No. 16 Georgia Tech has come a long way since last trip to Wake Forest
It was a little more than two years ago to the date, but it must seem like decades in the past at this point.
On Sept. 23, 2023, Georgia Tech traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to play a game at Wake Forest. It was the fourth game on the schedule that season for the Yellow Jackets, the fourth game for coach Brent Key in his first season leading the program, the fourth game as Tech’s starting quarterback for Haynes King, the fourth game at running back for converted wide receiver Jamal Haynes.
Tech, which took a 48-23 loss on the chin at Ole Miss the Saturday before, scored a 30-16 win against the Demon Deacons. The big story that day was Tech’s defense recording five takeaways: fumble recoveries by Zeek Biggers (now with the Miami Dolphins) and Chad Alexander, and interceptions by Kenan Johnson (who transferred to Utah and then Virginia) and Jaylon King (who had two picks). Kyle Kennard, who would transfer to South Carolina and now plays for the Los Angeles Chargers, recorded four sacks.
King completed 16 of his 27 passes for 222 yards and a two scores, but also was picked off once. He also ran for 53 yards on six carries. Haynes totaled 95 yards on 18 runs and found the end zone once. Eric Singleton Jr., now playing at Auburn, caught a 31-yard touchdown pass. Aidan Birr made three field goals.
The Jackets would finish 4-4 over their next eight regular-season games, but took a major step for the program by qualifying for the Gasparilla Bowl, a bowl they won 30-17 over Central Florida.
This weekend, Tech goes back to Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium a completely different team in a completely different state as a program.
The Jackets are undefeated after four games for the first time in 11 years and are ranked No. 16 in the AP Top 25, and pundits are whispering about Key’s team being a contender for the ACC title and, thus, for the College Football Playoff too.
“It’s come a long way,” King said of Tech football since 2023. “Just even, like, our identity. That first year we were almost — we thought we had it, but we were still trying to find it. This team has matured a whole lot, and we’re just seeing that change from Year 1 to now Year 3.”
King and the Jackets (4-0, 1-0 ACC), favored by about two touchdowns at noon Saturday against the Demon Deacons, will be going for a fifth consecutive win over Wake Forest and fifth consecutive in Winston-Salem. Another victory would make Tech 5-0 for the first time since 2014 and 2-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2017.
That would be the icing on the cake to the start of Tech’s season, especially with the team going into an off-weekend after the trip to Wake Forest. But the Jackets can’t look ahead too much going on the road as heavy favorites.
“Pressure is definitely a privilege. This is what we wanted. This is what we wanted as a team. This is also kind of what comes with it,” King added. “I feel like we’ve prepared enough to handle these situations. We can’t just let up and say, ‘OK, we arrived.’ We’re ranked now. We’re playing well. We’re 4-0, stuff like that. We got to still press the issue and do what we’re supposed to do because that’s our standard.”
Wake Forest (2-1, 0-1) won 11 games and the Gator Bowl in 2021, eight games in 2022, then went 4-8 in 2023 and 2024 before veteran coach Dave Clawson retired. The Deacons also are very much in a different place than when they entered the 2023 matchup.
First-year coach Jake Dickert began his tenure this season with a 10-9 win over Kennesaw State, a 42-10 win over Western Carolina and a 34-24 loss to North Carolina State — a game the Deacons led 24-17 at halftime.
“This is gonna be a big challenge for us now,” Key said. “They’ve done a really good job of putting together talent in a short amount of time up there. I’ve been very impressed with how they play the whole game.
“This is a well-put-together football team. I wish we didn’t have to play them. When I turn on the tape and I see teams play the game a certain way, it excites me. It really does. Major props to (Dickert) and his staff and what they’ve been able to do in such a short amount of time.”
Tech has not won a road game as a ranked team since Nov. 29, 2014, when it won at Georgia. It hasn’t won an ACC road game as a ranked team since Oct. 1, 2011, when it won at North Carolina State.
The Jackets were 1-4 in road games in 2024.
“This is not last year’s team. I feel like we’re different. We’re going to be ready to prepare on the road,” Tech cornerback Ahmari Harvey said. “I’m glad we got to open up on the road against a good Colorado team. I feel like it might be a similar environment over there in Wake Forest, but it ain’t nothing we ain’t never prepared for.”
Availability report
On Thursday, Key updated the status of several players ahead of Tech’s fifth game of the season.
Alexander, a running back recovering from an injury during spring practice, center Tana Alo-Tupuola, defensive back Savion Riley and tight end Brett Seither will not be available for Saturday’s game because of injury. Seither has played 92 offensive snaps this season and five special-teams plays, while Alo-Tupuola has logged 112 snaps at center in rotating with starter Harrison Moore.
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