ATLANTA — Last week’s open date gave Georgia Tech football coaches and players time to place perspective on the program’s first 5-0 start since 2014.
As the 13th-ranked Yellow Jackets prepare to host Virginia Tech on Saturday, coach Brent Key said the message to his players is to protect their status as one of only two unbeaten teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference. No. 2 Miami, which has its second open date of the season this week, is also 5-0.
“It’s an exciting time, and I want the guys to be excited but also to understand that this part of the season is to protect what we’ve already done,” Key said Tuesday. “We put a lot into that, and you have to protect that. It’s not easy, and it doesn’t just come with having talent, and it doesn’t just come with believing you’re going to win.”
Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0 ACC) trailed by 17 points in the third quarter before rallying for a 30-29 overtime win at Wake Forest on Sept. 27.
Virginia Tech (2-4, 1-1) has won two of three games under interim coach Philip Montgomery after an 0-3 start led to the firing of Brent Pry in his fourth season leading the Hokies.
In a similar situation in 2022, Key was promoted to interim coach at Georgia Tech after a 1-3 start cost Geoff Collins his job early in his fourth season. Key led the Yellow Jackets to a 4-4 record the rest of the way, and the interim label was removed by Georgia Tech after the season.
“What happened three years ago has no bearing on this game, but I understand it happened here three years ago and we were able to rally the team together and they played with a chip on their shoulder,” said Key, a former Georgia Tech offensive lineman. “That’s what we expect this Saturday.”
Virginia Tech will be making its second visit to Atlanta this season after opening with a 24-11 loss to Southeastern Conference member South Carolina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 31, when the Gamecocks were ranked 13th.
Georgia Tech has been powered offensively by the dual-threat talents of quarterback Haynes King, who has rushed for seven touchdowns and passed for three scores. King accounted for three touchdowns (two rushing and one passing) against Wake Forest, marking his program-record 13th game with at least one touchdown rushing and passing in the same contest.
Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said King has taken advantage of opportunities as defenses continue to focus on running back Jamal Haynes, forcing the quarterback to run. Haynes had 10 carries for only 21 yards against Wake Forest.
Faulkner said he expects Haynes to be recharged after having last weekend off.
“Jamal is a guy that we have to get going for us to be explosive, and we know that,” Faulkner said, adding the open date came “at a great time” for Haynes. “I think he was a little … banged up last week going into the game. Just not banged up, tired. He’s had a lot of carries … and we know that he’s better when he’s fresh.”
Haynes, a fifth-year senior, has rushed for 311 yards on 59 carries (5.3 average), including three touchdowns. He also has 15 catches for 124 yards.
Of the seven opponents remaining on Georgia Tech’s regular-season schedule, the only team currently ranked in the AP Top 25 is No. 10 Georgia, the reigning SEC champion. The Bulldogs face Georgia Tech in a game the Yellow Jackets will host at Mercedes-Benz Stadium instead of their own campus on Nov. 28, with the game being played on Black Friday for the second year in a row.
The Yellow Jackets have an open path to a spot in the College Football Playoff, but Key cautioned his players they must take advantage of their opportunity.
“I talked to the team after practice and told them probably the most common thing in all of college and professional sports are supertalented teams that don’t have any trophies and great players that don’t have any rings,” Key said. “It takes a lot more than talent and expectation to really go out and gather rings and trophies.”