The Biggest Key To Georgia Tech Crashing The College Football Playoff This Season

What is the biggest key to the Yellow Jackets making noise and surprising people in the fall

Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the sidelines against the Syracuse Orange in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

In the last few years, Georgia Tech has set its sights on winning the ACC and making the College Football Playoff. While they have been close to getting it done, they have fallen just short. Their best opportunity was last year when they went 9-3 and had an opportunity to clinch a berth in the ACC title game.

The Yellow Jackets would fall short of to Pittsburgh and not make it. However, it is a new year, and Georgia Tech has a new roster and team. They also have new coaches, coordinators, facilities, and much more. They are locked in on making it a successful season. Let’s take a look at the biggest key for Georgia Tech to crash the College Football Playoff. 

What is the biggest key? 

Dec 27, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Malachi Hosley (0) runs the ball against the BYU Cougars in the third quarter during the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

For the Yellow Jackets to crash the College Football Playoff, a lot has to happen. I think one of the biggest keys is complementary football. Georgia Tech will have to be good in all three phases of the game. It won’t be just one player, position group, or side of the ball that will carry the team. It will have to be everybody. If the defense can improve against the run and generate pressure on the quarterback, it will open up more opportunities.

The backend will be a key area to monitor as well because of the big plays the Yellow Jackets gave up last year. Georgia Tech will also have to force more turnovers on the defensive side of the ball to have a chance. 

With the defense playing better, the offense will have to capitalize. We saw last November that the offense tried to do its best to carry the team, but fell short because the defense couldn’t get stops. It is a new look offense under offensive coordinator George Godsey and one that will continue to be predicated on running the ball. The one area where the offense has to be better is finishing drives and being better in the red zone. There were times last year when teams hung around and eventually beat Georgia Tech because they had to settle for field goals and couldn’t put the game away. The offense has to be better at helping the defense close out games and put together drives that leave no doubt. 

Special teams is another big key for the Yellow Jackets. It is a fine unit under special teams coordinator Tim Salem, but they need more big plays. The Yellow Jackets need bigger returns on kickoff and punt returns. The better teams in college football can flip the field and give their offense short fields, which is advantageous.

The bigger the play, the better it is for the offense to put points on the board. Punting will be a key part as well to see if Georgia Tech can pin opposing teams deep into their own territory and help the defense make it tough to move the ball. 

If all three units are working in unison, Georgia Tech will be a hard team to beat and should be a team that is capable of crashing the CFP.