Last week, Georgia Tech Athletics announced that the Jackets had once again set a program record of over 6,000 student tickets sold,breaking the previous mark set last season. Tech looks to build off of their 7-6 campaign in 2024, which included an upset win over Miami and a heartbreaking near-upset against u[sic]ga — in 8 overtimes.
There is much anticipation surrounding the program, led by head coach Brent Key and the team he has assembled since earning the full-time role in 2023. The team also sees the return of seniors in quarterback Haynes King and running back Jamal Haynes as headliners on offense, while All-ACC recipient senior defensive tackle Jordan Van Den Berg is the returning leader defensively. Also, Tech’s recent recruiting class was ranked 19th in the nation by ESPN, the program’s highest ranking since 2007. The class includes five-star offensive tackle and Roswell native Josh Petty, the team’s first five-star recruit since the eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson in 2004.
The student body and Tech fans nationwide have bought into the growing excitement surrounding the program. The team’s average attendance was just over 38,000 in 2024, representing a 5% increase from 2023.
The excitement has not gone unnoticed by former Jackets’ All-American quarterback Joe Hamilton, who likened the enthusiasm from the fan base and student body to what he experienced while playing at Georgia Tech during the late 1990s.
“It’s hard to get the fanbase to rally around, but now it’s back,” Hamilton explained during his appearance on a local podcast. “It’s back because they love the product, they see toughness … they see direction,” he continued.
The city of Atlanta and its surrounding metro-area craves college football. Tech’s student body shares a similar sentiment, given their buy-in to the ascending football team.
The Jackets will open their season on Friday, August 29th, when they travel to Boulder to take on the University of Colorado Buffaloes, before facing Gardner-Webb University in their home opener on September 6th.