Three games we’re excited to see on Georgia Tech’s 2026 football schedule
We’re months from Georgia Tech kicking off its season. And with new key offensive personnel in place, there’s plenty of unknown about what these Yellow Jackets will be.
But there are a few key games those of us already craving for football can’t wait to see. Here are a few, excluding the obvious Georgia matchup:
Sept. 12 vs. Tennessee
This is fascinating: In a year the Volunteers are no longer part of Georgia’s slate, they’ll again be part of Tech’s. Coach Josh Heupel’s Tennessee squad, which made a playoff appearance in 2024, faces some uncertainty at quarterback entering the season. It’ll likely turn to true freshman standout Faizon Brandon or lanky redshirt freshman George MacIntyre.
But the Vols return some key offensive playmakers — including running back DeSean Bishop and receivers Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews — and employ new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, which should eventually result in dramatic defensive improvement.
That development might take time, though, so perhaps the Yellow Jackets can exploit Tennessee’s defense early in the season. Meanwhile, even with the inexperience at signal caller, the Vols’ weaponry presents a challenge. This is a nice measuring stick game for Tech, facing an SEC team that’s perceived as good but not great.
Oct. 17 at Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is an interesting swing team under new coach James Franklin. They’re already recruiting at a higher level, and Franklin should raise the bar. Will they be an immediate factor in the ACC? That might be a lot to ask, but quick turnarounds aren’t foreign in new-age college football. There’s some momentum around the Hokies right now, but it could take time for that to translate into results.
Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech are ACC pillars who, despite falling on some hard times over the years, should always be in the mix. It’d be fun to see this matchup carry consequences again.
We gave Virginia Tech the nod here because much of the Yellow Jackets’ ACC schedule simply isn’t compelling. They’ll play their first conference game at lowly Stanford, and they’ll host Boston College and Wake Forest. The road game at Pitt — the team that spoiled Tech’s season last fall — and hosting Louisville were other candidates here.
Nov. 14 at Clemson
We’ll go with a layup pick here. Clemson isn’t what it was, despite coach Dabo Swinney denying that reality. Still, it should be a contender in a murky ACC beyond Miami (which isn’t on Tech’s schedule). It largely depends on quarterback Christopher Vizzina and how the defense rebounds.
The Tigers went 7-6 last season, an immense disappointment for a team that was loaded with NFL-bound talent. The Tigers have an over/under of 7.5 wins entering this one, so it’s reasonable for opponents to view their matchups as quite winnable.
Tech beat Clemson for the first time in 11 years last season; can it do it again? That was only the second one-score finish between these teams over the past decade.
If the Jackets are the level they expect to be, this game will have massive implications. We’ll know what Tech and Clemson are by this game — it’ll be an important meeting for Tech regardless.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
