Following the best season at Georgia Tech in nearly a decade, head coach Brent Key faces the challenge of doing it again.
For the Yellow Jackets to duplicate or improve upon their success of a year ago, however, they’ll have to do it with a new cast of characters.
This summer, BuffZone will preview each of Colorado’s opponents for the 2026 season and in this first installment, we look at Georgia Tech. CU will make its first trip to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets on Sept. 3.
Last year, Tech went 9-4, including 6-2 in the ACC. It was the most wins for the program since a 9-4 campaign in 2016.
Tech’s journey in 2025 began in Boulder, with a 27-20 victory against the Buffs at Folsom Field. It was the Haynes King show, as the Jackets’ quarterback threw for 143 yards and ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns – including the game-winner with 67 seconds to play.
King and many other key contributors from last year have since moved on, either as graduates or transfers. For Key, the rebuild was done with physicality in mind.
“We had to improve ourselves,” Key, a former offensive lineman, said in an interview with On3. “We had to improve our size overall on the team, especially the line of scrimmage.
“But we had to improve our defense and our defensive front in particular, from length, size, depth. We made major investments into that position and we’re starting to see it pay off at this point.”
Georgia Tech ranked 88th nationally in run defense, giving up 164.0 yards per game on the ground, and they have a whole new set of defensive linemen – including former Buffs lineman Tawfiq Thomas.
Indiana quarterback Alberto Mendoza warms up before a game against Iowa on Sept. 27. Mendoza has transfered to Georgia Tech. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Just three starters return on defense, including linebackers Kyle Efford and EJ Lightsey, the top two tacklers from last year.
Offensively, it’ll look different because it won’t go through King, and only two starters are back, but Georgia Tech has always relied on a strong run game. That won’t change.
Transfer Justice Haynes grew up in Georgia and played at Alabama and Michigan the past few years. He rushed for 616 yards and nine touchdowns in two seasons at Alabama and then posted 857 yards and 10 touchdowns at Michigan last year.
Tech also returns Malachi Hosley, who led the running backs with 697 yards and seven touchdowns last year.
“I’m really impressed with our running back room, from top to bottom,” Key said to On3. “Justice is a very unique player. He’s a unique young man. Probably checks about every box you want to as far as the character, intangibles, work ethic, leadership, playing ability, size, speed, all those things.”
At quarterback, the Yellow Jackets will have a familiar name, but not much experience.
Alberto Mendoza was the backup last year for national champion Indiana, sitting behind his brother, Fernando, who won the Heisman Trophy. He is the odds-on favorite to start, but will battle with freshman Grady Adamson and others.
“It’s no secret, we’re going to have a quarterback start the first game that’s never started a college football game,” Key said. “Most likely it’ll be Alberto, but that’s not different from a lot of teams in the country (having a new starter).”
In addition to a host of new players, Key hired two new coordinators. Former Tech quarterback and long-time NFL assistant George Godsey is the new offensive coordinator, while Jason Semore is the new defensive coordinator. He was the DC at Marshall from 2023-24 and at Southern Mississippi last year.
How quickly Mendoza and others settle in and mesh with the new coordinators will be key for Georgia Tech. There is no easing into the season for the Yellow Jackets, who host Tennessee in Week 2, and they have eyes on remaining near the top of the ACC standings.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Head coach: Brent Key, 5th season (27-20)
2025 season: 9-4, 6-2 ACC; lost to BYU in Pop-Tarts Bowl
Series with CU: Georgia Tech leads 1-0
Matchup with the Buffs: Thursday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m. MT (ESPN), at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta
3 Guys to Watch
LB Kyle Efford: Tech’s leading tackler in 2025, with 77 stops, including two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. In the past three years, he’s posted 223 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks and is one of the top linebackers in the ACC.
RB Justice Haynes: Former Michigan and Alabama running back returns home – he attended Buford High School in Alpharetta, Georgia – for his senior year. In seven games at Michigan last year, he rushed for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors.
QB Alberto Mendoza: He was his brother’s backup last year at Indiana, completing 18-of-24 passes for 286 yards, five touchdowns and one interception, while rushing 13 times for 190 yards and a touchdown.
Notables
This game completes CU’s home-and-home set with the Yellow Jackets. … Georgia Tech lost 17 players to the transfer portal, including starting offensive linemen Tana Alo-Tupuola (Arizona State) and Harrison Moore (Florida) and linebacker Tah’j Butler (Ole Miss). … The Yellow Jackets picked up 19 players in the portal, many of which are projected for starting roles. That list includes Haynes and Mendoza, as well as receiver Isaiah Fuhrmann (Elon), defensive end Jordan Walker (Rutgers), nose tackle Vincent Carroll-Jackson (Connecticut) and cornerback Jonas Duclona (South Florida). … Former CU defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas, who played in a reserve role for the Buffs the last two years, is a projected starter for Tech. … Another former Buff, edge rusher Taje McCoy, was a transfer addition for Tech. … Aidan Birr has been the Yellow Jackets’ kicker for three years, and he’s hit 81.4% (57 of 70) of his career field goal attempts and all but one (127 of 128) extra point. His career long field goal is 55 yards.