Tag: Ga. Tech

CFP stakes likely gone for No. 23 Ga. Tech, rivalry stakes linger vs. No. 4 Georgia

Posted on | by Field Level Media

This year’s version of Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate was trending to be one of the most important Georgia-Georgia Tech games in the series’ long history.

That was before No. 23 Georgia Tech (9-2) likely squandered its chances of making its first College Football Playoff and No. 4 Georgia (10-1) all but clinched its fifth CFP appearance.

Nonetheless, Friday afternoon in Atlanta will determine bragging rights for 365 days — rights that Georgia has owned for seven straight years.

“This is a game that means a lot to a lot of people,” Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said. “A lot of people that have gone to school here, played here, have been fans of this place. But it doesn’t mean more to them than it does to the players on this football team. And that’s what rivalries are. I’ve said this before, we’ve got to do our part in it.”

Georgia Tech needed to beat Pitt last week to clinch a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, which would have served as a catapult to the CFP. The Yellow Jackets fell behind 28-0 en route to a 42-28 loss.

For Key’s team to slip into the ACC final, it needs to beat Georgia and get an abundance of help from teams throughout the conference.

In the likely event that Georgia Tech will miss out on playing in Charlotte in the title game, the Yellow Jackets still have all the needed motivation for Friday.

“Probably the only good thing is the fact that we have a short week this week,” Key said. “You’ve got to flip the script fast, turn it around.”

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King entered last week as a potential Heisman finalist but had his first multi-interception game of the season.

“He’ll sit there and take responsibility for it all,” Key said. “But we had protection breakdowns. We had drops. We had everything. Let’s not for a second put all that on Haynes.”

Georgia enters as one of the nation’s most confident teams, winners in seven straight games. The Bulldogs are primed for another return to the CFP, with a chance to appear in their fifth straight SEC title game. Georgia will make it if Auburn beats No. 10 Alabama, or No. 16 Texas beats No. 3 Texas A&M.

Georgia nearly had its postseason situation altered against Georgia Tech last year before it rallied for a 44-42 eight-overtime win against the Yellow Jackets.
Smart dismissed the notion of any carryover from last season’s battle.

“The teams are trying to win the game, regardless of what happened last year,” Smart said. “I don’t know why eight overtimes would make people want to win more or less this year. I assure you, they want to win the game just as much as we did, regardless of the outcome last year.”

The Bulldogs are led by the steady play of quarterback Gunner Stockton, who’s thrown for 2,465 yards and 19 touchdowns, adding a team-high eight scores on the ground. Smart sees similarities in Stockton and King as hard-nosed leaders of their teams.

“The play (King) puts out and the production he’s put out, has really been incredible for what he’s been able to do and the toughness, and the durability he’s done it with has been similar for Gunner,” Smart said. “He just hasn’t done it as long as Haynes has.”
Georgia leads the all-time series 72-39-5 and hasn’t lost to Georgia Tech since Smart’s first season in 2016.

–Field Level Media

Oct 25, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the sideline against the Syracuse Orange in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

No. 8 Georgia Tech visits NC State, seeking ninth straight win

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Closing in on more program history, No. 8 Georgia Tech will take its unbeaten record into Raleigh, N.C., against North Carolina State in Atlantic Coast Conference play on Saturday night.

A victory for Georgia Tech (8-0, 5-0) would match the program’s longest single-season winning streak since beginning 9-0 in 1966. The Yellow Jackets are 5-0 in the ACC for the first time since joining the conference in 1983.

But the records mean little to head coach Brent Key, who just wants to go 1-0 this week.

“I view it like this, to go where we want to go, and where everybody wants to go, we’re only to the halfway point,” Key said. “You want to be in a position to be able to play games in November that mean something. Challenging games against good competition, and that’s what we have in front of us.”

Fresh off a 41-16 win over Syracuse last week, the Yellow Jackets’ attack is led by Haynes King, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for a pair of scores in the victory. Leading a historic start to the season, King has thrown for 1,480 yards, seven touchdowns and just one interception while leading the ACC with 12 rushing scores on 651 rushing yards.

