National Analyst Labels Georgia Tech a "Chaos Team" for the 2024 Season

Georgia Tech is going to face one of the toughest schedules in the country this season

Nov 25, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) throws a pass against the Georgia Bulldogs in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

For a team that returns as much talent as Georgia Tech does, they do have a low projected win total this season from various sportsbooks across the landscape and a lot of that has to do with their schedule. Yellow Jackets fans know how tough the schedule is each season, but this one might be the toughest they have faced in years. They open the season with defending ACC champion Florida State, travel to Louisville a few weeks later, and have a five-game stretch that consists of Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Miami, NC State, and Georgia. That would be tough on any team in the country.

What tough schedules do bring though is plenty of opportunity. Georgia Tech is going to be on a big stage often this year and will have a chance to upend some teams that are not taking them seriously. That makes them a perfect chaos team for the 2024 season according to CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli:

"Georgia Tech was a surprise last year, picking up a couple of upset wins over Miami and North Carolina and hanging tough in a 31-23 loss to Georgia en route to a 7-6 season. That success has Yellow Jackets fans feeling optimistic about the program heading into the season for the first time in a while.

What makes the Jackets a Chaos Team in my eyes is not simply the opportunity but the style of play. Quarterback Haynes King led the ACC in touchdown passes last year with 27 (Drake Maye had only 25), but he also topped the league in interceptions with 16. That's quite a volatile asset!

That volatility, combined with games against Florida State, Notre Dame, Miami and Georgia (the only road game), makes Georgia Tech a team to watch."

ESPN's Bill Connelly has Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King as one of the most important players in the College Football Playoff Race, ranking him No. 21:

"After a frustrating and injury-plagued time at Texas A&M, King was part of a rousing breakthrough at Georgia Tech, throwing for 2,842 yards, rushing for 830 (not including sacks), jumping into the Total QBR top 30 and leading the Yellow Jackets to their first bowl in five years. He and Jamal Haynes form one of the nation's more dangerous backfields, and while the Jackets are in no way title contenders themselves -- King would also have to play stellar defense to help in that regard -- they could alter the CFP picture with shots against four projected top-20 opponents (per SP+): Florida State, Notre Dame, Miami, and Georgia."

King accounted for 3,729 yards of total offense (2,842 passing, 737 rushing) and 37 touchdowns (27 passing, 10 rushing) in his first season as the Yellow Jackets’ starting quarterback in 2023. He was one of only two Power Five conference players with at least 2,800 passing yards, 700 rushing yards, 25 touchdown passes, and 10 touchdown runs in 2023, joining Heisman Trophy winner and eventual No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Jayden Daniels of LSU, while he became only the fourth Atlantic Coast Conference player since 2000 to reach those plateaus in a single season, joining Clemson’s Deshawn Watson (2015), Louisville’s Lamar Jackson (2016 and 2017) and Virginia Tech’s Jerod Evans (2016).

If Georgia Tech's offense keeps playing at a high level and their defense improves, they could be much more than a chaos team.