Way-Too-Early Louisville 2026 Opponent Preview: Georgia Tech

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With the summer months now on the horizon and rosters across college football now firmly set in stone, Louisville Cardinals On SI will provide way-too-early previews for each opponent on their 2026 schedule.

Next up, we continue our way-too-early preview series with the Cardinals' road trip to Georgia Tech:

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

2026 Meeting: Saturday, Nov. 7 Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
Last Meeting: Louisville won 31-19 on Sept. 21, 2024 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
All-Time Series: Series tied 2-2

Since naming Brent Key as the full-time head coach after taking over as the interim in 2022 following Geoff Collins' firing, Georgia Tech has been on an upwards trajectory. 2025 was by far Key's most successful campaign at his alma mater, guiding the Yellow Jackets to an 8-0 start and 9-4 overall record, which was their most wins since 2016.

Last season, GT was primarily led by one of the top offenses in the sport, putting up 460.0 yards and 32.2 points per game, which ranked 11th and 27th in the FBS, respectively. However, the Jackets' offense will look a little different this upcoming season. QB Haynes King, the reigning ACC Player of the Year, is now in the NFL, and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner made the move the Florida.

Taking over for King under center will be Alberto Mendoza, an Indiana transfer who is the younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Fernando Mendoza. However, younger brother does not have much in-game experience, with the majority of his in-game reps up to this point coming in garbage time reps last season. That being said, he did go 18-of-24 for 286 yards and five touchdowns with one interception in nine appearances - along with 190 yards rushing. Combine that with a strong spring down on The Flats, and Mendoza could be someone turns some heads this fall.

Georgia Tech's set of pass catchers are also going to be wildly different. Not only are the Yellow Jackets losing Eric Rivers and Malik Rutherford, they are losing eight of their 10 wide receivers and tight ends that finished with at least 100 receiving yards.

Jordan Allen is Tech's top returner, catching 22 passes for 304 yards last year, and he'll be part of a portal-heavy mix among the offensive skill position. Elon transfer and FCS standout Isaiah Fuhrmann joins the fold after logging 46 catches for 907 yards and nine touchdowns, and the Jackets also brought in Cal's Jaiven Plummer.

With new offensive coordinator George Godsey previously serving as the tight end coach for the Baltimore Ravens, one can assume that this position group will get plenty of run in 2026. Look for Yale transfer and FCS All-American Chris Corbo (45/516/4 in 2025) and NMSU transfer Gavin Harris (37/531/1 in 2025) to get plenty of looks in this new offense.

Offensive line play is a strength of Georgia Tech's with Key being a former lineman, ranking 3rd in sacks allowed (0.69) and 29th in tackles for loss (4.46) per game, and that should still be the case in 2026 despite losing four of their seven players that were in the main OL rotation. Starting tackles Malachi Carney and Ethan Mackenny are running it back, returning guards Josh Petty and Jamison Riggs are stepping into starting roles, and Alabama transfer Joseph Ionata is taking over at center.

With that said, Georgia Tech is expected to have a strong rushing attack, even with King and Jamal Haynes departing. The Yellow Jackets brought in running back Justice Haynes from Michigan, and he's fresh off of a 857 yard and 10 touchdown season on the ground with the Wolverines. Then you add in returner Malachi Hosley, who rushed for 697 yards and seven scores, and the Jackets have a phenomenal ground game.

What knocked Georgia Tech out of contending for the ACC and College Football Playoff late in the season was their defensive efforts. After allowing 399.2 yards (92nd in FBS) and 25.0 points (69th in FBS) per game, defensive coordinator Blake Gideon left for Texas, with Jason Semore coming over from Southern Miss to take over. He inherits a defense that does lose some guys like Jordan Van Den Berg and Ahmari Harvey, but the Yellow Jackets do bring back 15 of their top 27 players by tackles from last season.

The defensive line has the most new faces, but there is potential here. Returners Brayden Manley (18 tackles, 3.0 sacks) and A.J. Hoffler (17 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 1.5 sacks, as well as Rutgers' Jordan Walker (28 tackles, 2.5 for loss) and Alabama's Noah Carter (9 tackles) will comprise of the main rotation out on the edges, while returner Christian Garrett (7 tackles, 1.5 sacks) plus Colorado's Tawfiq Thomas (12 tackles, 1.5 for loss in four games) and UConn's Vincent Carroll-Jackson (28 tackles, 1 forced fumble). There's not a standout player here when compared to someone like Van Den Berg, but there are a solid amount of good players who are capable of taking steps forward in new roles/new homes.

Regardless of how much of the potential that the defensive line realizes, they'll be backed up by a fantastic linebacking corps behind them. Georgia Tech brings back their top two tacklers from last season: Kyle Efford (77 tackles, 2.0 for loss, 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumbles) and E.J. Lightsey (76 tackles, 1.0 for loss). Not to mention that depth pieces Cayman Spaulding (41 tackles, 3.0 for loss, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble) and Melvin Jordan IV (18 tackles) are running it back as well. If the defensive line can figure things out, Georgia Tech has the potential to have one of the better front sevens in the ACC.

The secondary for Georgia Tech is the area of the defense that has the most questions. The Yellow Jackets had the 97th-ranked passing defense (235.2 passing yards allowed per game), and this unit also loses most of their most defensive backs.

That doesn't mean there aren't players who can turn into lockdown defenders. At cornerback, Zachary Tobe (30 tackles, 2 PBUs), Daquan White (16 tackles, 2.0 for loss, 1 PBU), Kelvin Hill (20 tackles, 2.5 for loss, 2 PBUs) and USF transfer Jonas Duclona (35 tackles, 3.0 for loss, 4 PBUs, 1 interception) are solid collection of defensive backs. Safety is a slightly bigger question, as their main rotation in Tae Harris (21 tackles 2 PBUs), Fenix Felton (12 tackles), Savion Riley (3 tackles) and Will Kiker (6 tackles) don't have nearly as much in-game experience.

Overall, while Georgia Tech could be in line to take a step back because of the amount of changeover on offense and the questions in the secondary, they should still be very good. At minimum, their effective rushing attack and efforts in the front seven will keep them in most games, and it will be a handful to deal with on the road for Louisville.

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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

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