‘It’s been unreal’: Tech student leader amped over Jackets football

Georgia Tech football is on a run unseen since the 1960s.

With that in mind, we touched base with Aaron Fernandes — a vice president with Tech’s graduate Student Government Association — to get a little taste of the on-campus vibes.

What’s it been like watching this team go on this run?

It’s been unreal. We’ve gone from hoping for bowl eligibility to talking about playoffs. Every week, campus gets a little louder and prouder. It’s fun watching the team finally get the respect they’ve worked for and that Coach Key has built. There’s full buy-in — not just from the players, but from students and the entire Tech community.

Does the 7-0 start change the vibes at all on campus? Give things a little extra juice?

Absolutely. There’s a completely different energy on campus. Most students were already proud to be Yellow Jackets, but now there’s national buy-in too. I’ve got friends from out of state who used to joke about Tech football and are now texting me like, “OK, y’all are actually legit this year.” It’s been awesome seeing Tech back in the spotlight, and the excitement is contagious. It definitely gives us more national recognition, and social media is flooded with students and alumni celebrating our wins, new poll rankings and the game day experience.

How would you describe the student body buy-in?

While campus has always been strong around school traditions, this season has definitely brought the student body even closer. We had a record 7,000 student season tickets sold this year, which is unheard of. This new GT Athletics administration has really prioritized student and fan experience, and you can feel it. Students show up early, stay late and make Bobby Dodd a true home-field advantage. There’s a sense that we’re part of something bigger this time, and everyone’s excited to see how the program keeps building and what’s in store for the rest of the season.

Care to make a prediction on how things play out from here?

I think the national crowd still underestimates us, but that’s kind of Georgia Tech’s brand, overdeliver when no one’s watching. I think the next few weeks are going to be big, and no matter what happens, this season has already put Tech back on the map in a huge way.