ESPN Analyst Labels Georgia Tech As a Team Poised For A CFP Breakthrough In 2025

Can Georgia Tech find a way to get to the College Football Playoff in Year Three Under Brent Key?

Sep 14, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the sideline against the Virginia Military Institute Keydets in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech is in the midst of spring practice right now and the start of the regular season is still five months away, but there is already some hype starting to form around the Yellow Jackets for the 2025 season. After back-to-back 7-6 seasons, which exceeded preseason expectations, and several ranked ACC wins, is Brent Key's program ready for a big-time breakthrough this season?

Not only does ESPN's Adam Rittenberg think Georgia Tech is ready for a a step up, but a step that could result in the Yellow Jackets making the college football playoff this season.

"Brent Key is 18-16 as Georgia Tech's coach, a record that, on the surface, doesn't jump out as remarkable or suggesting a historic jump is on the horizon. But Key is 6-1 against ranked ACC opponents. If Georgia Tech had held on to beat in-state rival Georgia in late November, it would have completed an 8-4 regular season that included three wins against AP top-10 foes.

Key and the Yellow Jackets have proven they can win big games, usually a requirement for programs like Georgia Tech to get all the way to the CFP.

"I don't think anything makes it easy, but I'd rather be on this side of it than the other side, because we've shown what our ceiling is," Key told ESPN. "We've shown the ability to play to our ceiling. We've got to eliminate the basement."

Key didn't think Georgia Tech handled success as well as it needed to in 2024. The team opened with a huge win over Florida State in Ireland, only to lose at Syracuse two weeks later. The Georgia game brought more credit than blame for Yellow Jackets players and has had a unique lasting effect.

"These kids are walking around town, walking on campus, getting some sunshine blown up their ass for the way they played in a loss," Key said. "Like, c'mon now guys, let's be real here. We lost a f---ing game we should have won. So you have to work their ass hard, and really drill it all back down."

Georgia Tech players began wearing UATW bracelets this past season -- Us Against The World -- and have continued to do so during winter conditioning. Key is focused on building and sustaining confidence, which he admits is odd after several big wins, but necessary for a group that wants to redefine what seasons mean at Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets will be tested right away this fall, opening the 2025 season at Colorado, before hosting Clemson two weeks later.

Georgia Tech could have its best offense under Key, as quarterback Haynes King returns for his third season as Georgia Tech's starter after by far his most efficient performance. King completed nearly 73% of his passes with only two interceptions in 269 pass attempts and has 21 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons.

He'll once again share the offensive backfield with running back Jamal Haynes, and throw to Malik Rutherford and several incoming transfer wideouts. The offensive line, Georgia Tech's signature position group under Key, loses several key players but should be very strong at guard with Keylan Rutledge and Joe Fusile back. Offensive tackle Josh Petty, ESPN's No. 24 overall recruit in 2025, headlined a class also featuring ESPN 300 guard Peyton Joseph.

"It's the most talented group of green guys that haven't played, as I've had in a long, long time," Key said. "They're super talented. There's only so many sunrises, sunsets between now and the first game ... But damn, I think we've got a chance."

To make a CFP push, Georgia Tech must get more from a defense that surrendered 24 passing touchdowns and generated only five interceptions. Key hired Blake Gideon as defensive coordinator in the hopes of cutting down on explosive plays allowed. Gideon is a former safety at Texas and in the NFL. He has coached defensive backs throughout his career.

"This is the ground level," Key said. "Now, everything from here is measured up against that. Once you raise your standard and you show the ability to play to that and compete to that and prepare to that standard, that's not the ceiling, that's the basement now."

While it would be a big leap to go form seven wins to a playoff bid, it is not hard to see why Georgia Tech could take a leap this season, They return Haynes King, Jamal Haynes leads a deep running back room, the offensive line should still be a strength despite losing some players, and the defense could keep improving. Not only that, Georgia Tech got a favorable draw with the ACC schedule this season and aside from playing Clemson in week three, they don't face Miami, SMU, Louisville, or even Florida State. Can Georgia Tech take advatange? That is the big question, but the opportunity is certainly there.

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