Georgia Tech just sold out its home opener against Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes for the first time in 20 years.
Favored by 6.5 points, the Yellow Jackets enter the matchup looking to knock off Colorado for a second time in consecutive seasons since hanging a 27-20 win in Boulder last August in the schools’ first-ever football meeting. Atlanta loves football, but is this particular matchup sell-out worthy in 2026? Can Sanders and the Buffaloes prove my skepticism wrong?
GEORGIA TECH EYES ANOTHER BOWL GAME
Kalani Sitake and then-No. 12 BYU defeated No. 22 Georgia Tech by four points in the Pop-Tarts Bowl to leave the Jackets with a 9-4 final mark in Brent Key’s third season as head coach. It’s a new start for Georgia Tech, now without starting quarterback Haynes King and with a new defensive coordinator in Jason Semore from Southern Miss.
Georgia Tech’s Week 1 depth chart includes two fifth-year linebackers, Kyle Efford and E.J. Lightsey, and another senior in Cayman Spaulding. Fifth-year tackles Tawfiq Thomas, Vincent Carroll-Jackson and fifth-year defensive end Jordan Walker will be a tough first assignment for the Colorado offense.
Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of Indiana Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, is in from Indiana to lead the Yellow Jackets in a Week 1 matchup with former five-star Colorado QB Julian Lewis as both programs navigate heavy roster changes this season. Georgia Tech, though, retained two seasoned rushers in Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley from last year’s roster to ground the offense this season.
ANOTHER OVERHAUL QUESTIONS SANDERS IN 2026
Brennan Marion is the new OC at Colorado after leading Sacramento State to a 7-5 record in his lone season as the school’s head football coach. Sanders is tasking his new staffer with cultivating an offense for Lewis, RB transfers Damian Henderson, DeKalon Taylor and returning rushing leader Micah Welch.
A handful of incoming transfers create questions defensively. Santana Hopper (Tulane) and Vili Taufatofua (San Jose) are two key gets at tackle and defensive end, respectively; Liona Lefau (Texas) and Gideon Lampron (Dayton) are another pair of wins at LB, but it’s risky to say every single piece will fall into place right away. Moreover, too much is at stake in the secondary, even with Vanderbilt transfer Randon Fontenette lending starting experience at safety.
Phil Steele picked Colorado to finish near the bottom of the Big 12, above only Iowa State in the final regular-season standings. This Georgia Tech trip is a chance for a strong first impression and will indicate whether the Sanders staff is capable of installing a winning transfer class capable of reaching the seemingly long-gone highs of that 2024 team.
