Deion Sanders didn’t spend Monday pretending Colorado’s trip to Georgia Tech is just another opener. He knows better than that. With the Buffaloes heading into the 2026 season in Atlanta, Sanders leaned into the unpredictability of a rematch between two teams that have both changed plenty since last year.
“It’s fun. It’s a great matchup,” Sanders said on Monday during CU’s press conference. “Because we’re doing primarily the same thing they’re doing.”
That “same thing” is a lot of turnover, a lot of new voices, and a lot of unknowns. Georgia Tech brought in former NFL coach George Godsey as offensive coordinator and DeAndre Hopkins as an assistant wide receivers coach. Colorado answered with its own new-look staff, adding offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve.
Sanders made it clear he likes what he has. He called his coordinators “really good” and sounded as confident as ever about the group heading to Atlanta.
“They’re not new to this; they’re true to this,” Sanders explained. “They’re not going to be blinded by light or enamored with the stage.
These guys are ready. I’m telling you.
The whole darn staff is good. I’m comfortable.
I’m comfortable with what we’re going to Atlanta with.”
That confidence matters because Colorado has a chance to open the season with a road win that would carry real weight early in 2026. Sanders didn’t promise anything, but he clearly sees the opportunity.
There’s also the added wrinkle of familiar faces on the other sideline. Sanders smiled when talking about former Buffs now playing for Georgia Tech.
“There are a couple of guys that once played here that play over there,” Sanders said with a grin. “That’s going to be fun. There’s gonna be some chatter with that, and that’s going to be good.”
One of those former Buffs has already stirred things up. Former Colorado defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas drew attention after posting a photo of himself next to a framed poster marking Georgia Tech’s 27-20 win over Colorado at Folsom Field. The image spread fast among Buffs fans, many of whom weren’t exactly amused.
Thomas said last week that he’s looking forward to the game and to seeing his old teammates again.
“I’m excited. I mean, I get to play the people I was just with.
I have a lot of respect for them and the Colorado program. I just can’t wait for the first game,” Thomas said.
“I was hurt last year, so I’ve been out for a minute. So, I just can’t wait to get back on the field.
It’s just better playing my old team, and just a lot of emotions.”
Thomas won’t be alone. Former CU defensive end Taje McCoy spent two seasons in Boulder before transferring to Oklahoma State, then entered the portal again after one year and landed at Georgia Tech for 2026. Both will be on the Yellow Jackets’ side when the teams meet in Atlanta.
Sanders also took time to praise Georgia Tech coach Brent Key, making it clear he expects a real test.
“I admire and respect their head coach so darn much. It is unbelievable, I really do,” Sanders said.
“It’s going to be a good task. They’re coming in with a quarterback that’s uncertain as well, so all the way across the board it’s a good matchup.”
On Colorado’s side, Sanders said he isn’t looking to pile extra pressure on redshirt sophomore quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis. He wants Lewis focused on one thing: running the play that’s called.
If Lewis does that and Colorado’s new staff clicks right away, the Buffaloes have a shot to walk out of Atlanta with a win that would say plenty about where this team is headed in 2026.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Could Catch Tennessee In A Risky Early QB Spot
Tennessee is making an early bet on upside by naming freshman Faizon Brandon its starting quarterback for the season opener against Furman, giving the highly rated recruit the job over sophomore George MacIntyre after a strong run in offseason scrimmages. It is a bold move for a team that knows what is coming later on the schedule, especially with SEC pressure waiting and a supporting cast around Brandon that includes an experienced offensive line and returning skill talent.
For Georgia Tech, the timing matters because any early uncertainty at quarterback for a conference foe can shape how that matchup unfolds down the road. Brandon arrives with plenty of hype and a stable of veterans around him, but he will still be making his first climb through the week-to-week grind of a college season, and that is the kind of test opponents quietly monitor as they sort through their own path through the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech's Tight End Pecking Order Just Took An Interesting Turn
Fall camp is in the books for Georgia Tech, and with Colorado up next, one of the more quietly important developments has come at tight end. Chris Corbo, back after working his way through a spring injury, has moved into a prominent spot in the room and looks positioned to matter more than just as a depth piece. His experience has given the Yellow Jackets a steadier presence at a position group that can shape how an offense functions, especially early in the season.
Corbos rise also adds another layer to a tight end rotation that includes Kevin Roche Jr. and Gavin Harris, giving Georgia Tech a few different options as it sorts out roles heading into game week. The bigger takeaway is not simply who is getting reps, but who the staff seems ready to lean on when the offense needs a dependable target and a voice in the huddle. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech May Be Getting A Bigger Tight End Boost Than Expected
Kevin Roche spent his first season at Georgia Tech mostly in the background, but the second-year tight end used the spring and offseason to try to change that. He worked on the parts of his game that usually decide whether a young tight end earns more snaps, sharpening his blocking technique, improving his footwork and adding strength while getting steady guidance from tight ends coaches Nathan Brock and George Godsey.
The progress has also come with a boost in confidence, helped along by support from senior teammates who have shown him how the position is supposed to look in this offense. For Georgia Tech, that matters because tight end development can open up more options in the run game and give the passing attack another usable piece, and Roche now appears positioned to be more than just a depth option in his second season. [Read more 🡒]