Georgia Tech storms past Colorado as Haynes King runs for three TDs, Deion Sanders loses Year 3 opener

Losing a program pillar such as Travis Hunter and a veteran quarterback like Shedeur Sanders meant that the 2025 season would be a work in progress for Colorado. However, there was still hope that the rest of the roster improved and the Buffaloes could make noise in Year 3 of Sanders' tenure.

And, for the first 10 minutes on Friday, it looked like Colorado would do just that. The Buffaloes forced three turnovers as the defense flew around and put pressure on Georgia Tech's offense. After that, the run defense was lackluster, and that side of the ball allowed Georgia Tech to do whatever they wanted.

Something that was also interesting was that we didn't see freshman quarterback Julian Lewis play. Sanders had hinted that there would be a chance that Lewis could see some snaps, but that didn't happen. Colorado instead elected to roll with the veteran signal caller throughout. 

It would be surprising if Lewis didn't see the field at some point next month. Overall, Colorado has work to do to get back on track. Stopping the run should be the top priority.

College football fans who have watched King throughout his career knew what he was capable of. After Georgia Tech got off to the worst start imaginable, King provided a steady veteran presence to help his team get out of a hole and back into the game for good. Even when Georgia Tech turned the ball over on its first three possessions, the defense was able to do enough to keep them in it. Still, it was the offense -- led by King -- that woke up and did damage.

Colorado's run defense ranked in the middle of the FBS last season. The Buffaloes ranked No. 60 in the FBS (150.9 yards per game allowed) but gave up 320 to Georgia Tech. Six different Georgia Tech players got a rushing attempt -- including star wide receiver Malik Rutherford, who left the game after the first play -- but it was King who did the dirty work.

This was a statement performance by King and something Georgia Tech -- like they did last year after beating Florida State in Week 0 -- can build off the rest of the year. Special shoutout to my colleague Tom Fornelli, who wrote about King earlier this summer.

FINAL: Georgia Tech 27, Colorado 20

Georgia Tech opened its season in style with a thrilling 27-20 win over Colorado on Friday behind a standout performance from quarterback Haynes King. King ran 156 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, including a go-ahead 45-yard score with 1:07 remaining, to become the first Georgia Tech player since Tobias Oliver to rush for at least 150 yards and score three rushing touchdowns since 2018.

Colorado's Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the game -- which could've potentially sent the game to overtime -- was batted down in the back of the end zone.

King finished 13 of 20 for 143 yards through the air and helped flip the switch after a disastrous start, which included turning the ball over on Georgia Tech's first three possessions. After that, the offense was able to settle into a groove and scored points on five of their final seven drives to start the season 1-0 for the second consecutive year.

Georgia Tech put up 463 yards of total offense, while Colorado finished with 305. Colorado's run defense ranked near the middle of the pack during the 2024 campaign (No. 60 in FBS) but allowed Georgia Tech to finish with 320 yards on the ground.

Year 3 of the Deion Sanders era at Colorado looked promising during the opening quarter with a handful of new faces in place. One of them was quarterback Kaidon Salter, who transferred into the program this offseason to replace two-year starter Shedeur Sanders. He finished 17 of 28 for 159 yards and a touchdown and scored a 7-yard touchdown on a quarterback scramble midway through the fourth quarter to tie the game at 20.

Georgia Tech (1-0) hosts FCS Gardner-Webb next Saturday, while Colorado (0-1) plays Delaware.

LATE 4Q: Georgia Tech 27, Colorado 20

What. A. Run.

King has a hat trick with rushing touchdowns after scoring a 45-yard, go-ahead score with 1:07 remaining. King has rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns against the Colorado defense.

LATE 4Q: Georgia Tech 20, Colorado 20

Colorado got the stop it needed. The Buffaloes will get the ball back with 5:19 left in regulation.

MID 4Q: Georgia Tech 20, Colorado 20

This game has been thrilling, chaotic, eventful, and everything else in between. Salter, who is making his first start at Colorado since transferring from Liberty, has had an up-and-down game but has been good when it matters. Salters' 6-yard touchdown run with 8:25 remaining tied the game at 20. Both quarterbacks have made plays with their legs tonight. Kings has rushed 15 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

This should be a fun final eight minutes and change from Boulder.

