Colorado’s Week 1 countdown got a little more revealing Monday, and not all of the news out of Deion Sanders’ game-week presser was comforting.
With the Buffaloes set to open the 2026 season against Georgia Tech on Thursday night, Sanders spent his time at the podium breaking down the matchup, praising the Yellow Jackets, and offering a few clues about what Colorado’s first look at this new roster might actually look like. The biggest wrinkle: the kicking situation still isn’t settled.
Sanders made it clear he sees a real test in Georgia Tech, starting with running back Justice Haynes.
"He's dynamic. He can score from anywhere on the field," Sanders said.
"He's tough, he's physical. The kid can play man.
We are fully aware of wherever he's going to line up Thursday night."
He didn’t stop there. Sanders also gave Brent Key credit and called the opener a difficult assignment, while noting that Haynes King is no longer on the roster.
"Truly a task [on facing Georgia Tech]," Sanders continued. "Thank God that quarterback [Haynes King] is gone. Tough, hard-nosed, detailed coach...it is going to be a tremendous challenge."
Back on Colorado’s side, Sanders said the energy has sharpened now that the team is fully in game-prep mode. He described the communication and consistency from the staff as a major strength, and said the players are locked in.
"The intensity is there," Sanders said. "They have been consistent on who they are since the beginning.
It's a multitude of things, lots of inspiration, encouraging, challenging… These coaches are really good at communicating with the young men on our roster. It's second to none."
"These young men are excited," Sanders said about his roster. "They can't wait to go."
One of the more notable developments from Monday was Sanders’ update on the field goal job. That spot still hasn’t been decided, even though Sanders had wrapped spring camp by saying freshman Elliot Arnold was "the guy." Colorado has since brought in Cadel Ayala from the JUCO level, and Ayala is clearly pushing for the job.
There was also a clear priority Sanders wants to see from his defense in the opener. For him, it starts with pursuit and speed.
"I want to see how they get to the ball defensively," Sanders said. "I want to see the explosiveness of some of the [defensive] backs. When you fly to the ball like that you should see turnovers."
And on offense, Sanders confirmed what the structure of Brennan Marion’s Go-Go attack already suggested: Colorado is planning to spread the work around in the backfield.
"You’re going to see at least four, possibly five [running backs]," Sanders said.
That group is expected to include Micah Welch, Damian Henderson II, JaQuail Smith, DeKalon Taylor and Richard Young.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Is Treating Georgia Tech Like A Real Early Test
Preparing for a Thursday night road game has already pushed Deion Sanders to rethink the Colorado Buffaloes routine, and this weeks changes go beyond the usual game-plan tweaks. Practice will move later in the day, players will be allowed to sleep in, and meal timing will shift as well, all in an effort to get the teams body clocks closer to an 8 p.m. local kickoff at Georgia Tech.
Sanders has framed the adjustments as part of treating the opener like a real early test, not a quick competitive trick. For a team trying to settle into the rhythm of the season, the trip offers a chance to find out how well Colorado can handle a different schedule, a late start and the kind of preparation that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]
Charles Huff Just Drew A National Comparison Memphis Fans Will Notice
Memphis opened the season with a win in Charles Huffs first game as head coach, and the early buzz around the Tigers has quickly spilled into a broader conversation about how different programs are being built. Sports commentator Jason Whitlock used Huffs start to draw a national comparison with Deion Sanders, pointing to Huffs hands-on approach and the way he goes about the job versus Sanders much bigger media footprint at Colorado.
For Buffaloes followers, the contrast lands in a familiar place, especially with Colorado drawing less ESPN attention this season than it did during its most recent run of heavy national coverage. Sanders still commands headlines by default, but the discussion around Huff adds another layer to how coaches are being judged now, not just by the results on the field but by the style they bring to the program and the attention they attract. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado's 2026 Outlook Puts Deion's Offseason Overhaul Under Pressure
Colorados recent baseline is still pretty modest by Power Four standards, which is why the offseason overhaul around Deion Sanders carries so much weight entering 2026. The Buffaloes have reached three bowl games in the past decade, including one under Sanders, but the program now looks very different after changes on both sides of the staff and another heavy wave of transfers. Theres optimism in the building, but theres also the reality that this kind of turnover usually comes with growing pains.
That tension is showing up in the way observers are sizing up the season. Staff members at Buffaloes Wire have projected records anywhere from 6-6 to 8-4, with most of them landing on the same general idea: Colorado should have enough to reach bowl eligibility, but not enough, at least on paper, to crash the conference title picture. For a team trying to turn a major offseason reset into a real step forward, the line between progress and pressure may be thinner than it looks. [Read more 🡒]