Although King is an outsider at the moment, Key said he believes the sixth-year quarterback should be in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony in December.

“Find me somebody else that brings more value to a team (than King),” Key said. “I’m glad he’s on my team. I don’t have a vote, but it would be a shame if he’s not in New York, and I think he will be there.”

North Carolina State (4-4, 1-3) is playing for bowl eligibility ahead of a difficult two-week stretch. The Wolfpack have dropped four of their past five games, and the road will get tougher for head coach Dave Doeren’s group, which will host the Yellow Jackets before heading to No. 10 Miami on Nov. 15.

“Nobody’s given up. We’ve just got to play better, and it starts with me,” Doeren said. “It’s about trying to get these guys in these last four weeks, one game at a time, to play the best football they can play. They’re frustrated, they’re mad, and they want to do something about it. One thing about this sport, you put the ball down, anything can happen.”

North Carolina State’s only win since Sept. 11 was over FCS-member Campbell on Oct. 4. Last week, the Wolfpack allowed 529 yards in a 53-34 loss at Pitts. The quarterback play hasn’t been the issue in Raleigh, as sophomore CJ Bailey’s 2,071 passing yards rank third in the ACC.

“I think CJ continues to lead our football team really well,” Doeren said. “Proud of him.”

Doeren, the conference’s second-longest tenured coach behind Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, is having to address rumors of his time at North Carolina State ending as the Wolfpack try to avoid a second straight losing season.

“Wins and losses matter a lot. I understand all that,” Doeren said. “I understand the profession. It’s not pressure. It’s a privilege to get to do what I do, and at some point, if they want someone else to do it, then God bless them. But I’m going to take advantage of my opportunities, as long as I get them, and fight for these kids, because they’re going to fight for me.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) drops the ball back for a pass in the first quarter against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

No. 13 Georgia Tech embraces unbeaten record as Virginia Tech visits

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Georgia Tech hasn’t sniffed the College Football Playoff since the tournament’s inception in 2014.

Nearing the midway point of the regular season, the No. 13 Yellow Jackets will meet Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon in Atlanta in hopes of bolstering their odds of making their first CFP appearance.

Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won its first five games of the season for the first time since 2014, which was the last time the Yellow Jackets made the ACC championship game.

As it stands now, Georgia Tech won’t play another ranked opponent until its regular-season finale against rival Georgia. Enjoying the return to national relevance, head coach Brent Key’s team can’t afford to overlook the Hokies on Saturday.

“It’s an exciting time, and I want the guys to be excited, but also understand that this part of the season now is to protect what we’ve already done,” Key said. “(Virginia Tech) has talent on their roster. The teams they have lost to are a combined 15-6, good football teams, and some of them were very close games, especially going into the fourth quarter.”

Prior to its bye last week, Georgia Tech escaped Wake Forest 30-29 in overtime, rallying from a 17-point second-half deficit. As the Yellow Jackets learn how to stack victories, Key is taking one week at a time.

“You’d love to play every game and have to lead the whole time, but I don’t think that’s ever happened in the history of football,” Key said. “Not to give coach-speak, but we’re worried about one thing — that’s the day we’re in. You can’t look behind, you can’t look forward. We have to understand how fragile this is.”

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King is averaging just 189.5 passing yards a game this season, but the dual-threat, sixth-year senior’s seven rushing touchdowns and 380 yards on the ground rank second and seventh in the ACC, respectively.

Virginia Tech (2-4, 1-1) had as bad a start to the season as any power conference team. After dropping games to then-No. 13 South Carolina and Vanderbilt, the Hokies were blown out at home by Old Dominion, prompting the firing of head coach Brent Pry.

Interim coach Philip Montgomery has won two of three games since taking over, but the road will get harder on Saturday.

“Obviously, this week we have a really tough opponent,” Montgomery said. “Georgia Tech is playing really well right now. They’ve had a bye, so they’re going to be fresh. It’ll be a great test for us, but we’re looking forward to going on the road and getting an opportunity to go to work.”

