Deion Sanders didn’t waste time Thursday night when asked how he felt with Colorado set to open against Georgia Tech. The Buffaloes coach gave ESPN’s sideline reporter a simple answer that landed like a statement of purpose: “I'm back,”
That was the message Sanders sent to the college football world as the season was about to get underway. He has never been one to back away from bold words, and this one fit the moment.
There’s plenty riding on this year for Sanders, who is trying to steady a Colorado program that took a major step backward after his first season. The Buffaloes went 9-4 in 2024, when Shedeur Sanders was the quarterback and Travis Hunter was starring as a two-way player.
But after both of them moved on, Colorado stumbled to a 3-9 finish in 2025, including a 1-8 mark in the Big 12. A drop-off was expected, but that kind of record still counts as a failure in college football.
Now Sanders is in a different place with the program. His children are no longer part of college football, and he doesn’t have the same direct connection to Colorado that he once did. That leaves him with a season that feels like a true proving ground for his coaching career.
What happens next could shape where he goes from here. A strong year could put him in line for a better job, while another losing season might push him toward easing the burden and stepping away.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Was Overwhelmed By One Colorado Debut They Wont Forget
Georgia Tech came out of its 2026 opener facing a Colorado defense that looked different from the start, and not just because of the new coordinator. Under Chris Marve, the Buffaloes made the Yellow Jackets fight for every yard, and the run game never found much room to breathe in a 14-13 loss that felt as much like a defensive statement as a season opener.
The biggest problem for Georgia Tech was Lamont Lester Jr., the transfer edge rusher who turned his Colorado debut into a headache for the Jackets. Lester finished with three sacks and repeatedly showed up on third downs, breaking up the rhythm of the offense and helping hold Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards, its lowest total since 2022. [Read more 🡒]
Former Colorado Defender Just Added Real Emotion To The Georgia Tech Opener
Tawfiq Thomas is bringing more than a fresh start to Georgia Tech this season. The defensive tackle, who arrived from Colorado after previous stops at Louisville and with the Buffaloes, has added a personal edge to the Yellow Jackets opener by making it clear on social media that the matchup carries extra meaning for him. It is the kind of transfer storyline that gives an early-season game a little more bite, especially for a Georgia Tech defense looking to lean on him up front.
Thomas already has the kind of college experience that can matter in a game like this, including his time playing under Deion Sanders at Colorado and producing notable defensive numbers along the way. Georgia Tech brought him in to help fortify the line, and now his first chance to face his old team comes right away. For a player with a point to prove, the opener is no longer just a season starter - it is a reunion with a little more emotion attached. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Opener Got Extra Heat From An Unexpected Colorado Twist
The season opener at Bobby Dodd Stadium already had enough buzz with Colorado and Georgia Tech meeting under the lights, and then the weather added another layer of drama. Shedeur Sanders was in the building, taking in the Buffaloes game against the Yellow Jackets and spending time on the sideline supporting his former team during the delay, a sight that naturally pulled a little extra attention toward Colorados end of the field.
It also gave the night an unusual backdrop for a matchup that was supposed to be about the next chapter in Boulder. With Sanders watching, current Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis had a rough time handling the ball, turning an already tense opener into a sharper test for the Buffaloes. For Georgia Tech fans, it was just another reminder that even a nonconference game can come with plenty of unexpected drama before the final whistle ever matters. [Read more 🡒]