National Analyst Labels Haynes King as A Quarterback Who Will Determine The ACC Championship Race

King is set to be one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC for the 2024 season

Dec 22, 2023; Tampa, FL, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10). attempts a pass against the UCF Knights during the first half of the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 college football season is inching closer. The week zero kickoff game between Georgia Tech and Florida State is going to be the first big game of the season and it will be a game that has ACC Championship implications.

The Yellow Jackets are hoping to upset the Seminoles in week zero and the guy leading the charge is quarterback Haynes King. King was one of the top quarterbacks in the ACC last season and could be even better in year two under Brent Key and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner. Not only that, but King is going to have a chance to knock off some of the conference's top teams, and according to On3 Sports Jess Simonton, that makes him one of the QBs that is going to determine the conference title race in the ACC:

"A strange addition to this grouping? Possibly, but King — and Georgia Tech as a team — could be a real wild card in the race to the ACC Title Game. The Yellowjackets would need a Cinderella season to even sniff Charlotte, but with a schedule that includes FSU (in Ireland in the season-opener), Louisville, Virginia Tech, Miami, and NC State, they absolutely could have a real say in who ends up making the championship. Georgia Tech couldn’t stop a nosebleed in 2023, but the Bees had some bite offensively — No. 3 in yards per play, No. 4 in scoring. King led all ACC quarterbacks in touchdowns and interceptions, so if the Texas A&M transfer can cull his turnover woes, Ga. Tech could play spoiler more than once this fall."

Simonton also listed FSU's D.J. Uiagalelei, SMU's Preston Stone, Louisville's Tyler Shough, Miami's Cam Ward, NC State's Grayson McCall, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, and Virginia Tech's Kyron Drones as other quarterbacks who will determine the ACC race.

King cerrtainly has a claim to being the top quarterback in the conference.

King was one of only two Power Five players with at least 2,800 passing yards, 25 touchdown passes, 700 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in 2023, joining Heisman Trophy winner and eventual No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Jayden Daniels of LSU. King was also only the fourth ACC player since 2000 to amass those numbers, joining Clemson’s Deshaun Watson (2015), Virginia Tech’s Jerod Evans (2016) and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson (2016 and 2017).

Georgia Tech is set to begin fall practice this week and their anticipated 2024 season is getting closer.