Georgia Tech Football: Analyst Labels Yellow Jackets As A Team "Poised to Climb The Ladder" In 2025

Can Georgia Tech be a threat to win the ACC in 2025?

Dec 27, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) throws the ball on the run against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half of the 2024 Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Since Ohio State defeated Notre Dame in this year's national championship, a multitude of Way-Too-Early Top 25 Lists for next season have been released and many of them have Georgia Tech in the 20-25 range. With quarterback Haynes King and a lot of other experienced players returning, a solid transfer portal class incoming, and one of the program's best-ever recruiting classes, the Yellow Jackets might be poised for a step forward next season after two consecutive 7-6 seasons.

How big of a step forward will it be? It might be too early to say right now, but 247Sports analyst Carter Bahns recently labeled them a team that is poised to climb the ladder in 2025:

"Georgia Tech stock is up after Year 2 (2.5 including his interim season) under Brent Key. The Yellow Jackets posted an identical record to the one they logged in 2023 but showed improvements and competed strongly enough against some of the nation's top teams to warrant consideration as a dark-horse ACC contender moving forward. November alone was a thrill that provided an upset win over then-No. 4 Miami and an eight-overtime thriller in defeat to No. 7 Georgia. Haynes King returns as one of the nation's best quarterbacks in 2025, giving Georgia Tech a catalyst for its potential surge."

Coming into the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Georgia Tech has not had to face high pre-season expectations. The win totals in Vegas had them falling short of a bowl game in each of Brent Key's first two seasons as the head coach of his alma mater, but the Yellow Jackets exceeded expectations both times and ended up in a bowl game. Georgia Tech has played the underdog role pretty well, but with talented players returning, one of the program's best recruiting classes getting on campus, and a pretty solid transfer portal class, the Yellow Jackets could enter the 2025 season ranked in the top 25.

There is still plenty of time between now and August, but there is certainly a case for Georgia Tech to be ranked in the preseason top 25. Quarterback Haynes King is returning, running back Jamal Haynes is also back, joined by Penn transfer Malachi Hosley, a talented receiving corps, an offensive line that returns All-ACC guard Keylan Rutledge, and talent from a defense that was much better in 2024 than 2023. The most important retentions might be on the coaching staff. Coordinators Buster Faulkner and Tyler Santucci are slated to be back, as well the rest of the coaching staff. Georgia Tech has one of the best coaching staffs in the ACC and being able to retain them is huge for next season.

The pieces are in place for a potential special season in 2025 and while Georgia Tech always plays a tough schedule, next year's schedule is not as tough as years past. Yes, they play Georgia and Clemson, but no other team on their schedule is likely to start the year ranked. That is not to say that it will be a cakewalk, but Notre Dame is not on the schedule, nor is Miami or SMU. The trip to Colorado to start the year could be tough, but the Buffaloes are losing likely top-10 picks Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. As far as schedules go, next year's looks to be breaking in favor of Georgia Tech being able to contend in the ACC.

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