Deion Sanders left Atlanta with one of the biggest coaching wins of his career, but the moment that followed the final whistle got ugly fast.
After Colorado knocked off Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium, video from the field showed Sanders and his son Shedeur Sanders walking off together in celebration. As the two reached the tunnel, a Yellow Jackets fan shouted an expletive at the Colorado coach. Sanders then briefly turned back and appeared to say something toward the fan before heading to the locker room.
The reaction online was swift, and plenty of college football fans ripped the Georgia Tech supporter for the outburst. “Trying to Get him out of Character so they can Sue- Cowards!!”
one user wrote. Another added, “Deions probably used to hecklers he’s a former NFL player for crying out loud,” while a third said, “Unnecessary and disgusting that somebody would disrespect deion like that,” and another posted, “Disrespecting prime in Atlanta is nasty.”
One more comment piled on: “Here come all the ‘Deion Sanders is what’s wrong with college football’ people, meanwhile Lane Kiffin is causing absolute chaos in court allowing pro athletes play in college sports and all he gets is ‘oh Lane is just being Lane’…”
The noise around the tunnel incident didn’t change the fact that Colorado opened the season with a major road win in a year Sanders badly needs one. The Buffaloes’ defense limited Georgia Tech to 13 points, their fewest allowed since last year’s Week 2 win over Delaware, an FCS school.
Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis wasn’t flashy, but he did enough to get the job done. He completed 14 of 27 passes for 124 yards and threw the game-winning touchdown, finishing with a 102.7 QB rating.
The Buffaloes are back home next, with their Sept. 12 opener against Weber State of FCS.
In Other News...
Colorado Needs To Figure Out Ernest Campbell Before This Becomes Bigger
Ernest Campbell barely factored into Colorados season opener against Georgia Tech, finishing with limited playing time and no catches as the Buffaloes worked through their first live look of the year. Even so, the receiver remains an intriguing piece of Colorados offense because of the speed he brought from Sacramento State and the familiarity he already has with the current offensive coordinator.
Colorado does not need to force Campbell into a starring role right away, but his skill set is the kind that can change how defenses line up if the staff finds the right spots for him. Whether that comes in situational packages or on special teams, his lack of involvement in the opener feels more like the start of a question than the end of one. [Read more 🡒]
Brennan Marion Just Gave Colorado Fans A Reason To Believe
Brennan Marions first game as Colorados offensive coordinator came with the kind of road test that can tell a staff a lot about itself. Facing Georgia Tech, the Buffaloes leaned into a physical, run-first plan and found enough balance to survive a tough opponent, with DeKalon Taylor giving the offense a needed spark and tight end Charlie Williams coming through with a go-ahead touchdown catch.
Marion said the challenge was matching the moment with the right strategy, and Colorados answer was to keep pressing with the run game and let the defense and special teams finish it off. Boo Carters late block on a field goal attempt sealed the win, leaving the impression that Colorado may have found a blueprint it can trust when games get messy and the margin gets thin. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Has One Defensive Problem It Must Fix Fast
Georgia Techs season-opening loss to Colorado left a sour finish in front of the home crowd, but the bigger concern came from how the game unfolded after halftime. The Yellow Jackets defense had trouble controlling the middle of the line, and the Buffaloes took advantage by turning to a physical ground approach that started to tilt the game in their favor.
Colorado finished with 183 rushing yards in the second half, with Damian Henderson leading the way as the Buffaloes kept attacking inside. Georgia Techs coach pointed to the interior play of the defensive line as a problem that has to get corrected quickly, because if that weakness lingers, opponents are likely to keep probing it until the Yellow Jackets prove they can stop it. [Read more 🡒]