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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/usffan on 2025-07-18 10:45:51+00:00.
The cumulative link to the preseason rankings can be found here.
In a nod to 2024, we’re starting out this season with Georgia Tech (high = 28, low = 44) on top of Florida State, coming in at #36. That’s good for the 5th best team in the ACC, which matches their finish in the conference last year as well. Brent Key has essentially repaired the rambling wreck Geoff Collins made of the Yellow Jackets in his 2+ seasons running the team, leading them to consecutive 7-6 seasons after Collins failed to reach .500 once during his tenure. They had a kind of Jekyll and Hyde season, knocking off not only Florida State but Miami (again) and damn near Georgia in an unforgettable 8 OT Clean Old Fashioned Hate affair, but dropped a 15 point game at Virginia Tech and the Gold Cowbell to Vandy in the Birmingham Bowl.
Roster outlook
Key and Tech return the 26th most production in college football, including tough-as-nails starting QB Haynes King and lead RB Jamal Haynes, accounting for 3,700 total yards and 34 TDs last season. In fact, the only loss on offense of note is WR Eric Singleton, Jr. who transferred to Auburn. On defense, they also lost 4 star edge Romello Height to the deep pockets of Texas Tech, but return the 27th most production on that side of the ball. Key has done his part to make sure the Yellow Jackets return to the heights of the Paul Johnson era, bringing in the 3rd best recruiting class in the ACC (21st nationally) and pairing it with 26 new players in the portal, good for the 33rd best class in the country (6th in the conference). That includes North Carolina WR Eric Haynes (really want a flea flicker with a Haynes King hand off to Jamal Haynes, who rolls out and throws a TD to Eric Haynes) and 4 star FIU WR Eric Rivers, plus 4 projected starters on defense.
Schedule and outlook
The OOC starts out with Prime Time in prime time, as Tech opens on that first Friday night at Colorado. The rest of the OOC, home games vs. Gardner-Webb and Temple, should be winnable on paper before rivalry week brings Georgia to Atlanta in Mercedes Benz stadium. The conference slate also starts off with a banger at home against Clemson, but then, funny enough, they avoid all of the other ACC teams ranked above them. So, at least according to these aggregated rankings, Georgia Tech should be favored in 10 of their 12 games and has to be considered a serious contender to reach the ACC title game, especially if they can knock off Clemson at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Fans have to be buzzing with excitement for 2025!