The Colorado Buffaloes Football Team celebrates after Kaleb Mathis scores a touchdown at the game against Delaware at Folsom Field on Saturday, September 6, 2025 (Simon Vahnish/CU Independent)
A year after Georgia Tech rushed for 320 yards at Folsom Field, a redeveloped Colorado football team gets its chance at redemption. The Buffaloes travel to Atlanta on Thursday for a season-opening kickoff against the Yellow Jackets.
Under new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, the Buffaloes bring in the high-tempo, innovative “Go-Go” offense to revitalize their attack. New defensive coordinator Chris Marve will also make his debut after being promoted from linebackers coach following Robert Livingston’s departure.
The quarterback battle
The quarterback matchup attracts attention as both teams’ generals have limited starting experience. Julian Lewis, Colorado’s redshirt freshman starting quarterback, showed promise and proved his future as a signal-caller for the Buffs. The 18-year-old appeared in four games last year and started in losses against West Virginia and Arizona State.
Lewis was an elite player at Carrollton High School in Carrollton, Georgia. He went 39-4 as a three-year starter and appeared in two state championship games. His return to Atlanta will mark a homecoming where he became a breakout star.
Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza, brother of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, enters his first season as a starter. Georgia Tech quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke is impressed with the Indiana transfer’s first-rate processing and smarts. Although Mendoza carries himself as a starter, he has no career start appearances. The matchup between Mendoza and Lewis will be one to watch on Thursday night, giving one of them their first win as a starting quarterback.
Since their last meeting in 2025, the Yellow Jackets have made substantial changes to their defensive line, matching a revamped Buffaloes offensive line. CU lost a few key players from last year’s o-line; now without Jordan Seaton, Tyler Brown or Carde Smith. This change also brought new prospects in Leon Bell and Taj White, creating an intriguing matchup against the redesigned Georgia Tech defensive line.
Portal movements
Both teams had strong portal movements this offseason. The Buffaloes added 43 incoming transfers, offsetting 36 departures. Head coach Deion Sanders has attracted talent from all over the country to build a strong core for 2026. Some highlights include wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. from Texas and running back Richard Young from Alabama.
The Yellow Jackets added 19 incoming transfers, but held on to their strong winning roster from 2025. Additions include Michigan running back Justice Haynes, Alabama’s former five-star defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe and of course, Mendoza.
The Buffaloes face an uphill battle against the Yellow Jackets based on uncertainty over transfers and Lewis’s first collegiate Week 1 start. Although both teams feature new offensive schemes, Georgia Tech shifts more towards a pro-style system showcasing Mendoza. Marion’s high-intensity system will complement Lewis’s ground attack and keep the tempo upfield. Between the uncertainty of Colorado’s changes and the Yellow Jackets’ home-field advantage, the odds are in Georgia Tech’s favor. FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Yellow Jackets as 6.5-point favorites ahead of kickoff.
Sanders’ stakes
Sanders enters his fourth season, seeking to regain the praise he initially received for putting Colorado on the college football map in 2022. He has addressed the disappointment and taken personal blame for 2025’s 3-9 disaster, but is focused on getting back on track amid polls ranking the Buffaloes at the bottom of the Big 12.
Many fans look forward to the overhauled schemes both teams have changed during the offseason and how this first game sets the tone for the rest of the season.
A Georgia Tech win rests on containing Colorado’s new offensive look and building on the explosive rushing they founded at Folsom last season. However, the Buffaloes’ road to 1-0 and evening up the all-time record against Georgia Tech is muddier. Colorado must execute a disciplined and improved tackling game plan to combat Georgia Tech’s run-heavy attack.
Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. MT on Sept. 3 and will stream on ESPN.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Atticus Wilbern at Atticus.Wilbern@colorado.edu