Virginia Tech was held without a second-half touchdown in a 30-23 loss to Wake Forest last week — just another speed bump the Hokies will have to overcome in a difficult season.

“This team has faced a lot of adversity throughout the season, but they’re resilient,” Montgomery said. “We have to move forward, continue to grow, learn from our mistakes, and get better as a football team, because we’ve got a tough game this week.”

Looking to help turn the season around, Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones will need to stay upright, as the third-year starter has been sacked 14 times this season, tied with Stanford’s Ben Gulbranson for most in the ACC.

–Field Level Media

Sep 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) throws a pass against the Temple Owls in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

No. 16 Georgia Tech pursues 5-0 start against rested Wake Forest

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Quickly approaching a return to national relevance with a chance to match the program’s best start in 11 years, No. 16 Georgia Tech will hit the road to face Wake Forest on Saturday afternoon in an Atlantic Coast Conference game in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Georgia Tech (4-0, 1-0) has won its first four games for the first time since starting 5-0 in 2014. The Yellow Jackets finished with 11 wins that season, marking their most recent appearance in the ACC Championship Game and a New Year’s Six bowl.

With a legitimate chance to contend for a conference title and its first College Football Playoff appearance this season, Georgia Tech is in uncharted territory — a scenario it wanted.

“We’re going to get 100 percent from every team we face. We don’t have margin to let up, at all,” coach Brent Key said. “Every game is going to be a close game; that’s the way we look at it. Every week is a challenge. I love it. To be in this environment at Georgia Tech, this is something that we’ve really craved for a long time.”

Leading an offense that is averaging 38.8 points per game on 492.3 yards per contest, quarterback Haynes King has asserted himself as a potential ACC Player of the Year. In three games, he has thrown for 515 yards and two touchdowns and has 274 yards and five scores on the ground.

Wake Forest (2-1, 0-1) will have had 15 days to prepare for its fourth consecutive home game. The Demon Deacons last played on Sept. 11, when they saw an early 14-0 lead disappear in a 34-24 loss to North Carolina State.

Looking for the first marquee victory in head coach Jake Dickert’s first season at Wake Forest, he is eager to return to action.

“Watching college football one Saturday is OK. Twice gets me really antsy,” Dickert said. “It feels like it’s been awhile since we’ve taken the field. Four straight home games to start a season is unique, but what an opportunity. I’m really excited about getting our guys back out there and showing the work we’ve had against a nationally-ranked opponent.”

Wake Forest hasn’t beaten a ranked opponent since 2022, when it defeated No. 23 Florida State, and the Demon Deacons haven’t topped Georgia Tech since the 2006 ACC Championship Game.

Dickert said he knows a lot has to go right for both of those streaks to end.

“Coach Key obviously has that program rolling in a high capacity,” Dickert said. “One of the biggest things I look for in an opponent is their identity. It screams off the tape; it’s their physicality and toughness. It’s all over film. It’s the way they play.”

Demon Deacons quarterback Robby Ashford, a transfer from Auburn and South Carolina, has thrown for just one touchdown through three games this season. Running back Demond Claiborne is averaging 82.3 rushing yards per game after posting 1,049 in his third-team All-ACC campaign a year ago.

–Field Level Media

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, left, and quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) after the game with Troy at Memorial Stadium Saturday, September 6, 2025 in Clemson, S.C.

Georgia Tech aims for rare recent victory vs. No. 12 Clemson

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The past decade hasn’t been kind to Georgia Tech in its nearly annual meeting with rival Clemson.

The Yellow Jackets have dropped nine games in a row against the Tigers, with just one of those matchups decided by fewer than 14 points.

After not playing each other last year for the first time since 1982, a confident Georgia Tech will host No. 12 Clemson in Atlanta in each team’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener with arguably its best chance to notch a series win for the first time since 2014.

Clemson (1-1) has stumbled through its first two weeks of the season. After falling flat in the season opener against then-No. 9 LSU, 17-10, Clemson had to overcome a 16-point deficit at home to Troy last week, avoiding a crushing early season loss with a 27-16 victory.

