FILE PHOTO: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders walks to the locker room with the Colorado football team at halftime during the football game at Folsom Field on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (Linus Loughry/CU Independent)
In collaboration with the Technique: University of Colorado Boulder and Georgia Institute of Technology student newspaper staff writers discussed expectations for their football teams week one matchup and beyond.
*This piece is from the CU Independent’s opinion section. Any opinions or views do not represent the CU Independent as a whole.
For the CU Independents preview of the matchup between CU Boulder and Georgia Tech, the CUI is collaborating with the Technique, a student-run newspaper at Georgia Tech. Staff writers and editors Charlie Hewitt, Lila Nuttle and Baylen Wysuph worked with Technique sports editors Jack Elliot and Michael London to exchange questions about each other’s teams.
*This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
CU Independent Staff: This is the first time that the University of Colorado Boulder and Georgia Tech have played each other in football, so, as an introduction for Buffs fans, how would you define Georgia Tech football?
Tech football has had its share of highs and lows over the years, but we are currently on the rise. Our greatest successes were decades ago — with national championships won in 1917, 1928, 1952 and famously 1990 (a title also claimed by the Buffs).
Since then, we’ve lived the Paul Johnson era, where a quirky triple-option made us fun and hard to predict, but pretty archaic.
When Johnson was replaced by Geoff Collins in an attempt to modernize our scheme, it totally flatlined, and we had back-to-back-to-back 3-win seasons from 2019 to 2021.
After Collins was fired, Brent Key, a Tech alum, took over in mid-2022, and things really began to click around his tenants of speed, physicality and the run-game.
We’re now 18-16 during Key’s tenure, with back-to-back bowl appearances and top-25 wins against Florida State, Miami, North Carolina and Pitt.
After pushing University of Georgia to eight overtimes last season, we are hoping to take a step forward in 2025 and make some noise in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
So, to define Tech football today: it’s a fast, physical, underdog team led by veteran stars, aiming to turn last season’s momentum into a breakout year in this new era.
-Jack Elliot, the Technique
Technique Staff: This is the first time that CU Boulder and Georgia Tech have played each other in football, so, as an introduction for Tech fans, how would you define Buffs football?
I think there is a misconception that the hiring of Deion Sanders, and the attention that it brought to the program, fundamentally transformed Colorado football as a brand and an on-field team.
Rather, I’d argue that the successes of the Buffs under Coach Sanders have been a continuation of the great Colorado teams of the past.
When meaningful football has been played at Folsom Field, it’s been as flashy and drama-filled as it’s been with Sanders.
The greatest example of this came under the head coach that introduced the national audience to Colorado football, Bill McCartney.
McCartney established a winning culture in Boulder during the late 1980s and early 1990s and built the football program into a year-after-year contender.
When I think about the history of Colorado football, I think about the infamous “fifth down” game against Missouri.
McCartney did everything short of starting the Ralphie Run when it comes to establishing the Colorado football tradition.
It was McCartney that created, seemingly out of thin air, Colorado’s rivalry with the University of Nebraska, flexed the outdoor scenery of the Boulder campus to attract elite out of state recruits for the first time, coached the school’s first Heisman winner and won the school’s sole national championship in 1990.
To this day, about half of the retired numbers displayed along the rafters at Folsom Field played on that 1990 National Championship team.
Like Sanders, Coach Mac was a polarizing public figure as the leader of the country’s largest men’s Christian group at the time.
In short, Colorado football has a long history of success, dramatic moments, flash and headlining figures that continue to the present. Deion, Travis, and Shedeur extend the legacy of Coach McCartney, Rashaan Salaam, and Kordell Stewart.
-Charlie Hewitt, CU Independent
CU Independent Staff: We’ve heard about the “Haynes backfield,” but outside of the unit’s veteran quarterback and running back, what other names on the Georgia Tech offense should we watch out for?
Tech’s big transfer this offseason was senior wide receiver Eric Rivers. After losing Eric Singleton Jr. to Auburn in the transfer portal, Coach Key will look to Rivers and fellow senior wide receiver Malik Rutherford to pick up his targets.
Rivers comes to Tech from Florida International University, where he had a standout campaign in 2024. Rivers had 62 receptions for 1,172 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Rivers’ elite play landed him on The Sporting News’ second-team preseason all-America list and the watch list for 2025 Biletnikoff Award.
There is hope he can have another great season, this time for the Yellow Jackets.
Another star on the offense is senior lineman Keylan Rutledge. Rutledge had a stellar season in 2024, earning himself first team all-ACC honors. He ranked No. 1 in the ACC and 19th nationally among guards with a 77.8 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. Rutledge will look to build on last year with another premier season.
