A college football coach says the sport has never gotten better despite the criticism
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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 awarded a contract extension that ties him to his alma mater through 2029.
As Key and Georgia Tech wrap up 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 in the biggest place it’s ever been,” Key said during a press conference on 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 viewership that sports often draw.
“The fan experience, the viewing … college football is at its best,” Key noted. “The number of people who watch the games, who watch the playoffs, who watch (ESPN’s) College GameDay, it’s just that college football as a whole is a way of life, and I think college football, the interest in it is at a high level.”
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While the current version of the college football calendar and 12-team playoff format has been widely debated and criticized, Key highlighted what he believes are the sport’s strong points.
A detailed view of the University of Virginia helmet sticker on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during their game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium on Nov. 19, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The advent of name, image and likeness (NIL) rules and the increased movement of players through the transfer portal had a major impact on college football. While Key is well aware of the seismic changes in the sports landscape, he also acknowledged that college football’s journey has gone through almost every few decades.
Key eventually acknowledged the positive progress he has seen over the years.
A view of the college football national championship on the sidelines of the game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Pittsburgh Panthers in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field on Nov. 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Brett Davis/Imagn Photos)
“There was a time when it was voted on who was the national champion. So, times change. You look at college football, every 15-20 years, there’s a major overhaul of college football. We’re going through one of those times right now,” Key said. “Big changes don’t happen overnight. At the end of the day, our job is to graduate players from college, get their degrees and change their lives. We do that through football.”
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The Pop-Tarts Bowl begins Saturday at 3:30 pm ET at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
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