When Can Georgia Tech Expect To Win The ACC Under Brent Key

Georgia Tech had its best season under head coach Brent Key after finishing the year 9-3. They will have an opportunity to have their first 10-win season since 2014, when they went 11-3 with a win against BYU in the Pop-Tarts bowl.

This past season, the Yellow Jackets were one win away from clinching a berth in the ACC Championship. They were 6-1 in conference play before a title-berth clinching win against Pittsburgh on Saturday night in primetime. Georgia Tech had its opportunities but couldn’t quite finish the deal in 2025. They did however, learn some valuable lessons that can fuel them moving forward in the future. Let’s take a deep look at when you can expect Georgia Tech to be in the postseason.

Realistic Timeline

Latest — Nov 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key calls a timeout against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

I would say probably within the next 2-3 years. Georgia Tech had practically its entire offensive staff gutted when offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner left, and several coaches followed suit to Florida. It is not easy when that happens. Add injury to insult, their likely starting quarterback for next season, Aaron Philo, entered the transfer portal to explore his options. Another blow for the Yellow Jackets and their 2026 season. Georgia Tech did a great job of landing a major quarterback recruit to end the cycle in four-star Cole Bergeron, to come in and potentially be the quarterback of the future. Their current quarterback room now has Graham Knowles, Grady Adamson, and Bergeron. It is likely that the Yellow Jackets add a quarterback from the transfer portal to fill out the room.

With the unknown of who will be the starter in 2026 and a new offensive coordinator coming in, I would say it would be tough to expect the Yellow Jackets to win the ACC in 2025, especially with some of the teams returning a good bit of their roster. We still have to see if there will be more Yellow Jackets that hit the portal after the season concludes and the official portal opens on January 2nd. Time will tell there.

2027 seems like a realistic timeline for the Yellow Jackets. It will be coach Key’s fifth year with the program, with a new era beginning and likely some of the same pieces from their elite 2025 recruiting cycle being juniors. That would go a long way in turning this team into one of the best in the country and one to pay attention to. Georgia Tech also closed strong to the No.38 class in 2026 with a number of flips to bring in great prospects. They will also have another year under their belt and should be able to contribute at a high level during that season. Coach Key is on the cusp of taking this team to the next level. I think it will be a slight adjustment in 2026, but 2027 will be the year the team is in the playoffs and playing on the national stage.

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