Clemson had lofty expectations entering the season, beginning the year at No. 4, but the national hype surrounding the team has taken a hit after two uninspiring outings.

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney knows the importance of Saturday’s meeting and the trajectory his team can take with either outcome.

“You lose a game in conference, you got the wind in your face,” Swinney said. “It’s a tough, strong, physical offense that is very committed to their style of play. Every single snap you have the threat of the quarterback, the running back, and some type of outlet.”

Heralded as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate entering his senior season, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik seemingly has regressed through two games. He has averaged just 213 passing yards, while the offense is averaging 288.5.

“The biggest thing is getting in rhythm,”Swinney said. “We really played well those last few drives (against Troy) and got into some rhythm. But we have not played with the rhythm and precision you need to really roll guys.”

Georgia Tech (2-0) received 78 votes in the latest installment of the Associated Press rankings, third most in teams outside of the Top 25. After rallying for a season-opening win at Colorado, the Yellow Jackets steamrolled Gardner-Webb 59-12 last weekend.

The glaring question now for Georgia Tech is under center. Haynes King, who was voted second behind Klubnik for ACC Preseason Player of the Year, was a late scratch against Gardner-Webb with a lower body injury. In his place, Aaron Philo threw for 373 yards on his way to earning ACC Rookie of the Week honors.

Although Clemson likely will prepare for either quarterback, Georgia Tech coach Brent Key doesn’t appear to be concerned about King’s status.

“(Haynes) is doing well. We’ll make decisions once we get into practice. He’s expected to practice this week,” Key said. “I’m going to listen to the doctors. I’m going to do what they say when it comes to that, because that’s the priority when it comes to our players.”

A win over Clemson has been a long time coming for Georgia Tech, which holds a 50-36-2 all-time lead in the series, which began in 1898. For Key, the Tigers’ lackluster start to the season won’t dissuade the Yellow Jackets from proper preparation.

“Dabo has been there for a long time and (has) the culture of the team intact,” Key said. “… You rarely look at the score of the game. I’m looking at the film and the players, and they’ve got really good talent. They’re well-coached, and they’ve got some resilience in them.”

–Field Level Media

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Colorado, minus two key players off to the NFL, meets Georgia Tech

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Colorado will face Georgia Tech in the teams’ season opener on Friday night in Boulder, Colo., in the first-ever meeting between the two programs that split the 1990 national championship.

After years of insignificance, Colorado appeared back on the map two seasons ago with the hiring of coach Deion Sanders and the additions of son Shedeur and last year’s Heisman winner and second overall pick in the NFL draft, Travis Hunter.

With quarterback Sanders and wide receiver/cornerback Hunter off to the pros, Colorado, which finished 9-4 last season, has named fifth-year transfer Kaidon Salter as the starting quarterback for the opener.

Salter joined Colorado in December with 77 touchdowns (56 passing, 21 rushing) across 35 games in four seasons at quarterback for Liberty.

“Kaidon is unbelievable,” Deion Sanders said. “Kaidon is off the chain. He can get the job done. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t trust him.”

While Georgia Tech (7-6 in 2024) prepares to face Salter, coach Brent Key readies to face a fellow third-year coach in Sanders.

“We have a chance to go on national TV to open the season on a Friday night and play such a quality opponent,” Key said. “It’s an honor to play a guy like Deion Sanders, coach to coach. … He’s done a tremendous job putting that team together with the amount of talent that they have.”

Sixth-year senior Haynes King will return for his third season as Georgia Tech’s starter at quarterback. After helping to lead the team to consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2013-14, King was picked second behind Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik for ACC Preseason Player of the Year honors.

“It’s always good to open up the season against somebody that’s good, strong and a talented football team,” King said. “That pushes your team to be the best as well, whether it’s through the offseason, fall camp or even preparing for the first game.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels coach Mack Brown with his players in the second quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Struggling UNC, seeking first conference win, hosts Georgia Tech

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Visiting Georgia Tech will look to make matters worse for North Carolina when the longtime Atlantic Coast Conference foes meet Saturday afternoon in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Yellow Jackets (4-2, 2-2) will aim for their fourth straight win in the series at the expense of the Tar Heels (3-3, 0-2), who have lost three games in a row this season.

