Georgia Tech football’s agonizing season continues with loss to Louisville

Brent Key has spent weeks digging into his program for answers as Georgia Tech’s season unraveled.

He said he has made tweaks, tried changes and evaluated adjustments, all in an effort to win games now while continuing to rebuild the program for the future.

Solutions, though, continue to evade the Yellow Jackets.

They fell 44-17 to Louisville on Saturday, their fourth consecutive loss. Tech sits last in the 18-team ACC and is assured of its first losing season since 2022, when Key took over early in the season after Geoff Collins was fired.

The Jackets’ (2-7, 1-5 ACC) season has gone from disappointing to disheartening, and Saturday offered another reminder of how far they have fallen.

The Cardinals (6-3, 5-2) built a 24-3 lead in the second quarter while Key employed his latest attempt at sparking an offense that struggled in last week’s loss at Pitt.

Alberto Mendoza and Grady Adamson rotated each series at quarterback, a change in approach that ended with a familiar outcome.

Mendoza was sacked twice on Tech’s opening drive, which ended in a three-and-out. Adamson’s first possession also lasted just three plays.

Louisville fumbled away the first punt and was flagged for roughing the punter after Tech’s second drive.

The Jackets managed a field goal by Aidan Birr from those extra opportunities but couldn’t keep pace.

Tech’s defense has been one of the worst in the country, entering Saturday allowing 219.3 rushing yards per game, ranked 134th of 138 teams nationally.

The unit’s problems were apparent again against a Louisville offense ranked among the nation’s most productive.

Cardinals quarterback Lincoln Kienholz completed 17 of 25 pass attempts for 182 yards and two touchdowns. The junior also ran for 81 yards on nine carries.

Louisville ran for 251 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown carry by receiver Tre Richardson.

Meanwhile, Tech’s offense again struggled to get much going, drawing boos from fans at the end of several drives.

The Jackets were just 4 of 17 on third down and 3 for 7 on fourth-down attempts.

Key has long emphasized the importance of running the football. Tech’s identity has been built around that, and Key has said he intends to build his program around that approach.

Yet the Jackets ran for just 46 yards in the first three quarters on Saturday. They finished with 109 yards rushing for the game.

Mendoza finished 13 of 25 for 148 yards and a touchdown pass to Isaiah Fuhrmann late in the second quarter.

Adamson was 12 of 19 for 93 yards, with a fourth-quarter touchdown throw to tight end Chris Corbo. Adamson also threw an interception.