quarterback Haynes King is returning, running back Jamal Haynes is also back, joined by Penn transfer Malachi Hosley, a talented receiving corps, an offensive line that returns All-ACC guard Keylan Rutledge, and talent from a defense that was much better in 2024 than 2023. The most important retentions might be on the coaching staff. Coordinators Buster Faulkner and Tyler Santucci are slated to be back, as well the rest of the coaching staff. Georgia Tech has one of the best coaching staffs in the ACC and being able to retain them is huge for next season.
The pieces are in place for a potential special season in 2025 and while Georgia Tech always plays a tough schedule, next year's schedule is not as tough as years past. Yes, they play Georgia and Clemson, but no other team on their schedule is likely to start the year ranked. That is not to say that it will be a cakewalk, but Notre Dame is not on the schedule, nor is Miami or SMU. The trip to Colorado to start the year could be tough, but the Buffaloes are losing likely top-10 picks Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. As far as schedules go, next year's looks to be breaking in favor of Georgia Tech being able to contend in the ACC.
Georgia Tech 2024 Report Card: Defensive Line Showed Some Flash But Still An Area of Concern
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