It’s finally game week for Colorado, and the Buffaloes open 2026 with a Thursday night trip to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
For Deion Sanders, the city carries weight. He called Atlanta a place with “many meaningful moments,” and it’s easy to see why: 35 years ago, he was the fifth overall pick in the 1989 NFL draft for the Falcons, and he also spent time with the Atlanta Braves. Still, Sanders has made it plain that this return isn’t about looking back.
Colorado wants the result, not the memories.
That’s the backdrop for CU’s fourth season under Sanders, and the rematch with Georgia Tech gives the Buffs an immediate test on national TV. With transfer-heavy rosters and plenty of new faces, Thursday night should tell both teams a lot about where they stand right away.
“You can hope and pray. You have metrics that you assess.
You watch the tape,” said Chris Marve, CU’s first-year defensive coordinator. “I think as a coach, you’ve got to believe your eyes and also your instinct and a combination therein.
But once you know, once you lock up against somebody else, (you know).”
Last year’s opener in Boulder was a rough one for Colorado. Georgia Tech rolled in and left with a seven-point win after pounding out 320 rushing yards. The Buffs never really steadied themselves after that, and the season spiraled from there.
CU finished with the second-worst run defense in the country. Even after a midseason win over 22nd-ranked Iowa State created some hope, the closing stretch was ugly: five straight losses by an average of 24.6 points.
Sanders didn’t sugarcoat that disappointment at last week’s annual kickoff luncheon. He said the most frustrating part wasn’t the final scores so much as “how we didn’t fight until the end.”
Now Colorado is trying to write a different opening chapter.
This matchup also comes with a few mirrors. Sanders and Georgia Tech coach Brent Key are both entering their fourth seasons.
Key is a former Yellow Jackets player and assistant, while both programs are also breaking in new coordinators. Marve is set for his first game calling CU’s defense, and Brennan Marion will make his debut as offensive coordinator.
Georgia Tech has George Godsey running the offense after a 15-season NFL assistant run, and Jason Semore takes over the defense after spending last season at Southern Miss.
There’s plenty of turnover on both rosters, too, and both teams are leaning on young quarterbacks with a lot of talent and not much experience. Georgia Tech’s Alberto Mendoza played in 10 games off the bench last season while backing up his brother, Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, at national champion Indiana. Colorado’s Lewis saw more action in four appearances last year, throwing 94 passes without an interception, but the 18-year-old still hasn’t won a college game as a starter.
Marion said the opener is exactly the kind of stage coaches and players want.
“I’m really excited for the game. I know a lot of those guys on the staff over there,” Marion said.
“It’s exciting to play real guys. It’s your first game, get an opportunity to go against a real opponent that has physicality, intensity.
I know those guys are going to play hard. That’s what you want.
“Any time going into game one, to be a real guy you have to play a real guy. Excited for an opportunity to go play coach Key and those guys in Atlanta.”
In Other News...
Colorado Defense May Have Found An Immediate Difference Maker
Colorados defense got an early jolt from a newcomer against Georgia Tech, and Lamont Lester Jr. was right in the middle of it. The transfer turned in a disruptive outing with three sacks, including a third-quarter takedown that snuffed out a drive and gave the Buffaloes a much-needed playmaker off the edge.
Lester had already hinted at the mindset behind his rise in a prior podcast interview, describing himself as relentless and focused on dominating while constantly improving. He pointed to the development he got from his position coach at Monmouth and stressed confidence and preparation as the foundation of his success, which makes his immediate impact in Boulder feel less like a surprise than the next step in a player who believes he is built for it. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Opener Got Extra Heat From An Unexpected Colorado Twist
Shedeur Sanders was back around Colorado football for the season opener at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and his presence added a familiar layer to a game already slowed by a weather delay. The former Buffaloes quarterback, now with the Cleveland Browns, has left a real mark on the program after setting school records and steering Colorado to a bowl game last season, so his return naturally drew attention as the Buffaloes settled in with new starting quarterback Julian Lewis.
Lewis had a rough opening stretch, with ball handling and passing issues showing up during the first three quarters while Colorado tried to find a rhythm. With Sanders watching from the stands, every snap seemed to carry a little extra weight, and the opener took on the feel of more than just a new season starting. For Colorado, it was a reminder of how quickly the quarterback spotlight can shift, and how much the old one still lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Escaped Georgia Tech But Buffs Fans Still Have One Big Debate
Colorados season opener had the kind of finish that can shape a fan bases mood for days. The Buffs edged Georgia Tech 14-13 in a tense game that came down to the final snap, with the offense having to answer in the closing minutes and the defense needing one last stand to keep the win from slipping away.
Julian Lewis helped steady the moment with the late touchdown drive, and the victory gave Colorado plenty to feel good about beyond the final score. Even so, the conversation around the program now has a familiar edge to it: the kind of debate that comes after a narrow escape, when one play can be praised, questioned, and replayed from every angle long after the crowd leaves the stadium. [Read more 🡒]