Georgia Tech's Brent Key fumbles vs. Colorado, coaching stock tumbles

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The 2026 college football season gave us a fascinating first Thursday night of action. Rutgers got smacked as a 30-point favorite against UMass. Buffalo and Albany played a close game deep into the night. UAB and Illinois played a thoroughly entertaining game. The biggest result might have been Georgia Tech eating a brutal 14-13 loss at home to a not-very-good Colorado team. Georgia Tech coach Brent Key has a lot to answer for.

Brent Key Week 1 disaster

This horrific loss to Colorado falls largely on Brent Key. He did several things which plainly and severely harmed Georgia Tech's odds of winning. It was coaching malpractice on a large scale.

Timeout usage

Brent Key used a timeout when Colorado was struggling on its final offensive possession. He then kept a timeout in his pocket late and settled for a 45-yard field goal when he could have gotten into closer range. It was ugly.

Super conservative

Georgia Tech did need to run the ball a few times late in the Colorado red zone, leading 10-7, but the Yellow Jackets and Key did not call a pass play on third down. They didn't try to score a touchdown or get a first down inside the 5-yard line. They played not to lose. They lost.

Time management

Georgia Tech, with that late lead, was snapping the ball with over 10 seconds on the play clock. Imagine those many 14- or 13-second chunks falling off the clock instead of staying on. Colorado might not have had any time left for its winning drive.

Georgia Tech offense, part one

Georgia Tech's offense scored just six points, with seven Yellow Jacket points coming on a kick return for a touchdown. This unit completely broke down against a Colorado defense which was not expected to be particularly strong this year.

Georgia Tech offense, part two

Georgia Tech looked lost without dual-threat quarterback Haynes King to rescue plays. It seems clear that King masked a lot of deficiencies and limitations for this team, and Key did not restock the roster in the transfer portal.

Big picture

Georgia Tech endured a massive tailspin late last season which caused the Yellow Jackets to miss the ACC Championship Game. This game means Georgia Tech has lost five of its last six games under Brent Key.

Coaching carousel

Brent Key was mentioned as a name to watch in the coaching carousel. Other schools are certainly glad they didn't end up with Key. This is a jarring instance of a rising coach making a 180-degree turn in a span of six games. Georgia Tech's season already looks ruined and appears to have little upside.

Career challenge

Brent Key faces the big test of his coaching career this season. It will take a lot of doing just to get Georgia Tech to a bowl game with a sputtering offense and a suspect offensive line. A program which was ascendant last October is now searching for answers. Brent Key isn't locked in; he has locked Tech out of ACC title contention.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Georgia Tech's Brent Key fumbles vs. Colorado, coaching stock tumbles

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