For a team that returns as much talent as Georgia Tech, various bookies across the landscape have a low projected win rate for this season, and that has a lot to do with their schedule. Yellow Jackets fans know how tough the schedule is every season, but this could be the toughest they’ve had in years. They open the season with defending ACC champion Florida State, travel to Louisville a few weeks later, and have a five-game series that consists of Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Miami, NC State, and Georgia. That would be tough for any team in the country.
What the tough schedule does bring, however, is plenty of opportunity. Georgia Tech will be on the big stage a lot this year and will have a chance to upset some teams that don’t take them seriously. That makes them a perfect chaos team for the 2024 season, according to CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli:
“Georgia Tech was a surprise last year, pulling off a couple of upset wins over Miami and North Carolina and holding on bravely in a 31-23 loss to Georgia to cap off a 7-6 season. This success has Yellow Jackets fans optimistic about the season for the first time in a long time.
What makes the Jackets a chaos team in my eyes is not just the opportunity, but also the style of play. Quarterback Haynes King led the ACC in touchdown passes last year with 27 (Drake Maye had only 25), but he also led the league in interceptions with 16. That’s a pretty volatile asset!
That inconsistency, combined with games against Florida State, Notre Dame, Miami and Georgia (the only road game), makes Georgia Tech a team to keep an eye on.”
ESPN’s Bill Connelly considers Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King to be one of the most important players in the race for the College Football Playoffs, ranking him 21st:
“After a frustrating and injury-plagued stint at Texas A&M, King was part of a rousing breakout performance at Georgia Tech, where he threw for 2,842 yards, rushed for 830 yards (with no sacks), moved into the top 30 in total QBR and led the Yellow Jackets to their first bowl in five years. He and Jamal Haynes form one of the most dangerous backfields in the nation, and while the Jackets themselves are by no means title contenders — King would also have to play excellent defense to help in that regard — they could change the picture in the CFP with shots against four projected top-20 opponents (according to SP+): Florida State, Notre Dame, Miami and Georgia.”
In his first season as the Yellow Jackets’ starting quarterback in 2023, King totaled 3,729 yards (2,842 passing, 737 carries) and 37 touchdowns (27 passing, 10 carries) on offense, making him one of only two Power Five Conference players with at least 2,800 passing yards, 700 rushing yards, 25 touchdown passes and 10 touchdown runs in 2023, joining Heisman Trophy winner and eventual No. 2 NFL Draft pick Jayden Daniels of LSU, while becoming just the fourth Atlantic Coast Conference player since 2000 to reach those highs in a single season, joining Clemson’s Deshawn Watson (2015), Louisville’s Lamar Jackson (2016 and 2017) and Virginia Tech’s Jerod Evans (2016).
If Georgia Tech’s offense continues to play at a high level and their defense improves, they could be much more than a chaos team.