North Carolina fans might have thought a 70-50 home loss to James Madison on Sept. 21 was rock bottom, but things have spiraled even more. The following week, the Tar Heels blew a 20-0 lead to rival Duke to lose 21-20 before falling at home again last Saturday to Pitt 34-24.

For Tar Heels coach Mack Brown, the belief is that the wins will come if the effort remains.

“You spend all your life recruiting these kids and then you’re coaching them every day,” Brown said. “If they go out there and do everything they can do, and try their hardest — and I thought our coaches (and) players did that Saturday — then you can come back in and try to help them correct things. I can’t handle a team that doesn’t give everything they’ve got.”

North Carolina is led by running back Omarion Hampton, who tops the ACC with 764 rushing yards, an average of 127.3 per game. The Tar Heels are seventh in the conference in scoring at 32.7 points per game.

But the Tar Heels defense has allowed an average of 41.7 points per game in each loss. First-year defensive coordinator Geoff Collins will face his former team Saturday; he was fired midway through the 2022 season after compiling a 10-28 record as Georgia Tech’s head coach.

Helping the Yellow Jackets rebound has been the job of Brent Key, who has manned the sidelines in Atlanta since Collins’ firing.

Georgia Tech is off to its best start since the 2017 season. Most recently, Key’s team rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat Duke 24-14.

The Yellow Jackets gained 245 rushing yards to 74 for the Blue Devils. Jamal Haynes ran for 128 of those yards, part of his team-leading 366 yards for the season.

After alternating wins and losses the past four weeks, Georgia Tech has a chance to build a winning streak.

“Nobody wants to lose momentum,” Key said. “But look, we’re playing on the road in conference at North Carolina, which has been a traditional rival for Georgia Tech for many, many years. If you can’t get excited and get up for this game, then you’ve got ice water running through your veins.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) runs the ball against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech visits Virginia, tries to maintain momentum

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In the past two weeks, Virginia and Georgia Tech have pulled off upsets of North Carolina, giving both Atlantic Coast Conference victors a needed spark.

Now it’s time for the conquerors of the Tar Heels to meet as Georgia Tech (4-4, 3-2) travels to Charlottesville to face Virginia (2-6, 1-3).

The Cavaliers were the first to upend North Carolina, toppling the then-undefeated and 10th-ranked Tar Heels 31-27 in Chapel Hill on Oct. 21.

Then last week, the Yellow Jackets rallied late to stun the then-No. 17 Tar Heels 46-42 as Haynes King threw four touchdown passes in Atlanta.

Georgia Tech also got 178 yards rushing from Dontae Smith, who helped the comeback from 11 points down in the fourth quarter with a 70-yard touchdown sprint.

King and Jamal Haynes added 90 and 80 yards, respectively, on the ground as the Yellow Jackets tallied 635 yards of total offense.

It was the second time in the month that Georgia Tech had upset a ranked foe. Tech also brought down then-No. 17 Miami, 23-20.

But the Yellow Jackets have been up and down all year, following each of their wins with a loss.

“Getting them to the point to where we’re able to play at 2 o’clock on Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, where we’re able to play the same way, that’s the expectation,” Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said Tuesday.

Aside from the win over North Carolina, this has been a frustrating season for Virginia. The Cavaliers have shown improvement under second-year coach Tony Elliott but have lost four games by a combined 10 points.

One defeat came Saturday, a 29-26 overtime loss at Miami. The Cavaliers fell despite outgaining the Hurricanes 377-276, winning the turnover battle 2-1 and not committing a penalty.

“We’ve been in some games that come down to the last play, the last drive, and it’s about four or five plays. You never know when those plays are going to come,” Elliott said Tuesday. “You have to focus, play-in and play-out. It’s a mindset.”

Malik Washington, who has 12 receptions in each of the past two weeks, has been a revelation for Virginia. He is the runaway leader in the ACC in catches (68) and receiving yards (935).

