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In less than four full seasons, Brent Key has transformed the Georgia Tech football program. He guided the Yellow Jackets to a 9-3 record in 2025 and was recently rewarded with a contract extension that ties him to his alma mater through 2029.
As Key and Georgia Tech put the finishing touches on preparations for Saturday’s game against BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Key took a moment to share his thoughts on the oft-maligned state of college football.
“I think the state of college football…college football is at its best level ever,” Key said during his press briefing Friday.
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Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key celebrates after the 2024 Aer Lingus College Football Classic game between Florida State and Georgia Tech at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Key cited the fan experience and strong audiences the sport frequently attracts.
“The fan experience, the viewership…college football is at an all-time high,” Key noted. “The amount of people watching games, watching playoff games, watching (ESPN’s) College GameDay, it’s just that overall, college football is a way of life, and I think there’s an unprecedented amount of interest in college football.”
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While the current version of the college football schedule and 12-team playoff format have been widely debated and criticized, Key highlighted what he sees as the sport’s strengths.
A detailed view of a University of Virginia helmet sticker on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets’ helmet during their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The advent of name, image and likeness (NIL) rules and increased player mobility through the transfer portal have had massive impacts on college football. While Key is well aware of the seismic shifts in the sports landscape, he also recognized the ebbs and flows that college football has gone through every two decades or so.
Key ultimately accredited the positive progress he has seen over the years.
A view of the College Football Playoff National Championship trophy on the sidelines of a game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Pittsburgh Panthers in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field on November 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)
“There was a time when we voted on who was the national champion. So, times are changing. Look at college football, every 15 to 20 years there’s a major overhaul in college football. We’re going through one of those times right now,” Key said. “Massive change doesn’t happen overnight. Ultimately, our job is to get players out of college, graduate and change their lives. We do that through football.”
The Pop-Tarts Bowl kicks off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
