Georgia Tech’s hot start under Brent Key has fans believing again

For the first time in years, No. 17 Georgia Tech (5-0) football fans have a real reason to be excited. Head Coach Brent Key has the Yellow Jackets rolling, and the buzz around Atlanta is growing louder by the week.

Key’s history with Georgia Tech runs deep. A four-year starter on the offensive line from 1997 to 2000 under George O’Leary, he later returned as a graduate assistant before climbing the coaching ladder.

Brent Key's Georgia Tech History

He became an assistant head coach, offensive line coach, and run game coordinator before being named interim head coach midway through the 2022 season. After steadying the program during that turbulent year, he earned the full-time job—and now, the results are showing.

The Yellow Jackets 30–29 win over Wake Forest (2-2) pushed them to 5–0 overall and 2–0 in the ACC. It’s their best start since 2014, when they finished with 11 wins and played for the ACC Championship. The last time Tech was ranked in the AP Poll came in November 2018, when they reached No. 17. Another move up in the rankings seems inevitable if they keep winning.

Up next is a bye week. Followed by a home game against Virginia Tech (2–3), fresh off a narrow win over NC State. After that, Georgia Tech’s schedule features winnable matchups. Against Duke, Syracuse, NC State, Boston College, and Pittsburgh, before the season-ending showdown against rival Georgia. Notably, the Yellow Jackets avoid both Florida State and Miami this year, leaving the path wide open for a special run.

Quarterback Hayes King, a sixth-year senior, has been the steady hand guiding the offense. With his leadership and Key’s no-nonsense approach, Georgia Tech looks like a team capable of making noise in the ACC race. Whether this hot start becomes a season to remember will depend on how the Jackets handle the grind ahead. For now, one thing is clear: Brent Key has restored belief at Georgia Tech, and the program feels alive again.