Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are kicking off the 2026 season under the bright lights once again - and in a city that holds a special place in Sanders’ storied career.
Colorado’s season opener at Georgia Tech has officially been moved to Thursday, Sept. 3, in Atlanta. The game will air nationally on ESPN, with kickoff time still to be announced. It’s another prime-time slot for a program that’s become a regular fixture in marquee windows since Sanders took over.
This marks the third straight year Colorado’s opener has been pulled from the traditional Saturday slate. In fact, 12 of the Buffaloes’ last 14 season openers have been played outside of the usual Saturday window - a clear sign that networks see value in putting Coach Prime and his team front and center. Last year’s matchup between these same two teams took place on a Friday night in Boulder.
This season’s opener is the back half of a home-and-home series between Colorado and Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets took the first meeting last year, edging the Buffs 27-20 in a tightly contested game at Folsom Field.
Now, Colorado heads to Atlanta looking to even the series - and notch just their second win ever in the state of Georgia. The only other time the Buffs played there?
A 2006 matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs.
But this trip to Atlanta means more than just football. For Sanders, it’s a return to the city where his legend was born.
He was drafted fifth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 1989, and it was in Atlanta that he became a two-sport sensation, suiting up for both the Falcons and the Braves. One of the most iconic moments of his career happened there on October 11, 1992, when he famously played in both an NFL and MLB game on the same day.
So yeah - this one’s personal.
As for the rest of the early schedule, Colorado’s home opener is set for Sept. 12 against Weber State. The Buffaloes are coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2025 - the toughest stretch yet under Sanders - and they’ll be looking to flip the script in Year Three.
Opening the season on the road, in prime time, in a city that helped shape the myth of Deion Sanders? That’s not just a game - it’s a statement opportunity.