Ole Miss Week 3 Opponent Preview: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Our 2023 college football preview continues this week with the Rebels' Week 3 matchup against Georgia Tech

Ole Miss Football will welcome two new programs to the Southeastern Conference in 2024, but will say hello to a pair of former SEC schools in 2023.

The No. 17 Rebels (2-0) survived a scare early against Tulane at Yulman Stadium Saturday despite the Green Wave being without star quarterback Michael Pratt. After jumping out to a 7-0 lead thanks to a Tre Harris touchdown, Tulane scored 17 unanswered points and took the lead heading into halftime.

Jaxson Dart and Quinshon Judkins paved the way to victory in the second half, outscoring the Green Wave 30-3. Judkins tied the game at 17 apiece with a 9-yard run in the third quarter before Dart connected with tight end Michael Trigg for a 21-yard touchdown.

Caden Davis tacked on six points with two field goals, while Jared Ivey sealed the 37-20 win with a 27-yard scoop-and-score in the closing minutes.

Yes, the Rebels faced their first challenge prior to the start of conference play. Georgia Tech will present different problems with the same potential outcome.

Brent Key has made the Yellow Jackets (1-1) an intriguing team in the ACC. They impressed early against Louisville in the season opener, attacking through the air with new quarterback Haynes King. The defense, however, struggled to regain its focus in the second half, eventually factoring into the 39-34 loss.

Georgia Tech rebounded with a 49-13 win over South Carolina State, totaling nearly 600 yards of offense. Key has the Yellow Jackets playing a different brand of football from the George O'Leary and Paul Johnson days, but will it be enough to secure an upset at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium? 

Follow along with TheGroveReport.com as we preview every aspect of the matchup with the Yellow Jackets throughout the week. First up, here's a quick overview of the essential things to know before kickoff at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 16. 

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 

2023 Record: 1-1 (0-1 vs. Atlantic Coast Conference opponents)

Head coach: Brent Key (second season, first since being promoted to full-time head coach)

Key has an overall record of 5-5 during his time as the Yellow Jackets' interim head coach last season

Offensive Leaders

QB Haynes King

King won the starting job over part-time starter Zach Pryon during fall camp. He's a wild card of sorts when it comes to the passing game. When he's on point and in a rhythm, there's evidence of a passer who can deliver at all three phases of the field. When he's off, teams benefit. 

Similar traits were evident during his time at Texas A&M. In his first start against Kent State, King tossed three touchdowns and three interceptions. Against the Cardinals, he tossed an early interception, but rebounded with three touchdowns before coughing up a fumble that eventually gave Louisville the lead. 

Last week against the Bulldogs, King was nearly perfect, going 21-of-29 for 290 yards and four TDs. Teams also must be weary of his athleticism in the open field. In two games, he's rushed for 53 yards on 11 carries.

RB Jamal Haynes

Haynes, a redshirt sophomore from Loganville, Ga., mostly saw reps on special teams last season. This year, he's split reps with Trey Cooley as a member of the first-team offense. While Cooley finds the end zone, Haynes gains yards after contact. On 20 carries, he averaged 8.2 yards per play and picked up 13 first downs.

RB Trey Cooley

A transfer from Louisville, Cooley continues to produce in a semi-starting role opposite Haynes. He's been effective in creating separation on long runs, as evident by his two rushing scores over 15 yards. Cooley also has soft hands and uses his elusiveness and vision to pick up yards in the passing game.

In last week's win over the Bulldogs, Cooley broke free of a swing pass from King for a 55-yard touchdown reception. He's averaged 7.3 yards as a runner in two games. 

WR Chase Lane

Another product from the SEC West school, Lane joins the Yellow Jackets with three years of starting experience. Youth took over in College Station, forcing Lane to take a backseat in 2022. He did, however, total 541 receiving yards for two TDs and 41 catches during his first two seasons at Kyle Field. 

Lane has been one of King's top targets through two games in a new uniform, registering six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. He's also averaged 17.5 yards per reception. 

Defensive Leaders

DL Kyle Kennard 

Kennard has been a stalwart in the trenches for the Yellow Jackets and continues to make plays at the line of scrimmage. He leads Georgia Tech in tackles (12), tackles for loss (3) and is tied for the team lead in interceptions (1). He also forced a fumble in the win over South Carolina State.

LB Trenilyas Tatum 

As the new thumper up the middle, Tatum has blossomed into a consistent tackler in space. He recorded eight stops against Louisville and broke up a pass on third down to force a punt. This offseason, he was named to the Phil Steele All-ACC team after totaling 31 tackles and a sack as a rotational player in 2022. 

DB LaMiles Brooks

Brooks is considered one of the conference's better defensive backs. Last season, he led GT in pass deflections (7), interceptions (3) and defensive touchdowns (1), but he also was a consistent tackler, recording 52 stops in 11 games. 

This season, Brooks has four tackles and a pass breakup.