It has been more than nine months since Colorado’s 2025 season limped to the finish line, with the Buffaloes hitting the offseason at the end of a five-game losing streak.
The roster was overhauled throughout the spring. New coordinators were tabbed on both sides of the ball. The first week of preseason camp was held a month ago in Colorado Springs, offering a crash course in team bonding along with the new schemes on both sides of the ball.
For the past month, the Buffs have butted heads with one another. At long last, they finally get to take on someone else, as CU’s fourth season under head coach Deion Sanders on Thursday night in a prime time battle at Georgia Tech (6 p.m. MT, ESPN).
“These young men are excited,” Sanders said. “They can’t wait to go. It seems like they’ve been practicing forever. But they haven’t let up. You can still see the attention and passion. They’re getting to the ball. Linemen are getting down the field and getting to their blocks. I’m happy with where they are. They’re excited and anticipating Thursday night.”
For Sanders, it will be a chance to script a new memorable moment in Atlanta, the city where he became a two-sport star with the Falcons and Braves. For the Buffs, the rematch of last year’s opening loss in Boulder will be an opportunity to show that 2025 squarely is in the past by making a statement on the road on a national stage.
Itap only the first game, but how the Buffs respond in a pressure-packed situation could set a template for the entire season.
“You’re practicing against yourself,” Sanders said of the preseason routine. “The offense is doing well, you’re saying, well, the defense is horrible. The defense is doing well, you’re saying the offense is horrible. Oftentimes, that might not be the case. You might have two great teams, including special teams as well, but you really don’t know because you’re gauging against your players. But, for my knowledge of football, we’re pretty good.
“The level and the understanding of situational football in the game, these young men are really stepping up to the challenge.”
New homes
Buffs fans will be getting to know their favorite team on the fly, as new faces should permeate the lineup on both sides of the ball. Itap a moment all of CU’s new transfers have been waiting for, especially those who have moved up from Group of Five programs hoping to prove themselves at college football’s top level.
“I’m so excited to put on the black and gold this first game,” said CU linebacker Gideon Lampron, a transfer from Bowling Green who also played at Dayton. “Thatap why all of us came here. Been dreaming of playing at this level since I was a kid. I’m ready to go make the most of it.”
Slow this foe
Last year, the Buffs were battered by Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, who “refused to lose,” according to Sanders, while collecting 156 of the Yellow Jackets’ 320 rushing yards. This year, the Buffs likely will be tasked with slowing another Haynes — new Georgia Tech running back Justice Haynes, a transfer from Michigan.
“He’s dynamic. He can score from anywhere on the field,” Sanders said. “He’s tough. He’s physical. He’s been there, done that. The kid can play, man. We gotta do what we gotta do to keep him contained. We’re fully aware of wherever he’s gonna line up on Thursday night.”
