Georgia Tech's opener: A crucial 'Prove It' moment

The trajectory of Georgia Tech football has been on a surprising upward trajectory over the last few years. After longtime head coach Paul Johnson left the school after the 2018 season, Yellow Jacket football declined mightily.

Stepping in for Johnson was Geoff Collins and to say things were dull is an understatement. From 2019 to 2021, Collins compiled a record of 9-25.

He never won more than three games in a season. After a 1-3 start to the 2022 season, Collins was let go. Brent Key stepped in as the interim head coach and he hasn't looked back.

Key wrapped up 2022 on a positive note as he led Georgia Tech to four victories in the final eight games of that year. That was just an omen of things to come in Atlanta as success continued.

Last year, the Jackets became one of the feel-good stories of college football. The team went 6-6 during the regular season.

Along the way, they stunned #17 Miami with a memorable comeback and upset #17 North Carolina two weeks later. They earned a trip to the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl and beat UCF by 13. It was the program's first postseason bowl win since 2016.

Now, with the season opener just five days away, the program is experiencing some much-needed buzz and attention. Coming off the most successful season in a while, Georgia Tech added more fuel to the hype surrounding the program.

Brent Key was able to snag a consensus top-50 recruiting class in 2024.

ON3.com and ESPN ranked their class 34th. 247sports.com ranked Georgia Tech's class 33rd. Rivals.com ranked the new recruiting class 30th in the country.

Some of the highlights include four-star wideout Isiah Canion and three-star cornerback Troy Stephenson. To go along with that, more positive news for the program has come with the 2025 recruiting class.

Key picked up three four-star prospects for next year's class already. However, program history was made earlier this month with the commitment of offensive tackle Josh Petty.

Petty is a Georgia native who plays high school ball for Fellowship Christian School in Roswell. He is the biggest commit that Georgia Tech has ever had as he is the first five-star recruit in program history.

Now, with all the momentum between the on-field turnaround mixed with the recruits, expectations for Georgia Tech football haven't been this high in years. This year's bunch includes many veteran talent and isn't as dependent on the transfer portal.

Quarterback Haynes King has a good collection of receivers to spread the ball around, including Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton.

The team led the ACC in rushing last season. The offensive line is the team's biggest strength as four of five starters return, all of them upperclassmen. They brought in Middle Tennessee transfer Keyland Rutledge to anchor down the right guard spot.

Top running backs Jamal Haynes and Trey Cooley will have big games behind the front five.

The defense is the biggest question mark for the Yellow Jackets for the 2024 season. The unit struggled against the run and couldn't get off the field in third-down situations. They need to get better in all areas.

It doesn't help that the defensive line suffered some losses. However, the secondary has great pieces including safeties Clayton Powell-Lee and LaMiles Brooks as well as cornerback Ahmari Harvey.

The Yellow Jackets also have good linebackers in Kyle Efford, who led the team with 81 tackles in 2023, and Trenilyas Tatum. They also brought in Louisville transfer Jackson Hamilton and Georgia EJ Lightsey to be parts of the rotation. This team has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. The defense should improve as the core has had plenty of time to gain chemistry amongst each other.

However, the team has to be on point right away. This Saturday, Georgia Tech gets put under the national spotlight. In the first big matchup of the year, the Yellow Jackets play ACC contender Florida State in Dublin, Ireland.

The Seminoles climbed back to the top of the national radar in 2023. After years of mediocrity, FSU went undefeated in the regular season, defeated Louisville in the ACC Championship, and should've been in the College Football Playoff.

The Seminoles are entering the game as 10-point favorites. This season-opening matchup kicks off a brutally difficult schedule for Georgia Tech. This game is the biggest for the Georgia Tech football program in quite some time.

This is the best FSU team that the Jackets have faced in many years. This is the perfect opportunity for Georgia Tech to cement its place as a legitimate squad in major college football.

A major upset would propel the program into a better position automatically. The Yellow Jackets have a legitimate chance to pull off an early shocker. This is a game where Florida State will dominate from the opening kickoff.

The school hasn't defeated a top-10 team since 2015. Ironically that opponent was Florida State, who was ranked ninth in the country at the time. Just in case you need a reminder of that game, here's the ending:

There isn't a better way for Georgia Tech to start their 2024 campaign than with a win against one of the top ACC teams. It's a "do or die" type of situation.

This is the chance for the Yellow Jackets to prove to the college football world, that they deserve to be a part of the conversation, as well as to be taken seriously.

A win here would just continue to accelerate the already impressive progress that's taking place in Atlanta. A brighter future for the program will be imminent with a victory and will solidify Brent Key as one of the better coaches in the country.

This is a game where everyone will find out a lot about this squad and what they're made of.

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