Colorado’s trip to Georgia Tech is pulling more eyes than some expected, and the buzz has already produced a milestone in Atlanta.
Bobby Dodd Stadium was sold out before the Buffaloes and Yellow Jackets kicked off Sept. 3, making it the first sold-out crowd for a Georgia Tech home opener in 20 years. That comes after Colorado’s popularity dipped during the 2025 season, according to viewership reports released Aug. 18, and after the Buffaloes finished 3-9 the previous year.
Still, Deion Sanders has a way of moving the needle. Georgia Tech coach Brent Key made it clear he understood why this matchup had attention well before kickoff.
"Deion is the biggest sports celebrity probably to ever play in the city of Atlanta is coming back home. I’ve equated it to Tom Brady coaching North Carolina and then going to play Boston College. It’s a big deal," Key said to reporters on Sept. 1 before the game.
Key also pointed to Sanders’ impact in Georgia during his time with the Atlanta Falcons and the Braves of Major League Baseball. Sanders’ run in Atlanta ended after the 1994 season, when he left for the San Francisco 49ers and helped them win the Vince Lombardi Trophy on their way back to the Super Bowl. Even now, he remains a familiar name in the state.
The crowd, though, isn’t just about Sanders. A big part of the interest comes from the people around the players - parents, relatives, close family friends and high school coaches filling seats at Bobby Dodd Stadium. That includes support on both sides of the field.
Colorado also brought a Georgia-heavy group of its own, thanks to Sanders and his staff pulling talent from the Peach State. Quarterback Julian Lewis, from Carrolton, Georgia, arrives with a decorated high school resume: 11,010 passing yards, 144 touchdowns and a 39-4 record as a three-year varsity starter. Lewis had been verbally committed to USC before flipping to Sanders and the Buffaloes before the Dec. 2024 signing period.
Left tackle Bo Hughley is back in familiar territory as well. He previously played for Kirby Smart and Georgia Tech’s in-state rival, Georgia, before transferring to Colorado. Hughley also carries a 3-0 record against the Yellow Jackets into the non-conference matchup.
Colorado’s 2026 roster includes approximately 17 players from Georgia, with Lewis and Hughley expected to have the biggest roles. For them, this one comes with a built-in home crowd before the game even starts.
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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 🡒]
Deion Just Sent Georgia Tech A Message Before This Opener
Before Georgia Tech sees Colorado on the field to open the 2026 season, Deion Sanders has already made sure the moment carries a little extra weight. Speaking in an interview ahead of the matchup, the Buffaloes coach declared, Im back, a line that lands differently after Colorados uneven last two seasons and the roster turnover that followed the departures of key players.
For Georgia Tech, it adds another layer to a game that was already going to draw attention. Sanders 9-4 breakthrough in 2024 gave way to a 3-9 follow-up in 2025, and the new season is being viewed as a pivotal one for his coaching future. How Colorado responds in this opener could say plenty about where Sanders and the program are headed next. [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 🡒]