Deion Sanders walked off the field in Atlanta after Colorado’s 14-13 upset of Georgia Tech with more than a season-opening win on his mind. The night was emotional for the Buffaloes coach, and the reason had nothing to do with the cameras, the spotlight, or the usual “Coach Prime” noise.
It was his son.
Shedeur Sanders made the trip to Bobby Dodd Stadium after finishing NFL practice, then spent the evening on the Colorado sideline supporting his father and his old program. For Deion, that meant everything.
“Y’all see a coach, you see Prime, you see someone that has dealt with success in certain areas of life,” Sanders said. “Some of them have made a multitude of mistakes as well.
But y’all forget, like, I’m a real loving, caring father. And that’s my son, man.
So I feel it.”
Sanders said Shedeur planned to fly back with the Buffaloes and stay with him for a couple of days before the NFL season begins.
“For him to, you know, get out of practice and make it to this game, I think he’s going to fly back with us,” Sanders said. “He’s going to spend a couple days with his dad. Like, I love that.”
He kept leaning into the same theme when talking about fatherhood, and the emotion was easy to hear in his words.
“I love fatherhood. I love fatherhood.
I really do,” Sanders said. “I wasn’t fathered like I’m a father.
So some people can take the wrong and keep it going wrong. Some people can take the wrong and make it right.”
The win itself gave Colorado plenty to celebrate. The Buffaloes rallied in the fourth quarter, then survived Georgia Tech’s potential game-winning field goal attempt as time expired.
Colorado’s defense carried a huge share of the load, limiting Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards on 30 carries - just 1.7 yards per attempt - and not allowing a touchdown. The Yellow Jackets’ only score came on a kickoff return.
That kind of performance stands out even more when measured against last season. Colorado finished No. 133 nationally in rushing defense, giving up 222.5 rushing yards per game. Georgia Tech entered the game ranked No. 21 nationally in rushing offense at 197.5 yards per game.
Boo Carter delivered two of the biggest plays of the night for the Buffaloes. The Tennessee transfer recovered a first-quarter fumble, then blocked Georgia Tech’s possible game-winner as the clock hit zero, helping Colorado escape with the one-point victory.
The setting added another layer to the night for Sanders. Atlanta was the city where he became a sports icon while starring for both the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves, and now he was back there with Shedeur on the sideline for another memorable moment.
In an exclusive interview with Colorado Buffaloes on SI reporter Bri Amaranthus, Sanders pushed back on the idea that his image is all style and no substance.
"I’ve learned not to get too caught up in what people say about me. But if there’s one thing that gets old, it’s the idea that everything about “Coach Prime” is just flash. Folks see the jewelry, the confidence, the cameras - but they don’t always see the preparation, the discipline, the heart," Sanders told Amaranthus.
That heart showed most clearly after the final whistle. The football mattered, but not as much as the father-son moment that followed Colorado’s win.
Shedeur’s presence made the night even bigger for the Buffaloes coach, especially given how deeply connected the former Colorado quarterback remains to the program. His No. 2 jersey is retired at Colorado, and he is still one of the most beloved players in school history.
After transferring from Jackson State to Colorado in December 2022, Shedeur threw for 7,364 yards and 64 touchdowns in two seasons in Boulder. He also threw a touchdown pass in 49 straight games, the longest streak in NCAA D1 history. He broke over 100 school records and finished third in passing yards, fifth in attempts, third in completions, first in passing touchdowns and in quarterback rating.
Colorado’s upset pushed the program back into the national conversation, but for Deion Sanders, the night was about something simpler. The victory mattered.
The return to Atlanta mattered. But above all, having his son there made it personal.
In Other News...
Colorado Defense May Have Found An Immediate Difference Maker
Lamont Lester Jr. wasted little time making his presence felt for Colorado, turning in a breakout night against Georgia Tech with three sacks. One of them came at a pivotal third-quarter moment, ending a drive and giving the Buffaloes a jolt from a defensive newcomer who looked anything but new to the stage.
Lester had already shown the mindset for this kind of performance in a previous podcast interview, describing himself as relentless and intent on dominating while continuing to improve. He also pointed to the coaching he received at Monmouth and said confidence and preparation were central to his development, which is exactly the kind of foundation Colorado will be hoping translates into more immediate impact. [Read more 🡒]
Former Colorado Defender Just Added Real Emotion To The Georgia Tech Opener
Ahead of the season opener, Georgia Tech defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas put a little extra edge into a matchup that already had plenty of built-in intrigue. Thomas, who spent time at Louisville and Colorado before transferring to Atlanta, is giving the Yellow Jackets some help on the defensive line after a career that included a stint under Deion Sanders with the Buffs and a run of production that made him a meaningful addition for his new team.
Thomas also made it clear the opener carries more than ordinary first-game stakes for him. In a social media post, he expressed a desire for revenge against his former school, turning a nonconference matchup into something more personal and giving Colorado another layer to think about as it gets ready to open the year against a player who knows the program from the inside. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados 2026 Offense Hinges On One Huge Question
Colorados offense for 2026 is already taking shape around a familiar kind of optimism, with Deion Sanders entering another season and new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion charged with keeping the unit moving in the right direction. The early read points to quarterback Julian Lewis as the most important piece, after a promising freshman season that set him up to be the expected starter and the centerpiece of whatever Marion wants to build.
Joseph Williams also looms as a possible difference-maker at receiver, giving the Buffaloes at least one more name to watch as the offense comes into focus. Still, the bigger question is whether Lewis can make the leap from promising young quarterback to true driver of the attack, because for Colorado, the answer may define how much Marion can open things up in his first year calling the offense. [Read more 🡒]