Georgia Tech Bowl Projections: Yellow Jackets Facing Uphill Battle After Colorado Loss

Georgia Tech is 0-1 to start the season after their opening weekend loss to Colorado, and when the Yellow Jackets face Tennessee this Saturday, they will be looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since 1989. While it is never wise to panic after early-season hiccups, Georgia Tech does not want to fall to 0-2, but it is going to take quite the effort to take down the Volunteers.

Coming into the season, Georgia Tech had a preseason win total of 6.5, but that has now sunk to 5.5 after their loss to the Buffaloes and if Georgia Tech wants to make its fourth consecutive bowl game under Brent Key, they are going to have to begin to play much better or this could be the first time that Key misses the postseason as the head coach.

Latest Projections

Georgia Tech Footbal — Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets punter Jonathan Genty (46) reacts at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In many of the major bowl game projections, Georgia Tech is missing.

At CBS Sports, Georgia Tech dropped out of the projections after being in them before the loss to Colorado. ESPN's Kyle Bonagura also dropped Georgia Tech out of his bowl game projections.

The one national analyst who kept the Yellow Jackets in the postseason picture was ESPN's Mark Schlabach, who sent Georgia Tech to the Gasparilla Bowl to face Tulane. The Yellow Jackets played in the Gasparilla Bowl in 2023 and defeated UCF.

Until I see improvement from this team (I know it is only one week), I am inclined to also drop Georgia Tech from the postseason picture.

Georgia Tech came into the year favored in six games and underdogs in six games. They are double-digit underdogs this week and will also be underdogs in games against Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Clemson, and Georgia.

Did week one change any perceptions around the teams that Georgia Tech is going to face this season?

Mercer will be a win for Georgia Tech, as should Boston College, but given how the Yellow Jackets looked last Thursday, I don't think games against Stanford and Duke are going to be givens, even if they are favored in them. Clemson looked like a disaster against LSU, but Georgia Tech has not won at Clemson since 2008 and the Yellow Jackets are nowhere near the quality of team that LSU is. Virginia Tech and Pitt overpowered weaker opponents, while Louisville more than held their own against Ole Miss in a loss.

We have seen Georgia Tech bounce back from losses before and win games you don't expect under Brent Key and that should not be forgotten. They can surprise and win some games if they can improve on the lines of scrimmage, run the ball better, and stop the run, but right now, they are in prove it mode after their performance against Colorado last Thursday.

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