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Three Storylines To Watch For On Saturday When Georgia Tech Hosts Louisville

Keep an eye out on these three things on Saturday
Oct 31, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Trelain Maddox (1) returns a kick-off against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium.  Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Oct 31, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Trelain Maddox (1) returns a kick-off against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Georgia Tech is back home this weekend and will host the Louisville Cardinals at home. There are major storylines to watch for in this game on Saturday. Let's take a look at the storylines to follow.

Will Georgia Tech make a QB Change? 

One of the big talking points heading into the matchup for the Yellow Jackets going against Louisville is whether they will make a QB switch. It has to be something on their mind, especially with all the struggles over the past few weeks. The offense has under 100 yards of offense when the Yellow Jackets made the switch from Alberto Mendoza to Grady Adamson. Here is my stance on the current situation 

“Mendoza and the offense have struggled the past few weeks, and on Saturday against Pittsburgh those struggles were amplified. Mendoza went 16-25 for 81 yards, and finished with a 91.2 passer rating. One of the things he struggled with was holding on to the football. Mendoza fumbled four times, recovered three, and lost one. 

He never looked comfortable on Saturday against Pittsburgh and struggled to get anything going. The offensive line didn’t help either, struggling to protect him and keeping the run game from developing. That was evident, and it looked like Mendoza was pressing out there trying to make plays, but often could not.” 

Again, you have to see what you have at the position, and Adamson at least provides you a running threat and something different. Mendoza is the better passer, but Adamson has something this offense hasn’t had this season. It will be interesting to see if they incorporate both in reps this week, or if they choose to lean more one way. Whatever they decide, a quarterback change has to be in the back of their minds. 

Is Coach Brent Key Out Of Answers? 

It feels like a team that is continuously searching for answers, and when the Yellow Jackets find one, another shows up and derails the team. It feels like a team that doesn’t have enough answers to all of the problems they have faced this season. It has been a tumultuous season for a team that won the most games in the Brent Key era in 2025.

The Yellow Jackets can’t stop the run, create pressure, or force enough negative plays at a consistent rate. They have continued to regress and give up big plays in the pass game and also in the run game. The offense has been up and down all season, and they have a quarterback in Alberto Mendoza who is struggling mightily over the last few weeks. The offensive line hasn’t been as expected this season, and there are a multitude of injuries there. It just doesn’t feel like Georgia Tech can answer all the questions it has faced this year, and it may truly be a team that is out of answers.

Will Georgia Tech build for the future? 

You may wonder why this is a storyline for this game, but with a 2-6 record and bowl eligibility on the brink for the Yellow Jackets, it is time to look ahead and see what you have. Playing the young guys could be valuable for this football team.

A few young names to continue to give playing time to or build around is Trae Stevenson Jr., Tae Harris, Braylon Outlaw, Christian Speakman, Jordan Allen, Dalen Penson, Josh Petty, Kevin Peay Jr,. Kevin Roche Jr., and Darnell Collins. All of these guys can be cornerstone pieces to a major turnaround. All won’t be able to play because of injuries and whatnot, but the majority of guys you can see play the last four games. It is all dependent on the coaching staff, but this is valuable reps and experience these guys can get to build for the future. 

"You know, you're looking at roster, you're looking at staffing, you're looking at, uh, recruiting, transfers, and how all those things. From a structural, you know, nuts-and-bolts people's type, and it's done in a lot of ways, which is always a constant thing to look into the program and plan ahead."

Georgia Tech vs Louisville will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and the game will be televised on ACC Network.

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Najeh Wilkins
NAJEH WILKINS

Najeh Wilkins is a sports journalist, broadcaster, and digital content creator covering Georgia Tech and the college football landscape. A graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in journalism, Wilkins has built his career covering college football, recruiting, and high school athletics throughout the Southeast. Wilkins covers Georgia Tech for Georgia Tech On SI, providing news, analysis, game coverage, press conference reporting, and recruiting coverage surrounding the Yellow Jackets. Wilkins has developed a growing digital sports media presence across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X, combining traditional reporting with modern sports content and on-camera analysis. His work includes interviews with coaches, players, recruits, analysts, and media personalities while covering some of the biggest storylines in college and high school football.

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