Brent Key, undefeated and 7th-ranked Yellow Jackets have their guard up against Syracuse

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech has its guard up.

The undefeated, seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets are preparing to host Syracuse on Saturday, and coach Brent Key isn't letting them grow complacent.

“There’s three things I told the team, and they have to understand this,” Key said Tuesday. “I walked in and said, ‘Appreciate it guys, you’ve worked your butts off for this. But understand teams die from inside out, and not the outside in. Number two, we can get beat. And number three, this time of year teams either improve, or they get worse. You don’t stay the same.’”

Georgia Tech (4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) has its highest AP poll ranking since 2009 and its first 7-0 start since 1966. A victory over Syracuse (3-4, 1-3) would secure Georgia Tech’s first eight-win season since 2016 and the sixth 8-0 start in program history.

“If you can’t appreciate success, what’s really the motivation to continue to do what you do?” Key said. “The reward comes at the end of the year, but there’s small rewards each week.”

Twenty unanswered second-half points in a 27-18 win at Duke last week kept the undefeated season alive. The Yellow Jackets trailed 10-7 deep into the third quarter against the Blue Devils and did not score an offensive touchdown until the final five minutes of the game, all while surrendering 441 yards.

“It’s hard to get better,” Key said. “It’s a choice and decision everybody has to make. That was the challenge to the team. They’re going to hear it, I’m not oblivious to that. But it’s still the same thing we said before. It’s their decision, it’s their choice what they give their full attention to.”

Georgia Tech is the only remaining undefeated ACC team and one of just six across the Football Bowl Subdivision.

All of the potential historical marks combined with the chase for an ACC championship and a College Football Playoff appearance have created noise around the program heading into its homecoming game.

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Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key walks the sidelines during an NCAA college football game against Duke in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

Anthony Davis has ligament damage in his left hand, and the Dallas Mavericks' oft-injured big man could be facing an extended absence, a person with knowledge of the injury told The Associated Press on Friday.

Davis was injured late in a 116-114 loss at the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. The 10-time All-Star was in obvious pain on the bench before going to the locker room. Further testing revealed the extent of the damage, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because details of the injury haven't been publicly revealed.

The latest injury for Davis is a significant development for the Mavericks as they try to figure out how to move on from the trade for Davis that sent young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers 11 months ago.

General manager Nico Harrison, the orchestrator of the deal, was fired in November after Dallas got off to a slow start. The Mavericks are 10 games under .500 and out of the playoff picture less than two years after playing in the NBA Finals.

There has been speculation about Davis getting traded again, but most of that has been predicated on him being healthy. The hand injury could sideline him until after the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

The 32-year-old Davis has missed 18 of the Mavericks' 31 games this season with calf and groin injuries. He was nursing an abdominal injury when the Mavericks traded for him last February, and he re-aggravated it in his Dallas debut. Davis was sidelined for the next 18 games.

AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) drives to the basket while guarded by Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)

Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, center, lays the ball to the basket as Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis, left, is injured on the play during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)