Despite not having a double-digit winning season in a decade, former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban sees big potential in the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 2024.
On Saturday, Georgia Tech had the unique opportunity to open the Week 0 college football season on the other side of the pond in Dublin, Ireland. Unfortunately, they had to do so against ACC rival and National Champion contenders Florida State.
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However, despite facing the 10th-ranked team in the nation Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets stunned the Seminoles in a 24-21 win to open the season. And that impressive play may be indicative of the greater potential head coach Brent Kay has developed in his team ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Before their game on Saturday, the new member of ESPN’s “College Gameday” team, Nick Saban, had a bold take about the Yellow Jackets prospects in the new season.
2023 Georgia Tech record: 7-6
Georgia Tech a sleeper title contender in the ACC?
“My sleeper though is Georgia Tech. I really do believe that,” Saban said on the topic of sleeper teams in the ACC in 2024. “They were in the top three offensively last year in the ACC. Were not very good on defense [but] they’ve got a new defensive coordinator.
“They got some players out of the transfer portal. If they can play defense a little bit better, they give people tremendous headaches because of their offense and the running quarterback.”
After transferring from Texas A&M, King had a big season for Georgia Tech. Leading them to a 7-6 record — their first winning record since 2018 — and posted 3,403 total yards and 35 total touchdowns. Junior running back Jamal Haynes is also primed for a big year after having a breakthrough season in 2023.
Their upset win in Week 0 only makes Saban seem even more ahead of the curve.
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