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· collected 2026-08-19 · by Maura Carey The Associated Press
Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key is aiming for an ACC title after three straight winning seasons and a 23-16 overall record since being promoted in 2023. Despite losing quarterback Haynes King, the team has potential with running backs Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley, who combined for over 1,500 rushing yards last season. However, the team faces significant roster turnover, particularly at receiver, where they lost three players who combined for 1,661 receiving yards. Quarterback Alberto Mendoza will take the reins after transferring from Indiana, but has limited time to gel with new teammates before facing Colorado and No. 20 Tennessee in the first two games.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Georgia Tech is looking to win an ACC title this year after a promising season under new head coach Brent Key. Key has raised expectations by leading the team to three consecutive winning seasons and a 23-16 overall record since becoming the permanent head coach in 2023. However, this season may bring "growing pains" as the team adjusts to playing without dual-threat quarterback Haynes King, who is now gone. The team's strengths include its running backs and veteran linebackers, with Justice Haynes, a transfer from Michigan, expected to make an impact after rushing for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns last season while averaging 7.1 yards per carry.
Written for “Georgia Tech Football Season” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
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No political leaning scored for article 1336 · logged 2026-08-21
ATLANTA (AP) — 2025 record: 9-4
Expectations
Brent Key has raised expectations in a short time with three straight winning seasons and a 23-16 overall record since being promoted from interim to head coach at the start of the 2023 season.
asserted
Key → raise → season
Key comes off his best season to date, leading the program to nine wins for the first time since 2016, maintaining a plausible shot at the College Football Playoff until late November and ending the season with a narrow bowl game loss to BYU.
asserted
Key → come → BYU
Sights are set this year on an ACC title, but growing pains could ensue in Key’s first season without gutsy dual-threat quarterback Haynes King leading the charge.
uncertain
King → set → charge
Strengths include running backs and veteran linebackers
asserted
Strengths → include → backs
Georgia Tech has the pieces to run and run well, with expectations high for Michigan transfer Justice Haynes.
asserted
expectations → have → Haynes
Haynes had 857 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 121 carries for the Wolverines last season, averaging 7.1 yards per carry before a season-ending injury in late October.
asserted
Haynes → have → October
Haynes joins senior Malachi Hosley, who led Georgia Tech running backs last season with 697 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 98 carries.
asserted
who → join → carries
The two will work to fill the void King left behind after leading the Yellow Jackets last season with 953 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
asserted
King → work → yards
Veteran linebacker duo Kyle Efford and E.J. Lightsey are back to anchor Georgia Tech’s defense.
asserted
duo → anchor → defense
The duo combined for 156 tackles in 2025 and Efford added 1.5 sacks, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.
asserted
Efford → combine → sacks
Weaknesses include heavy turnover and uncertainty at receiver
Transfer quarterback Alberto Mendoza will get his first experience as QB1 after sitting behind his brother, Fernando, during Indiana’s national championship run last season.
asserted
Mendoza → include → run
It’ll be Georgia Tech’s first time in three seasons with a new face at quarterback, but the roster changes don’t end there.
asserted
changes → end → quarterback
Plenty of newcomers are joining the team with an offseason haul of 19 transfers and an incoming freshman class that includes four wide receivers fighting for time.
asserted
that → join → time
Mendoza has Haynes and Hosley to hand the ball off to, but there’s less certainty with a receiving corps that lost Malik Rutherford, Isiah Canion and Eric Rivers Jr. in the offseason — a trio that combined for 1,661 receiving yards, 125 receptions and nine touchdowns last season.
asserted
that → have → yards
