It could happen in the opener against Notre Dame. Or maybe four weeks later at Virginia Tech. Or against Miami on Oct. 28, or possibly even in the season finale at Georgia on Nov. 25. Somewhere, sometime, somebody will underestimate Georgia Tech, and college football fans throughout the country will find out these Yellow Jackets can sting.

Auburn and Miami got stung at their home stadiums last season. A 9–0 NC State team got stung in 2002. The Yellow Jackets have stung at least one Top 25 team each of the last 11 seasons, and this team has the talent to do it again.

It also has the chance to earn a 10th consecutive bowl berth, which puts Georgia Tech in exclusive company. Only Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan and Virginia Tech can match the Yellow Jackets’ current streak. Unlike those other schools, Georgia Tech’s streak hasn’t included any trips to the Bowl Championship Series. Don’t expect that to change this season.

But the return of all but a few offensive starters and most of a strong defensive front seven has Georgia Tech fans thinking this could finally be the season their team wins eight or nine games instead of the seven it has won in each of Chan Gailey’s first four seasons as coach.

“Expectations are high within our program every year. They never put more on us than we have on ourselves,” says Gailey, who signed a contract extension in March that keeps him on The Flats through the 2010 season.

LOWDOWN

Coach: Chan Gailey (5th season, 28-22)
2005 record: 7-5 (Lost to Utah in Emerald Bowl)
ACC finish: 5-3 (3rd Coastal)
2005 I-A offensive rankings:
Rushing: 49th (153.8 ypg)
Passing: 89th (195.3 ypg)
2005 I-A defensive rankings:
Rushing: 13th (103.9 ypg)
Passing: 52nd (213.6 ypg)

DEPTH CHART

Offense (8)

WR  89  James Johnson  So.  81  Xavier McGuire  Sr.
WR  21  *Calvin Johnson  Jr.  88  Chris Dunlap  Sr.
LT  64  *Andrew Gardner  So.  53  A.J. Smith  So.
LG  61  *Matt Rhodes  Jr.  78  LeShawn Newberry  Jr.
C  60  *Kevin Tuminello  Jr.  74  Trey Dunmon  Fr.
RG  73  *Nate McManus  Jr.  62  Jacob Lonowski  So.
RT  68  Mansfield Wrotto  Sr.  62  Jacob Lonowski  So.
TE  48  Michael Matthews  Sr.  80  *George Cooper  Sr.
QB  1  *Reggie Ball  Sr.  13  Taylor Bennett  So.
FB  40  *Mike Cox  Jr.  43  Justin Guadagni  So.
TB  22  Tashard Choice  Jr.  3  Rashaun Grant  Jr.

Defense (5)

DE  90  Darrell Robertson  Jr.  93  Michael Johnson  So.
DT  95  Darryl Richard  So.  94  Elris Anyaibe  So.
DT  96  *Joe Anoai  Sr.  99  Vance Walker  So.
DE  42  *Adamm Oliver  Jr.  93  Michael Johnson  So.
LB  58  Gary Guyton  Jr.  44  Taalib Tucker  So.
LB  41  *Philip Wheeler  Jr.  52  Travis Chambers  Jr.
LB  35  *KaMichael Hall  Sr.  17  Matt Braman  So.
CB  34  Avery Roberson  Jr.  6  Pat Clark  Jr.
CB  2  *Kenny Scott  Sr.  32  Jahi Word-Daniels  So.
SS  4  Jamal Lewis  Jr.  29  Sam Williams  Sr.
FS  23  Djay Jones  Jr.  47  Jake Blackwood  Fr.

Special Teams

K  87  Travis Bell  Jr.
P  39  Durant Brooks  Jr.
KR  3  Rashaun Grant  Jr.
PR  6  Pat Clark  Jr.

(#) Indicates number of returning starters
* Indicates returning starters

2006 SCHEDULE

Sept. 2  Notre Dame
Sept. 9  Samford
Sept. 16  Troy
Sept. 21  Virginia
Sept. 30  at Virginia Tech
Oct. 7  Maryland
Oct. 21  at Clemson
Oct. 28  Miami
Nov. 4  at NC State
Nov. 11  at North Carolina
Nov. 18  Duke
Nov. 25  at Georgia

OFFENSE

Start with an All-America wide receiver. Add an offensive line with four returning starters, plus returning starters at fullback and tight end. Then factor in a fourth-year starter at quarterback. That’s what Georgia Tech has this year, and it sure sounds like the makings of a good offense.

The All-America receiver is Calvin Johnson, the only returning unanimous selection to the 2005 All-ACC team. Can Tech get him the ball? That has been an ongoing question, especially after Johnson ended last season with his two least-productive games — two catches for 14 yards against Georgia and two catches for 19 yards against Utah in the Emerald Bowl. Johnson, a junior, had 54 catches for 888 yards and six touchdowns last year. Nearly every opponent double-teams him. So, Tech’s other receivers have to be good enough to make defenses pay. This year, they might be.

Tashard Choice, who led the team with six rushing touchdowns last season, inherits the running back job from three-year starter P.J. Daniels. Choice should be up to the task.

Quarterback Reggie Ball has completed fewer than half his passes each of the last two seasons, including a career-worst 48.0 completion percentage last season. But the ACC’s 2003 Rookie of the Year has figured out how to cut down on interceptions. Ball was picked off once every 18 passes as a sophomore, once every 32 passes as a junior. When asked his goals for spring practice, Ball’s answer was to get through it without throwing an interception. He didn’t quite make it, but look for him to do an even better job taking care of the football this season.

DEFENSE

Most of the front seven returns from the unit that at its best shut down Miami and forced five turnovers at Auburn but at its worst yielded 38 points and 381 passing yards in the Emerald Bowl loss to Utah.

Tackle Darryl Richard, the top NFL prospect on the Yellow Jackets’ defense, sat out last season because of an ACL tear but has come back stronger and, coaches say, more explosive than ever.

Big-play linebackers Philip Wheeler and KaMichael Hall return, but the Yellow Jackets could miss the steady play they got the past two seasons from departed middle linebacker Gerris Wilkinson.

The big issues are in the secondary, where cornerback Kenny Scott is the only returnee among Tech’s top five defensive backs. Things got worse when Joe Gaston, a candidate to start at strong safety, suffered a season-ending knee injury in spring practice. Pat Clark, Tech’s No. 2 returning pass-catcher, shifted to defense before spring practice and could wind up as the team’s nickel back or possibly even a starting cornerback.

SPECIALISTS

Travis Bell set a school record as a freshman when he made 15 consecutive field goals. Last season, though, Bell went 11-of-21. Bell and his coaches say he got back on track in the spring. Durant Brooks steps in at punter and should do fine.

FINAL ANALYSIS

If the defensive front seven can make up for the inexperience in the secondary and somebody besides Johnson can become a consistent pass-catching threat, this team should reach a bowl game for the 10th consecutive season.

The schedule starts with Notre Dame, ends with Georgia and includes a trip to Virginia Tech and a homecoming game against Miami. It’s tough. But Tech has a history of pulling off upsets. This could be the year the Jackets climb past the seven victories coach Chan Gailey has posted in each of his first four seasons.

This Georgia Tech team preview was pulled from our 2006 National College Football preview magazine.  To order this or the 2006 ACC Regional preview magazine - with expanded team coverage and conference features - click here