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Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key following the game winning touchdown by quarterback Haynes King (10) (not pictured) in the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech Rises In ESPN's FPI Rankings After Week 1 Victory On The Road Vs Colorado

Originally posted on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI
By Najeh Wilkins | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Georgia Tech handled its business on the road in a hostile environment against the Colorado Buffaloes despite three early turnovers. The defense held true and didn’t let the game get out of hand, only relinquishing seven points off those turnovers. This allowed the offense to settle into the game and find its footing. After struggling through the air, Georgia Tech used the ground and pound attack to rush for 320 yards against the Buffs' defense. The Yellow Jackets as a team averaged 6.8 yards per rush. At the height of that was Haynes King, who once again showed the national audience what he is capable of and how special he can be on the gridiron.

King didn’t have his best night passing the ball in the air, but he was lethal in the rushing attack with his legs. King carved up the Colorado defense with a career-high 156 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including a game-clinching 45-yard rushing touchdown. He averaged an astounding 8.2 yards per carry. The Buffaloes couldn’t stop him and had no answers for him on the ground. That performance and the Yellow Jackets winning a hard-fought game have caused them to rise in the FPI rankings.

New FPI Ranking

Coming into the season, Georgia Tech was ranked as the No. 39 team. The Yellow Jackets moved up nine spots to No. 30. After a Clemson loss to LSU and their win, Georgia Tech's chances to win the ACC also rose significantly. Coming into the game against Colorado, Georgia Tech had just a 5.4% chance to win the conference; now that number is 28.5%. The analytics also bumped up the Yellow Jackets' chances of making the playoffs in 2025. The number increased from 6.5% to 34.5% for Georgia Tech after Week 1.

It is nice to see the Yellow Jackets get the respect they’ve continued to go out and earn, and to see the FPI model reward Georgia Tech after a good performance on the road. The Yellow Jackets will play Gardner-Webb at home on Saturday before a big matchup in two weeks against the Clemson Tigers. One thing that is apparent with this Georgia Tech team is that their identity has remained the same in the Brent Key era, no matter who they put out there at the offensive line. It is going to be a physical smash-mouth football team that will impose its will on you and wear you out by the end of the game.

The part that a lot of people don’t know is that the Yellow Jackets didn’t even use their entire stable of running backs. Only Jamal Haynes and Malachi Hosley got touches out of the backfield at running back. They still have Trelain Maddox, Daylon Gordon, JP Powell, Shane Marshall, and Chad Alexander when he returns from injury. The Yellow Jackets have everything they need to once again be a formidable team on the ground in 2025. With that reality becoming even more apparent, they could become a top team in the ESPN analytics by season's end.

This article first appeared on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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