-Michael London, the Technique
Technique Staff: Deion Sanders recently declared high-profile transfer QB Kaidon Salter the starter for this game, over 5-star recruit Julian Lewis. What do you think Salter can bring to the team? Is Deion’s decision popular on campus?
Both Kaidon Salter and “JuJu” Lewis arrived at Colorado with significant hype. Salter is a fifth-year transfer from Liberty University, and Lewis is a flipped recruit from the University of Southern California. The most obvious difference between the two is experience. Salter, although he hit a bit of a slump last season, led Liberty into the top 25 rankings two seasons ago.
Perhaps the biggest thing Salter can bring to Colorado is his rushing ability, as well as his experience. He has 66 total touchdowns since 2023, including 19 rushing touchdowns. This difference in style will be noticeable, as Shedeur Sanders, while a mobile quarterback, had just 8 rushing touchdowns over the same span.
Salter is a dual-threat quarterback, as well. While his running game is on another level (1,676 rushing yards since 2023), he is a very solid passer. It will be interesting to see how Colorado balances between these options.
I would say Prime’s decision to start Salter is popular. People understand he has more experience than Lewis, and there was a lot of excitement when he transferred from Liberty. While the position is pretty high profile, especially following Shedeur Sanders, Colorado fans are excited to see some highly anticipated players in action.
-Lila Nuttle, CU Independent
CU Independent Staff: Georgia Tech enters this matchup as the favorite over Colorado, and is coming off of two winning seasons. What are some key parts of the game Georgia Tech needs to execute on in order to keep the momentum going this season?
It all starts with the line of scrimmage. The lethal combo of Haynes King and Jamal Haynes combined with offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Buster Faulkner’s creative play style makes it hard to scheme against Tech’s offense. But Tech must dominate in the trenches for these stars to be effective. While player turnover in the offensive line is high, expect sophomore Harrison Moore to get some big playing time under center. Coach Key raved on-and-on last year about Moore’s hard-working attitude and used him as a sixth linemen throughout much of the season.
Aside from the line of scrimmage, Tech needs to win the turnover battle. While that means holding onto the ball on offense, in our opinion it’s even more important to force some turnovers on defense, something Tech struggled to accomplish most of last season. Tech finished in a tie for 117th, only gaining 11 turnovers last season. If Tech controls the line of scrimmage, time of possession and wins the turnover battle expect the Yellow Jackets to have a strong chance to knock off the Buffs at Folsom.
-Daniel Wood, the Technique
Technique Staff: You all are marginal underdogs, but the game is still expected to be pretty close. Here at Tech, we see this game as a bellwether for the rest of the season — is it the same in Boulder? How much do you think this result will say about the Buffs longer-term goals for 2025?
We are also looking at this game as a sort of bellwether for what’s to come. With Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders now in the National Football League, Colorado will look different this year.
This game will give us an idea of what to expect, specifically on offense run by a new quarterback. As for the game being close, it seems to depend on how well the reloaded Colorado team can convert offseason training to game-day pressure.
Kaidon Salter will be starting at quarterback, and his style of play will be different than what Colorado is used to seeing. While he is not as accurate a passer as Sanders, Salter is known for his rushing ability. How Colorado balances both options will be worth watching.
Another key area is the offensive line, which historically has not been Colorado’s strength. However, this season, CU’s revamped offensive line is looking strong. With new transfers Xavier Hill and Larry Johnson III, and of course the return of Jordan Seaton, we have some hopes for Colorado’s running game.
This game is the first time a very new (to Colorado) team will be able to show what it can do against a very capable opponent. There’s a lot up in the air over how the Buffs can handle Power Four competition without Hunter and Sanders, and this will give us an idea of what to expect.
-Lila Nuttle, CU Independent
CU Independent Staff: Georgia Tech had a very strong offensive line last year, but lost some major players there. Can we expect a similarly strong offensive line with the addition of transfers, or will the Yellow Jackets have to do some adjusting?
The Yellow Jackets will have to adjust to new faces on the line this year, but Brent Key and offensive line coach Geep Wade have the experience to suggest they can manage the transition. This season won’t be like 2024 where Tech could rely on veterans at every position on the line.
Star tackles Corey Robinson and Jordan Williams have transferred and run out of eligibility, respectively, but guards Joe Fusile and 2024 All-American Keylan Rutledge will return.
Right Tackle will be a position to watch, where South Alabama transfer Malachi Carney seems to have won a position battle against multiple other players.
