This was not the start that Georgia Tech wanted to have for the 2026 season. The Yellow Jackets are 0-2 for the first time since 1989, and there is not a lot of good to say about how they've played through the first couple of games.
But there is still time to figure things out and that begins this Saturday against Mercer.
Through the first two weeks of the season, here are three things I know and three things I think about this team.
The only reason this is not in the "know" category is that there are 10 games left, and a lot can happen in ten games. But through the first couple of weeks of the season, the move from Buster Faulkne r to George Godsey has not gone swimmingly, and the Yellow Jackets offense looks far worse than it did at any point under Faulkner.
Through the first two weeks, Georgia Tech ranks 120th in PPG, 127th in rushing yards per game, 68th in passing yards per game, and 117th in total yards per game. Now, the Yellow Jackets have faced two power four opponents while some teams are playing G6 or FCS teams in the first couple of weeks, but scoring two offensive touchdowns in two games is dismal no matter how you cut it.
Godsey is going to be given time to turn things around and it is only two games, but Georgia Tech can't run the ball, can't protect the quarterback, and can't find the endzone. Things have to get better and get better quickly.
Under Brent Key, Georgia Tech fans have grown accustomed to having strong offensive line play. The Yellow Jackets have been one of the top rushing teams in the country and one of the best at protecting the quarterback. Through two games of the 2026 season, this group has taken a big step back.
Here are the PFF grades for Georgia Tech's offensive line right now, with snap counts in parentheses:
LT Ethan Mackenny- 29.0 (73)
LT Markell Samuel- 38.2 (63)
RG Joseph Ionata- 46.6 (133)
RT Jordan Floyd
- 49.1 (16)
C Jameson Riggs- 51.9 (126)
G- Kevin Peay Jr- 57.0 (133)
C Will Reed- 61.5 (7)
Five of Georgia Tech's six lowest graded players are on the offensive line. That is not a good sign for this unit. Peay, Ionata, Floyd, and Riggs are playing meaningful snaps for the first time so some struggle is expected, but this is a far departure from what Georgia Tech fans are used too.
Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head coach Brent Key on the field before a game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Depending on how the next three games go (Mercer, Stanford , and Duke), this could change from think to know realy quick.
Losing the game to Colorado made Georgia Tech's path to a bowl game tighter and given how they have played, it has made some of the games they were expected to be favored in more difficult. Going to Stanford for a 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff is not easy, Duke looks better than expected, Wake Forest looks like a well-coached team again, and Boston College did beat Rutgers. Even if Georgia Tech won those four games, plus the game against Mercer, they would still need to beat either Virginia Tech , Pittsburgh, Louisville , Clemson, or Georgia to get bowl eligible.
I still think there is a path to getting to a bowl game, but Georgia Tech better start playing better.
Georgia Tech touted all offseason that their run defense was going to be fine and that they upgraded along the defensive line and linebacker spots.
So far, that has not been the case.
Teams can improve and I think Georgia Tech needs to look at using different personnel at some positions, such as linebacker, to help improve their 134th ranked rushing defense. They are going to face a number of strong rushing attacks the rest of the season and if they can't get better, things could get ugly.
Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Alberto Mendoza (15) throws a pass against the Tennessee Volunteers in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Has it been a great first two games for Alberto Mendoza? No, but for a quarterback who had never started a game before, playing behind what has been one of the worst offensive lines in the country, he has done a decent job and I think if the conditions around him can improve, Mendoza can maximize his talent.
Mendoza is 43-for-63 for 458 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He currently has a 70.9 overall grade on PFF in 133 snaps, which is the fourth highest on the offense and one of the best on the team. He has a lot to work on, but given his inexperience and and poor offensive line play in front of him, there should not be any alarm bells going off about if Mendoza can play or not.
Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets tight end Kevin Roche Jr. (86) runs after a catch against the Tennessee Volunteers in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
We talked about Roche a lot over the course of the spring and fall camp and he has lived up to the hype so far this season and looks like a real threat at the tight end position.
Roche is the second-highest graded player on the Georgia Tech offense per PFF, getting up to a 73.3 overall grade in 78 snaps. He is second on the team with 10 receptions and third on the team with 103 receiving yards and while Georgia Tech has had solid tight end play under Key, Roche could be the biggest receiving threata the program has had in the past four seasons. I look for him to continue to get better and to potentially be a sneaky All-ACC selection.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/georgiatech as Three Things I Think, Three Things I Know About Georgia Tech Through Two Weeks .
