Georgia Tech has little preseason hype. But one AP voter sees a 4-0 start

Creg Stephenson is bullish on Georgia Tech football entering the 2026 season.

The college sports managing producer of AL.com is in his third year as an Associated Press Top 25 voter and was one of just two voters to rank the Yellow Jackets in the preseason poll, placing them at No. 23.

Stephenson said he’s “a big believer” in Tech coach Brent Key. He expects Michigan transfer running back Justice Haynes to have a productive season and sees a favorable schedule as another reason for optimism.

Stephenson, however, is an outlier.

Only one other voter among the 69 who submitted preseason ballots, Eric Hansen, also included the Yellow Jackets. Hansen, who covers Notre Dame, said Tech was one of roughly 15 teams he considered in the range between No. 20 and No. 40 and his belief in Key helped push Tech into his ballot at No. 25.

“If Georgia Tech isn’t a Top 25 team, I still think it’ll be a team Key gets to play to its potential and then some,” Hansen said.

ACC media members picked Tech during July’s Football Kickoff to finish fifth in the conference, behind Miami, SMU, Louisville and Clemson.

ESPN’s College Football Power Index projects Tech to finish 6-6 and gives the Jackets a 3% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff.

Stephenson sees it playing out differently.

His case, like Hansen’s, starts with Key, who brought the Jackets within one win of playing for the ACC championship last season. Including eight games as interim coach in 2022, Key is 27-20 at Tech.

After being nationally ranked for a total of just one week from 2016 through 2024, the Yellow Jackets spent 13 consecutive weeks in the Top 25 last season and finished No. 24.

Key signed a new contract in December that runs through 2030.

“He’s heading into Year 5 and seems to have established a winning culture in Atlanta,” Stephenson said. “He turned down some overtures for other jobs last year, and I think that continuity is going to be a big help.”

Of course, continuity doesn’t mean everything remains the same.

The Jackets must replace 2025 ACC Player of the Year Haynes King at quarterback. They also hired new coordinators on both sides of the ball, bringing in George Godsey to run the offense and Jason Semore to oversee the defense.

Maintaining last season’s breakthrough will also depend heavily on a group of transfers.

Former Indiana Hoosier Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, is expected to take over at quarterback. Expectations are high for Michigan transfer Haynes, former Alabama defenders Noah Carter and Jaylen Mbakwe and a trio of veteran tight-end newcomers that includes NFL draft prospect Chris Corbo.

Stephenson said Haynes, who rushed for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns in just seven games last season, could be the most significant addition.

“I know they lost a real difference-maker in Haynes King, but I think that will be mitigated by the arrival of Justice Haynes,” Stephenson said. “He was outstanding at Michigan last year and pretty good at Alabama before that, and has a real shot to be one of the better portal additions in the country this season.”

Answers to some of the most critical questions surrounding Tech should come quickly. The Jackets open the season Sept. 3 against Colorado at Bobby Dodd Stadium and host No. 20 Tennessee the following week.