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Sep 16, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) spins to avoid a tackle attempt by Mississippi Rebels defensive back Ladarius Tennison (13) during the second half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

New Early Bowl Projections Match Georgia Tech Against A Familiar SEC Foe

Originally posted on Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 10:08 AM ET

The 2025 college football season is a little over two months away, and leading up to the season, one of the most interesting teams for 2025 is Georgia Tech. After back-to-back seven-win seasons, it seems like Brent Key's program might be ready to break through in a bigger way. Since taking over as the head coach, Key has put together two impressive seasons of wins over ranked teams and has added more talent to the roster. With enough returning experience, coaching stability on the offensive side of the ball, a talented transfer portal and high school recruiting classes, and a favorable schedule, some are projecting Georgia Tech to be among the ACC's top teams.

Is it too early for Bowl Projections for the upcoming season? Yes, it probably is, but the newly released projections from Athlon Sports have Georgia Tech headed to Charlotte to play in the Duke's Mayo Bowl against Ole Miss. The Rebels and the Yellow Jackets recently played a home-and-home series, with Ole Miss winning 42-0 in Atlanta in 2022 and winning 48-23 in Oxford in 2023. In the all-time series, Ole Miss leads 4-2 with Tech's two victories coming in 1953 and 1946.

This would be an interesting matchup and one that I certainly think the Yellow Jackets could win. Ole Miss has talent and one of the best head coaches in the country leading them, but they are a brand new team of mostly transfers, which has been the way Lane Kiffin has gone about building his roster. The Rebels missed out on a chance to get to the college football playoff last season, but hope this is the year for the biggest breakthrough under Kiffin.

On a recent episode of Josh Pate's College Football show, Pate was breaking down potential first time playoff teams and after talking about Texas A&M, he talked about why it could be Georgia Tech:

"You know another one that I have on my radar? I hinted at this earlier tonight but its Georgia Tech. I think Georgia Tech is a legitimate contender in the ACC. They have the 5th best odds in the ACC and I have already bet on them, I have backed this up with my own money. Haynes King is there again, they have excellent program identity, they are 26th in returning production and look at the schedule. They get Clemson at home early in the year and then they get Georgia late in the year. If they split those games? Look at the rest of it. None of those are gimmes because Georgia Tech talent roster is not going to be at the point where they could just roll the helmet out there on the field and think they are going to win a game, but they don't play Miami, they don't play Louisville, and they don't play SMU. If they were to get that Clemson game early, then everyone will start buying this, I am just trying to buy it before then. They could lose the Clemson game and still make it honestly if they just win out"

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 from the winter and spring windows, 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, and 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 veteran talent from a defense that was much better in 2024 than 2023. Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner is slated to be back and Key hired Texas assistant Blake Gideon to take over for Tyler Santucci as the new defensive coordinator. There are question marks to be sure, but there is reason to believe that year three could be a breakout year for the Yellow Jackets when it comes to challenging for the ACC title.

The pieces are in place for a potentially 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 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.