Colorado, Georgia Tech Set for 2026 Season Opener on Thursday Night

The Colorado Buffaloes and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will renew their budding nonconference rivalry Thursday night in Atlanta, with both programs looking to begin the 2026 college football season on a strong note.

The matchup wraps up a home-and-home series that began with Georgia Tech’s 27-20 victory over Colorado in Boulder last season. The Yellow Jackets dominated the ground game in that opener, rushing for 320 yards and controlling the contest with a physical rushing attack.

Georgia Tech will look to establish that same identity again when the Buffaloes visit Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Last year’s victory proved to be a sign of things to come for the Yellow Jackets, who finished 9-4 for their first nine-win season since 2016. Quarterback Haynes King was a major factor, accounting for 299 of Georgia Tech’s 463 total yards, including 156 rushing yards.

King is now in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, leaving Georgia Tech with a new quarterback and a different look on offense.

Alberto Mendoza takes over at quarterback as the Yellow Jackets begin a new era behind center. While replacing a player who was so productive on the ground will be a challenge, Georgia Tech has added another intriguing weapon to its rushing attack.

Justice Haynes makes his Georgia Tech debut after transferring from Michigan. A dynamic running back who grew up in Alpharetta, Georgia, Haynes returns to his home state with high expectations.

Haynes has already embraced the opportunity and arrived with plenty of confidence, giving Georgia Tech another explosive option in an offense that will be eager to test Colorado’s new-look defense.

The Yellow Jackets’ formula could be straightforward: establish the run, control the clock and force the Buffaloes to prove they can stop them.

Colorado comes into the opener trying to put a disappointing 3-9 season behind it. The 2025 campaign was the third under coach Deion Sanders and easily the most frustrating of the three. The Buffaloes lost seven of their final eight games, creating the need for significant changes on both sides of the ball.

Brennan Marion takes over the offense and is expected to bring a fast-paced approach built around his “Go-Go” system. Chris Marve is now in charge of the defense as Colorado attempts to become more consistent and physical after struggling during last season’s collapse.

The most important change, however, could be at quarterback.

Colorado will hand the offense to 18-year-old Julian Lewis, the former five-star recruit from Carrollton, Georgia. Lewis gained valuable experience late last season, appearing in four games and making two starts. He completed 52 of 94 passes for 589 yards and four touchdowns.

Now, Lewis gets an entire season to establish himself as the Buffaloes’ quarterback.

His first challenge will be formidable. Georgia Tech’s rushing attack overwhelmed Colorado last year, and the Yellow Jackets will undoubtedly test whether the Buffaloes’ revamped defense can handle the physicality of an ACC opponent on the road.

But Colorado believes it has surrounded Lewis with considerably more talent at wide receiver. The Buffaloes restocked their receiver room through the transfer portal, giving Marion several new playmakers to incorporate into his up-tempo offense.

Danny Scudero, who transferred from San Jose State, DeAndre Moore from Texas and Kam Perry from Miami (Ohio) are all expected to play significant roles.

Their ability to create separation and make plays downfield could be critical for Lewis. If Colorado can generate explosive plays through the air, it could prevent Georgia Tech from simply loading up against the Buffaloes’ rushing game.

That balance will be particularly important in an unfamiliar environment.

Although this is only the first game of the season, Thursday night’s contest represents an important measuring stick for both programs.

Georgia Tech wants to demonstrate that last year’s nine-win campaign was the beginning of sustained progress. The Yellow Jackets have a new quarterback but return to the scene of one of their most impressive victories from a year ago.

Colorado, meanwhile, needs a fresh start. A road victory over a Georgia Tech team that already knows how to exploit the Buffaloes’ weaknesses would provide an immediate boost for Sanders and his revamped coaching staff. More importantly, it would give Lewis an early opportunity to show that Colorado’s next chapter can look very different from the one that ended with a 3-9 record.

The Yellow Jackets have home-field advantage and the memory of a 320-yard rushing performance from last year’s meeting. The Buffaloes arrive with a new quarterback, new offensive philosophy and a revamped supporting cast.

Thursday night will reveal which team’s changes have made the bigger difference.