Colorado football and Georgia Tech football own a combined five national championships, with the latter owning four. Both have never faced each other in a live game, until now. As Deion Sanders and Brent Key lead their respective teams out on Folsom Field Friday.
Sanders is healthy and looks bound to rock the gold whistle chain. NFL legend Randy Moss will be joining the Buffaloes too following an emotional Wednesday speech. This time Kaidon Salter will lead the Colorado offense as Sanders' latest prized College Football Transfer Portal addition.
But Georgia Tech is no stranger to starting fast. Key and the Yellow Jackets stunned No. 10 Florida State in Dublin, Ireland one year ago. CU is unranked, but still fuels significant hype.
The Atlantic Coast Conference representative are current 4.5-point favorites to topple the Buffs. Will Georgia Tech cover the spread? Or will Sanders and CU go 3-0 all-time in season openers? Time for some bold predictions before the primetime showdown.
Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis will share Colorado QB duties
Julian Lewis will ignite the future in Boulder. But Salter lures extensive playing experience and a flair for field dynamics over to the Rocky Mountains.
The former Liberty QB is no stranger to carrying offenses before. He's piled 5,889 passing yards, 56 touchdown throws and adds 2,006 rushing yards with 21 ground-based scores to his new role.
Salter is facing a young GT defense. Featuring just one returning defensive lineman in Jordan Van Den Berg. The dual-threat QB also faces a new defensive coordinator in Blake Gideon, who replaces Tyler Santucci (accepted linebackers coach position with the Baltimore Ravens).
This matchup is perfect for a more seasoned QB off the youth and new DC element. But we're not ruling out the prized college football recruiting five-star find getting snaps.
Sanders and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur hinted throughout past interviews that both QBs will play. The latter coach brings a deep timeline of working with pocket passers. Shurmur likely doesn't want to overuse Salter. Lewis provides a change-of-pace option — identical to a sixth man relieving the point guard so he can take a breather.
Omarion Miller will rise as the new Colorado WR1
The junior has flashed multiple times in the shadow of Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn and LaJohntay Wester. Even Snoop Dogg became a fan following Miller's breakout 2023 performance against a Caleb Williams-led USC team. NFL legend and close friend of Sanders Michael Irvin is another who raved about what he saw that afternoon.
Now WR1 duties should fall on Miller's hands. He's the most familiar with Sanders' style. And he enters his second season with Shurmur.
Florida State transfer Hykeem Williams will command attention. He rises as a new big target for Sanders and the offense. But it's the Vivian, Louisiana native Miller who start his campaign as CU's top wideout.
‘Haynes Bros' will test the Colorado defense
Jamal Haynes brings a nose for the end zone. Scoring nine touchdowns in 2024. Key knows how to unleash him too — by confusing the eyes of opposing defenses.
The power spread is coming to gash Colorado. Key hits defenses with motion and pulling guards. Haynes embraces the downhill approach from Key. But the 5-foot-9 RB brings strong hands too outside of the ground attack. He's a former wide receiver who adds a check down approach for the other half of the “Haynes bros.”
That would be QB Haynes King. He inserts his own wrinkle as a running threat behind center. He's crossed the end zone a combined 21 times on designed keeper runs.
The duo faces a defense bringing back just three returners. Colorado employs a 4-2-5 scheme too — which often struggles against run-based teams. Look for the Jackets pairing to test CU.
Georgia Tech-Colorado will come down to which trenches grows fast
Both teams bring new faces along the line of scrimmage. Colorado's defense not only has Fresno State transfer Gavriel Lightfoot on board, but fellow nose tackle Jehiem Otis arrives via Alabama. That interior twosome will be needed early to disrupt this explosive rushing attack.
Georgia Tech regains Akelo Stone on the line after two seasons away at Ole Miss. The edge rush room is short on game action, though. Which sounds promising for an offensive line that struggled to protect Shedeur Sanders.
Speaking of the CU offensive trenches, that's a room featuring two returning starters. Left tackle Jordan Seaton leads there. But the rest of department features new faces. The group that gels together the fastest will swing the momentum of this contest.
Deion Sanders keeps Colorado streak alive vs. Georgia Tech
Emotions will fill the Folsom Field grass.
Georgia Tech wants to escape the high altitude with a victory. But Colorado has new reason to rally around “Coach Prime.”
Sanders battled bladder cancer during the offseason. He claims he's healthy to rehandle his coaching duties. The Buffaloes will dedicate this game to their leader — earning an emotional overtime win 41-35 at home.
