What to know about the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 2025
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will visit Folsom Field Aug. 29 for the first time in the program's 133-year history. The home-and-home matchup was announced in 2016 with both programs hoping to rekindle their 1990 national championship split.
Both programs have experienced numerous ebbs and flows since their glory days, but without a doubt, Georgia Tech is a formidable opponent to face in week one.
Here's a look at Georgia Tech as the 2025 season opener draws closer.
2024 in review
Most college football fans will remember Georgia Tech's 2024 season as a drama-filled one. The Yellow Jackets opened the year with a win over Florida State in Dublin, Ireland. Georgia Tech's biggest win of the year came against then-No. 4 Miami Hurricanes in November. Perhaps the most notable game of the college football season was Georgia Tech's eight-overtime battle against Georgia that eventually saw the Yellow Jackets fall to the Bulldogs.
The Yellow Jackets finished the year with a 7-6 record and lost to Vanderbilt in the Birmingham Bowl, 35-24.
Head coach profile
Brent Key enters his third season as Georgia Tech's head coach after he spent the 2022 season with the interim tag. Key has been with the Yellow Jackets since 2019. He has elevated Georgia Tech from 3-9 in 2021 to back-to-back bowl appearances the past two seasons. His team plays a disciplined, physical brand of football and continues to ascend.
Top offensive players
The Yellow Jackets have three-star offensive players who Colorado should know. Haynes King is first up. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 2,114 yards and 14 touchdowns last season to go along with 587 yards and 11 scores on the ground. King completed 73% of his passes and only threw two interceptions. His legs can be a back breaker for defenses, and King is a master at moving the chains. He seems poised for even bigger production in 2025.
Georgia Tech's other Haynes, running back Jamal Haynes, is arguably a top-five running back in the country. He is coming off a season in which he rushed for 944 yards and nine touchdowns, while also catching 28 passes for 166 yards. The Haynes to Haynes connection will be one to watch for in Week 1.
Top defensive player
Efford is Georgia Tech's do-it-all middle linebacker and one of college football's best tacklers. In 2024, he racked up 64 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and one pass breakup. Efford will lead a new look defense under new defensive coordinator Blake Gideon, who comes over from Texas.
2025 schedule
Way-too-early Colorado matchup preview
The Yellow Jackets open the year in Boulder against a retooled Colorado Buffaloes squad. No Shedeur Sanders and no Travis Hunter means several new faces will have to step up. The new programs have never faced each other, but share a significant piece of college football history as both schools were named 1990 National Champions.
On the field, Colorado will need to slow down Haynes King and Jamal Haynes. Offensively, the Buffs should be able to move the ball against a Yellow Jackets defense that is playing its first game together.
Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads, and Instagram.
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
Rockies complete miraculous comeback victory after trailing Pirates by nine runs twice
The Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates played the wildest game of the season on Friday at Coors Field. The Rockies, after being down 9-0 after the top of the first inning, came back to walk the Pirates off, 17-16. The Pirates' lineup teed off on the Rockies' starting pitcher, Antonio Senzatela, as they scored eight runs on him while only recording two outs. Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz delivered the big blow, as he hit a grand slam to make it 5-0. Rockies relief pitcher Carson Palmquist relieved Senzatela and gave up a three-run home run to Andrew McCutchen on the first batter he saw, to make it 9–0 Pirates after the top of the first inning. However, the Rockies started to chip away, as they scored one run in the first inning and three runs in the third inning to make it 9-4. The Pirates padded their lead in the top of the fourth inning with three runs to make it 12-4. But the Rockies refused to go away, as they scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 12-6. The Pirates scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to make it 15-6, but the Rockies responded with another four runs of their own to make it 15-10 in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Pirates tacked on one more run in the top of the sixth inning to make it 16-10. The score held there until the bottom of the eighth inning when the Rockies scored two runs to cut it to 16-12. The Rockies began their ninth-inning comeback when catcher Hunter Goodman hit a solo home run off of Pirates' relief pitcher Dennis Santana to make it 16-13. Left fielder Jordan Beck followed Goodman's home run with a walk. Rockies first baseman Warming Bernabel hit a triple, scoring Beck to cut the lead to 16-14. Second baseman Thairo Estrada singled after Bernabel's triple to score him to make it 16-15. With Estrada as the tying run on base, center fielder Brenton Doyle cranked a two-run home run to make it 17-16 and walk the Pirates off. "Honestly, pretty speechless," Doyle told reporters after the game. "It's hard to put into words. Just so proud of everyone in this clubhouse, never giving up. Man, what a win." According to Elias Sports Bureau and the Rockies were the first team to win after giving up nine runs in the first inning since the then Cleveland Indians did it in a 15-13, 10-inning triumph over the Kansas City Royals in 2006. Cleveland trailed that game 10-1 after one inning. The three other occasions in which a team won a game after allowing at least nine runs in the first inning came way back in 1884, 1896 and 1913. "Getting down nine in the first, it's tough to come back from, but we kept the energy high," Doyle said. "We kept the fight in us. Oh my God, what a game."
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
All-Pro Zach Allen agrees to 4-year, $102M extension with Broncos, AP source says
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos are signing All-Pro defensive lineman Zach Allen to a four-year deal worth $102 million, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday. Speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk publicly, the person said the deal includes about $70 million in guarantees.
NBC Sports
3 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Rockies' stunning 17-16 comeback win over Pirates highlights huge night of offense in MLB
DENVER — Colorado Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle had a hard time describing what had just taken place after he delivered the crowning blow in perhaps the wildest game of the major league season. Doyle hit a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap Colorado's stunning comeback from a nine-run, first-inning deficit in a 17-16 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. 'Honestly, pretty speechless,' Doyle told reporters. 'It's hard to put into words. Just so proud of everyone in this clubhouse, never giving up. Man, what a win.' Colorado won despite allowing nine runs during a first inning in which Pittsburgh's Oneil Cruz hit a grand slam and Andrew McCutchen had a three-run homer. According to Elias Sports Bureau and the Rockies were the first team to win after giving up nine runs in the first inning since Cleveland did it in a 15-13, 10-inning triumph over the Kansas City Royals in 2006. Cleveland trailed that game 10-1 after one inning. Back in 1989, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Pirates 15-11 after falling behind 10-2 in the first inning. The three other occasions in which a team won a game after allowing at least nine runs in the first inning came way back in 1884, 1896 and 1913. 'Getting down nine in the first, it's tough to come back from, but we kept the energy high,' Doyle said. 'We kept the fight in us. Oh my God, what a game.' Colorado scored one run in the bottom of the first, three in the third, two in the fourth and four in the fifth to cut Pittsburgh's lead to 15-10. The Rockies still trailed 16-10 before scoring two runs in the eighth and five in the ninth. After Pittsburgh's Dennis Santana started the ninth by striking out Ezequiel Tovar, Hunter Goodman's 425-foot homer reduced the Pirates' lead to 16-13. Santana then walked Jordan Beck and allowed an RBI triple to Warming Bernabel. Thairo Estrada singled home Bernabel before Doyle delivered a 406-foot shot to end the game. The events in Colorado highlighted a night full of offense across the majors. According to StatsPerform, Friday marked the first time since June 23, 1930, that three major league games on the same day had at least 25 combined runs. The Miami Marlins erased an early 6-0 deficit and scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the New York Yankees 13-12. The Milwaukee Brewers had 25 hits while trouncing the Washington Nationals 16-9.
