Five Opponents Georgia Tech Should Add to Future Schedules

Five matchups we would love to see on the Yellow Jackets future schedule

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key leads the team on the field before a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech has always played and scheduled some of the best opponents year in and year out. You can take a look at their nonconference schedule in recent memory, which has included Notre Dame, Colorado, Tennessee, Kansas, Ole Miss, and others.

The Yellow Jackets always schedule the best. For example, this year, Georgia Tech plays 11 Power 4 Conference opponents, including multiple SEC matchups. They never back down from a top matchup and always play their best. Today, we look at five opponents the Yellow Jackets should schedule in the future that would be fun to watch. 

Auburn 

This is an old-time rivalry and one that has always been played tightly. The Tigers are also close to Atlanta and are not a far drive up the road. When you look at the series, Auburn holds a 47-41-4 lead over the Yellow Jackets. They haven’t played since 2005, with the Yellow Jackets coming out on top 23-14. There is a lot of history here, and this rivalry needs to be reborn in college football.

Vanderbilt 

The last matchup in this series came in a bowl game back in 2024, with the Commodores emerging victorious 35-27. This rivalry dates back to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association that both teams played in for 48 years.

They both first played back in 1892. The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series 20-16-3. You think about the burgeoning cities in Nashville and Atlanta, and both programs currently on the ascent, and it makes for a marquee matchup that will have fans and pundits tuned in. 

West Virginia 

These teams have only played a couple of times in history, but every time they do, there are fireworks. There are multiple instances in history of shootouts between these two teams. You can go back to the 1997 Carquest Bowl, a shootout won by the Yellow Jackets, 35-30, over the Mountaineers. While West Virginia is not at the level it once was, they are still a formidable team and has a rabid fanbase. Eyes would be glued to this potential matchup, which would likely feature several big plays. 

Nebraska 

Unfortunately, this matchup has only been played once, which was in the 1991 Citrus Bowl, which resulted in a 45-21 victory and a national championship for Georgia Tech. The reason this would be a good matchup is the Cornhuskers' fandom. They haven’t been the same program they were in the 1990s, but have slowly been trending back to relevance over the last few seasons under Matt Rhule. You couple that with an ascending program at Georgia Tech under head coach Brent Key, and you could have an electric matchup in the making. 

Penn State 

Now, this matchup is not a last-standing rivalry with the teams playing last in 1991, but when you look at the brand that is Penn State and how recognizable they are, it would make for a scintillating matchup. Both mirror the same identity: strong offensive lines and running the football, while letting their defenses set the tone.

Penn State leads the all-time series 4-3 and won the last matchup in a Kickoff Classic. The games between these teams were always played closely and tough. Whether it is in Atlanta or in Pennsylvania, eyes would be glued to see who could come out on top in this matchup if they were to play.