Georgia Tech returns to Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field for the first time in 2023 when it hosts South Carolina State on Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets will open their 111th season at their venerable home stadium — the oldest on-campus football venue in NCAA Division I FBS.
Georgia Tech is coming off a season-opening 39-34 loss to Louisville in last Friday’s Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Behind four second-quarter touchdowns, the Yellow Jackets raced out to a 28-13 halftime lead, but Louisville stormed back in the second half for the come-from-behind win.
One of many bright spots for the Yellow Jackets in the season-opening defeat was the play of QB Haynes King. In his first game in the White and Gold after transferring to Georgia Tech from Texas A&M, King completed 19-of-32 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns. His 313 passing yards are tied for 23rd in Georgia Tech single-game history and are the most ever by a Jackets’ QB in his Tech debut (no other GT QB has ever thrown for 300 yards in his debut in the White and Gold).
Georgia Tech’s 34 points in last Friday’s opener were its most in a game since a 35-17 win over Western Carolina on Sept. 10 of last season and its most against an NCAA Division I FBS opponent since a 48-40 loss at Virginia on Oct. 23, 2021. The Yellow Jackets’ 488 yards of offense were their most in any game since they had 570 in the 2021 defeat at Virginia.
With a win on Saturday, Georgia Tech would become the 21st program in FBS history with 750 all-time victories.