Season Opener Showdown: Georgia Tech Heads to Boulder for Clash with Colorado
If you’re looking for a Week 1 barnburner to kick off the 2025 college football slate, circle this one in red: the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets invading Folsom Field to take on the Colorado Buffaloes under the Friday night lights. It’s August 29, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, and with the thin air of Boulder at play—5,360 feet above sea level—this non-conference tilt between the ACC and Big 12 has all the makings of an early-season statement game. No prior history between these two programs, so we’re scripting a fresh chapter here, but expect fireworks from a pair of squads hungry to build on last year’s momentum.
Let’s start with the visitors from Atlanta. Brent Key’s Georgia Tech squad is entering his third full season at the helm with a quiet confidence that’s been building since their 7-6 finish in 2024, including a 5-3 mark in the ACC. They pushed powerhouse Georgia to eight overtimes in the regular-season finale, showing they can hang with the big boys.
The Yellow Jackets return nine starters, headlined by a potent offense that averaged 28.9 points per game last fall. Dual-threat quarterback Haynes King is the engine, coming off a 2024 campaign where he threw for 2,114 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two picks, while adding 573 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground. Pair him with running back Jamal Haynes, who rumbled for 944 yards and nine TDs at 5.6 yards per clip, and you’ve got a backfield that can control the tempo. Receivers Eric Rivers (1,172 yards, twelve TDs at Memphis) and Malik Rutherford (702 yards, three TDs) give King reliable targets downfield. Defensively, they’re no slouches either, returning tacklers like linebacker Kyle Efford (63 stops, three sacks) and safety Clayton Powell-Lee. Georgia Tech’s strength? Ball security—they coughed it up just 10 times last year, ranking 12th nationally. But they’ll need to force more turnovers (only 11 in 2024) to disrupt Colorado’s rhythm.
Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes turned heads with a 9-4 record in 2024, going 7-2 in the Big 12 and earning a No. 25 final ranking after a four-way tie for the conference lead. But Prime Time’s squad is reloading after waving goodbye to stars like quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way phenom Travis Hunter, both off to the NFL. Enter Kaidon Salter, the transfer from Liberty who’s no stranger to big numbers—5,887 passing yards, 56 TDs, and over 2,000 rushing yards in his college career.
The Buffs went 5-1 at home last season, and that altitude could sap Georgia Tech’s legs late. Still, with so many new faces, cohesion might be the X-factor—will Salter and company gel right out of the gate?
Key matchups to watch: Georgia Tech’s veteran offensive line, one of the ACC’s best, versus Colorado’s front seven, which is very experienced and led the Big 12 in sacks a year ago. If King can exploit the Buffs’ secondary, the Jackets could rack up chunk plays. Conversely, Salter’s mobility might test Georgia Tech’s defense, who surrendered 25.6 points per game last year. Turnovers will be huge—GT protects the ball, but CU thrives on takeaways. And don’t sleep on special teams in that thin air; field position could swing this one.
As for the lines, oddsmakers have Georgia Tech as 4.5-point favorites, with the over/under hovering around 52. Expert picks are split—some like the Buffs to cover at home, others see Tech’s experience prevailing. I’m riding with the over and the Yellow Jackets in a gritty road win but the Buffs covering. Colorado’s talent is undeniable, but Georgia Tech’s continuity and King’s poise give them the edge in a back-and-forth affair. Prediction: Georgia Tech 31, Colorado 27.
