Deion Sanders and Colorado are headed into the 2026 opener with a reunion waiting on the other side. When the Buffaloes travel to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech on Sept. 3, they’ll see a familiar number in the Yellow Jackets’ defensive front: former Colorado defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas.
Thomas spent the last two seasons in Boulder before transferring to Georgia Tech in January, and the redshirt senior said the matchup brings plenty of feeling along with the usual first-game buzz.
“I feel I’m excited,” Thomas said. “I mean, I get to play the people I just was with. I have a lot of respect for them and the Colorado program.”
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. MT at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field, with ESPN televising the Thursday night game. Georgia Tech is also planning a Whiteout for its home opener.
For Thomas, the game lands after a 2025 season that never really got off the ground. The Tampa, Florida, native played in four games before an injury ended his year early. He finished with 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry.
That followed a full 2024 season in which he appeared in all 13 games for Colorado and logged 18 tackles, including 13 solo stops, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Before arriving in Boulder, Thomas started his college career at Louisville after starring as a three-star prospect at Gaither High School in Tampa.
He spent 17 games over two seasons with the Buffaloes and became part of their interior rotation after transferring in May 2024. Now he’s back in the ACC, listed by Georgia Tech at 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds, and ready to line up against the program he knows best.
“I was hurt last year, so I’ve been out for a little minute,” Thomas said. “I just can’t wait to get back on the field. It’s just better playing my old team.”
Thomas’ connection to Colorado goes beyond game film. He knows several players still on the roster and understands how Coach Prime has gone about building the team through competition. That familiarity adds another layer to a season opener that already has a little extra bite.
The reunion also picked up attention this offseason when Thomas posted a Georgia Tech image celebrating last season’s 27-20 win over Colorado and tagged the Buffaloes’ social-media account. His latest comments, though, stayed centered on respect for his former team.
Colorado’s offense will have plenty of new faces in front of Thomas when the teams meet. The Buffaloes rebuilt their offensive line through the transfer portal after last season and brought in Bo Hughley from Georgia, Jayvon McFadden from Ohio State, Leon Bell from California, Taj White from Rutgers and Demetrius Hunter from Houston.
Chauncey Gooden remains in the mix as a returner and gives Colorado options at both guard and tackle. The staff has spent fall camp sorting out combinations, interior roles and communication before the opener.
That first test comes against a Georgia Tech front that includes Thomas, who knows what Colorado expects from its offensive line and what it will take to handle the physical side of the matchup. Brennan Marion’s offense is built to play fast and create space with shifting formations and backfield movement, which means Georgia Tech’s defensive front will be tasked with trying to wreck rhythm early.
Colorado and Georgia Tech met in the 2025 opener at Folsom Field, where the Yellow Jackets won 27-20. This time the rematch shifts to Atlanta, where Colorado opens a season with a heavily reworked roster and Georgia Tech introduces Thomas as one of several transfers trying to carve out a place under its staff.
For Thomas, the stage is set for a debut against the team he just left. For Colorado, it’s a first look at a rebuilt offensive line in a nationally televised road game before Big 12 Conference play begins.
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