– Field Level Media

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Armani Chatman (9) tackles Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (11) in the first half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech trails most of way but dumps No. 17 North Carolina

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Haynes King threw for four touchdowns and Georgia Tech, which didn’t lead until the final five minutes, finally caught up with No. 17 North Carolina and pulled out a 46-42 victory Saturday night in Atlanta.

King threw 5 yards to tight end Brett Seither for a touchdown with 4:28 left.

On its next possession, North Carolina lost the ball on receiver Devontez Walker’s fumble with 2:54 remaining. The Tar Heels never got the ball back.

Georgia Tech racked up 635 yards of total offense, with Dontae Smith gaining 178 yards on 22 carries. King ran for 90 yards, and Jamal Haynes had 80 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Yellow Jackets (4-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) rushed for 348 yards.

The Tar Heels (6-1, 3-2) lost to a team with a losing record for the second week in a row after a stunning setback to visiting Virginia a week earlier. North Carolina has also lost 11 times in last 13 road games in the series with Georgia Tech.

North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton gained 153 rushing yards with two touchdowns on 29 carries. Drake Maye threw for two touchdowns and 310 yards.

The Tar Heels began the fourth quarter with a 35-24 lead but couldn’t break free from the Yellow Jackets.

Georgia Tech had an 88-yard touchdown drive on its first possession of the fourth quarter, scoring on Haynes’ 4-yard run. After North Carolina scored in two plays, the Yellow Jackets needed just two plays to go 75 yards, and it was within 42-39.

The Tar Heels tried to pad their lead, but Noah Burnette was wide left on a 39-yard attempted field goal. It was his first miss in 12 tries this season.

Georgia Tech had another quick drive, going 79 yards on six plays for the go-ahead points.

Seither has five catches this season, four counting for touchdowns. Two of those came Saturday night, while teammate Malik Rutherford also made two TD catches. Eric Singleton Jr. had 117 yards on eight catches.

North Carolina held first-half leads of 14-0 and 21-7 before settling for a 28-24 halftime edge after Georgia Tech’s Aidan Birr kicked a 40-yard field goal on the last play of the half.

Maye had a touchdown throw to Bryson Nesbit of 14 yards in the first half.

The Yellow Jackets managed all their points without scoring in either the first or third quarters.

–Field Level Media

Sep 1, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) passing against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia Tech seeking complete-game effort vs. S.C. State

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Quarterback Haynes King will look to build off a strong Georgia Tech debut when the Yellow Jackets host South Carolina State in Atlanta on Saturday.

After spending three seasons at Texas A&M, King looked poised with his new team last Friday, completing 19 of 32 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception, against Louisville.

His efforts weren’t enough to overcome a 16-point fourth quarter from the Cardinals that tagged Georgia Tech (0-1) with a 39-34 loss.

Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key hopes his team can put together a more complete game on Saturday.

“We had a lot of new guys out there that played a lot of meaningful downs (Friday),” Key said. “We had some big plays made by some new guys out on the field. It was encouraging when those guys can go out and do that. But at the same time, we’ve got to be able to do it for the entirety of the football game.”

Georgia Tech struggled to get the running game going during the second half against Louisville, but it should have no problem moving the ball on the ground against a Bulldogs team that has allowed an average of 179 rushing yards through its first two games.

South Carolina State (0-2) most recently allowed 220 rushing yards in a 24-3 setback to Charlotte last Saturday.

Andre Washington threw for 59 yards and a pick on 6-for-17 passing while filling in for usual starter Corey Fields, who is dealing with plantar fasciitis. Fields is nearing his return, as is Prometheus Franklin from a knee injury, leaving South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough with decisions to make regarding who he wants to put under center.

“We think that we’re going to get Prometheus back this week,” Pough said. “He was the heir apparent coming out of last season until he suffered an ACL injury.

“We have a good number of guys in that position group, and we’ll figure out who will be where in the coming weeks.”

The Yellow Jackets posted a 41-10 victory over the Bulldogs on Sept. 4, 2010, in the only previous meeting between the teams.

–Field Level Media