This is to say, though Tech is not returning their whole 2024 unit, the foundations for success on the field and the sideline are still in place. Rutledge and Fusile will lead the group, and Coach Key, a former Tech offensive lineman himself, will still see the unit as absolutely critical to the team’s success.
With this in mind, despite uncertainty around our tackles and center, we expect the OL will eventually be a strong point again. Whether it all clicks as soon as week one will be the key question against the Buffs.
-Jack Elliot, the Technique
Technique Staff: The most well known Colorado football storyline of late is obviously the rise of Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. With both now in the NFL, how do you expect the Buffs to replace their massive contributions to the team both on and off the field?
The departures of Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders to the NFL left a clear void entering the offseason.
On the field, Sanders was the maestro of the offense. Replacing him will be a combination of Kaidon Salter, a transfer quarterback from Liberty University, and freshman five-star recruit JuJu Lewis. Both are confident passers and running threats, but it remains to be seen if either are capable of managing the offense to Shedeur’s level, though both have the potential for it.
Travis Hunter creates a unique void with his departure as Colorado must replace both their top receiver and top cornerback from last season. At cornerback, the easy replacement is rising star DJ McKinney who finished last season with three interceptions and has 2026 NFL draft expectations.
On offense, two receivers are looking to step into a larger role this season, junior Omarion Miller and sophomore Dre’lon Miller. Both have shown promise in their young careers. Omarion has two career 100-yard receiving games, and Dre’lon had one as a freshman. Much more will be expected of both in 2025.
Off the field, Travis and Shedeur starred in nationally televised commercials and were featured daily on SportsCenter. Although nobody on the 2025 roster has that type of star power, I see the emotional leader of this team as left tackle Jordan Seaton.
Coming off a season in which he was awarded freshman All-American status, Seaton is widely regarded as one of the team’s best players and has been named to a number of preseason watchlists for various offensive linemen awards.
Outside of his on-field success, Seaton is somewhat of a public figure, as the former five star recruit announced his commitment to Colorado live on Fox Sports’ “Undisputed”, and is regarded on campus and by his teammates as a good person and leader.
In fact, just last week a friend of mine encountered Seaton while he was playing hacky sack in a group near campus. Seaton, having never played the game and being curious, asked to join the circle and apparently stayed until the group beat their record for consecutive “hacks.”
Evidently, Seaton was a natural. After obtaining the record, Seaton introduced himself to the group and learned everyone’s name before departing. Stories like that follow Seaton around. I believe that he will, in a large part, fill the leadership role that Sanders and Hunter leave behind.
-Charlie Hewitt, CU Independent
CU Independent Staff: The Yellow Jackets brought in new defensive coordinator Blake Gideon this offseason. What tangible things can he do to prove himself against the Buffs offense that averaged nearly 33 points per game last season?
The two biggest pain points for much of the season last year for Yellow Jacket fans were the inability for Tech to force turnovers and put pressure on the QB.
Along with Gideon being new, so are all of Tech’s defensive linemen aside from Jordan van den Berg. In his media availability this week, Coach Key mentioned that he feels very deep at that position and will likely rotate lots of guys into the rotation throughout the game.
Specifically, we could see Mercer University transfer and 2024 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year Brayden Manley being an impact guy that gives Gideon the boost that the Jackets need to pressure Salter and the Buffs offense.
Unlike Tech’s offensive core, the Buffs have almost an entirely new offensive core that has little-to-no on the field competitive chemistry with one another. We would expect Gideon would try to be aggressive from the start and use this inexperience to his advantage.
-Daniel Wood, the Technique
Technique Staff: After a 2023 season marred by a weak defense, the Buffs seemed to take a step forward in 2024. Do you still see the defense as a potential soft point in the team, or do you expect the team to take another step forward?
I think certain groups of the defense will improve while some could be a problem. Our secondary and pass defense are very solid, headlined by established returners in Carter Stoutmire, DJ McKinney and Preston Hodge.
We also added transfers Tawfiq Byard from the University of South Florida and Teon Parks from Illinois State University for additional depth in the backfield. Both our linebackers are reputable newcomers in Jacksonville State University transfer Reginald Hughes and University of Texas at San Antonio transfer Martavius French.
However, the Buffaloes defensive line is where some question marks arise. The unit lost the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year BJ Green II, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent.
Overall, unless the offense clicks on all cylinders, the defense will likely be Colorado’s strong suit in 2025.
-Baylen Wysuph, CU Independent
Contact CU Independent Sports Editors Charlie Hewitt and Lila Nuttle at charlie.hewitt@colorado.edu and lila.nuttle@colorado.edu.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Baylen Wysuph at baylen.wysuph@colorado.edu
