Georgia Tech's 2024 Conference Schedule Ranked Second-Toughest In The ACC By Phil Steele

Georgia Tech has one of the toughest schedules in the entire country going into the 2024 season

Nov 18, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) celebrates after a touchdown with running back Jamal Haynes (11) against the Syracuse Orange in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech Football is hoping to improve on its 7-6 record from a year ago and get back to another bowl game and win it. They are going to have to go through an absolute gauntlet to do so though and that would be true even if they faced an easier non-conference schedule. Their ACC schedule opens up with defending champion Florida State and includes games vs Syracuse, Louisville, Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Miami, and NC State.

According to College Football Expert Phil Steele, Georgia Tech's conference schedule is the second toughest in the ACC. This was just an evaluation of the ACC schedule and not the non-conference schedule, which includes Georgia and Notre Dame for the Yellow Jackets. According to Steele, Duke has the toughest conference schedule in the ACC, while NC State has the easiest.

247Sports Analyst Brad Crawford ranked the Yellow Jackets 2024 schedule as the 6th toughest schedule in the country:

"One of only two ACC teams in our toughest schedules rankings, Georgia Tech has a difficult road ahead, especially if November when the Yellow Jackets play Miami, NC State and Georgia to end it. Brent Key must have this team ready to go every week, or else getting to bowl eligibility will be a challenge."

Seven of Georgia Tech's opponents appeared in the 247Sports post-spring top 25. 11 of Georgia Tech's 12 opponents played in bowl games last season. With a schedule that is this tough, how can Georgia Tech possibly get in the ACC Championship?

If Georgia Tech wanted to challenge for a spot in the ACC Championship Game this season, what would their record have to be against this schedule?

Because they are facing so many of the ACC's best teams, they won't have much margin for error. If you lose the game to Florida State, you lose the tiebreaker and FSU has one of the easier schedules in the ACC and I don't see many losses on the schedule for them. Same thing goes to Miami, NC State, and Virginia Tech. At worst, Georgia Tech is going to have to go 6-2 in ACC play if they want to win the league.

What is the most likely way they get to 6-2? On paper, Florida State and Miami are probably the two best teams that Georgia Tech will play in the conference. They both are tied for the highest win total in the ACC at 9.5 and are expected to contend for the conference title. Can the Yellow Jackets get wins vs Syracuse, Louisville, Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and NC State? It won't be easy but those are winnable games and something that Brent Key has shown in his time as the head coach and before as the interim coach. He got wins against Miami and North Carolina as a big underdog last season and almost had a win against Louisville. Georgia Tech will be underdogs in games vs Florida State, Miami, Louisville, NC State and North Carolina. They might be an underdog vs Syracuse due to it being a road game, but it won't be a large spread.

There is a chance that some of these teams disappoint and a few of them will. Virginia Tech has a lot of hype around them heading into the season, but they did not score any impressive wins last year. The Hokies return a lot of production from last year's team but could end up not living up to the hype. I don't have to tell anyone who follows ACC Football that Miami and NC State generally disappoint when they have high expectations. NC State can't seem to get over the 10-win mark and drops a couple of games each year that they shouldn't. Dave Doeren has a great program, but there is a reason they have never been to the ACC Title game, despite having years where they looked like they were capable of doing that.

Miami arguably has the best roster in the ACC. They have brought in back-to-back top ten recruiting classes as well as having one of the top transfer portal classes in the country this offseason. The question is if Mario Cristobal can get the most out of this talent and finally win big at Miami. Until he proves he can, there is always going to be doubt.

Louisville might have a really good defense, but they lost some of their best incoming transfers and is Tyler Shough an upgrade over Jake Plummer? Georgia Tech let the Cardinals off the hook last year, but winning on the road will be tough. Duke, North Carolina, and Syracuse are all winnable games.

If Georgia Tech can improve its defense and the offense does not have a drop off, this team should be better. If some of the teams on their schedule disappoint, Georgia Tech could take advantage and get to 6-2 or better in the ACC. It is possible that Georgia Tech could get to Charlotte with an 8-4 record (two ACC losses + losses to Notre Dame and Georgia), after all they almost got there with a 6-6 record last season.

I am not picking Georgia Tech to get to the ACC Championship game, but there is a small path for it to happen. This team is not getting enough love leading up to the season, with most just focusing on the schedule. If the defense makes enough of a jump and the turnovers are cut down, a trip to Charlotte can't be completely ruled out.