Georgia Tech’s 2026 schedule has plenty of eye-catching games, but November looks like the month that can make or break the Yellow Jackets.
That stretch opens at home against Louisville, a team that is among the favorites to reach Charlotte and fight for an ACC championship. Jeff Brohm has kept the Cardinals in the title mix every season since returning to his alma mater, and this will be the third meeting between Brohm and Brent Key. Brohm has won both of the previous matchups, and the winner here could be well positioned for a shot at the conference crown.
From there, Georgia Tech heads to Clemson for a road test that carries plenty of weight. The Yellow Jackets snapped their long losing streak against the Tigers last season by winning for the first time since 2014, but they still have work to do in Death Valley. Georgia Tech has not won there since 2008, and even if Clemson has not looked like the powerhouse it was from 2015-2020, the Tigers still have the talent to contend for the ACC and the kind of home-field edge that makes this trip a serious challenge.
After that comes the home finale against Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons have taken some hits in the transfer portal this offseason, but they remain a well-coached group. With this game landing between two rivalry matchups for Georgia Tech, it has the feel of a classic trap spot.
Then comes the season finale in Athens. The last time Georgia Tech played Georgia on the Bulldogs’ home field, the teams delivered an eight-overtime classic that went Georgia’s way. Key has had the Yellow Jackets in the rivalry game each of the last three seasons, but the overall losing streak dates back to 2016.
Kirby Smart will once again have Georgia in the mix for an SEC title and a playoff berth, but Georgia Tech has shown it can hang in this matchup over the past three years. The question now is whether the Yellow Jackets can finally break through.
Last season, Key’s team started 8-0 before fading in November. This year’s closing month looks every bit as demanding, with three strong opponents and one team that could be dangerous if the opportunity is there. If Georgia Tech wants to prove it can be steady from September through November, November is where that has to show up.
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Colorados recent slide under Deion Sanders and the turnover around that program make the Buffaloes hard to pin down, while the Bears arrive with the kind of FCS pedigree that demands attention even without the same brand name. Then there is Tennessee, a matchup that adds another layer of intrigue before the annual rivalry game with Georgia, where the Bulldogs remain the benchmark in the state and the standard Tech has been chasing for years. For a Yellow Jackets team trying to build momentum, the path through that nonconference stretch will say plenty about where this program really stands. [Read more 🡒]