MID 3Q: Colorado 13, Georgia Tech 13

After Colorado punted on its opening drive of the second half, the Buffaloes put together an impressive drive to tie the game at 13. Mata's 29-yard field goal capped an eight-play, 39-yard drive that lasted just over four minutes and was aided by two key penalties. Georgia Tech sacked Salter on third-and-goal to force the field goal attempt.

13-13 with 6:00 left in the third quarter.

EARLY 3Q: Georgia Tech 13, Colorado 10

On the opening possession of the second half, Colorado will punt. The Buffaloes elected to punt the ball away instead of going for it on fourth-and-short near midfield.

Colorado will get the ball to open the second half.

HALF: Georgia Tech 13, Colorado 10

Georgia Tech leads Colorado 13-10 at halftime of what has been a chaotic first half from Boulder, Colorado. The Yellow Jackets began the game by turning the ball over (two fumbles and one interception) during their first three offensive possessions.

After that last turnover, however, everything changed. The Yellow Jackets recorded 279 yards of total offense, compared to just 119 yards for Colorado.

Georgia Tech star quarterback Haynes King settled into a rhythm after throwing that interception. King completed 9 of his 13 attempts for 97 yards and ran the ball for 54 yards, which included a 4-yard touchdown run to help Georgia Tech take its first lead of the night.

Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter, who transferred into the program this past offseason from Liberty as the heir apparent to Shedeur Sanders, finished 6 of 10 for 48 yards during the first 30 minutes. Salter connected with running back DeKalon Taylor for an 8-yard touchdown on Colorado's first possession of the season.

LATE 2Q: Georgia Tech 10, Colorado

We are tied at 10 after Colorado kicker Alejandro Mata drilled a 42-yard field goal with 1:38 remaining in the first half. That was Colorado's best drive of the night that didn't come immediately after a turnover. Georgia Tech will have one timeout to get points right before the half.

LATE 2Q: Georgia Tech 10, Colorado 7

Here comes Georgia Tech. After starting in the worst way imaginable by turning the ball over on each of their first three possessions, the Yellow Jackets have their first lead of the game over Colorado. It seems like King is really settling into this game. He has been calm and accurate during the second quarter. He ran in a 4-yard touchdown to cap a 10-play, 8-yard drive that lasted nearly six minutes. King is 8 of 11 for 96 yards and has 24 yards on the ground.

EARLY 2Q: Colorado 7, Georgia Tech 3

Outside of the touchdown drive -- which came on a short field for Colorado -- that Georgia Tech allowed in the first quarter, the defense has been solid. The Buffaloes have just 63 total yards of offense (3.9 yards per play) and will have to punt for the third consecutive drive.

EARLY 2Q: Colorado 7, Georgia Tech 3

After turning the ball over during its first three possessions, Georgia Tech is on the board. Aidan Birr drilled a 32-yard field goal to cut Colorado's lead to 7-3 with 13:31 remaining in the first half. The Yellow Jackets' fourth offensive possession of the night was by far their best. That was a 13-play, 84-yard drive that lasted 6:30.

END 1Q: Colorado 7, Georgia Tech 0

Colorado leads Georgia Tech 7-0 at the end of what has been a chaotic first quarter from Boulder, Colorado. The Yellow Jackets turned the ball over a total of 10 times last season, and through the first 15 minutes of the 2025 season, Georgia Tech has three turnovers. 

Georgia Tech fumbled on each of its first two possessions, and star quarterback Haynes King threw an interception to Colorado defensive back DJ McKinney. Georgia Tech has been relying heavily on its ground attack. The Yellow Jackets have run the ball 16 times and thrown just five times. Nonetheless, the fact that this is still a one-possession game should make Georgia Tech feel good.

The best play of the first quarter for Georgia Tech was a 27-yard burst by running back Jamal Haynes. The Yellow Jackets finished with 137 yards of total offense, compared to just 45 for Colorado.

Georgia Tech has had three offensive possessions against Colorado in the first quarter. All three of those possessions resulted in turnovers. King threw an interception to Colorado DB DJ McKinney and the Buffaloes will take over deep in their own territory. To add insult to injury, there was a penalty flag on the field that was against Georgia Tech's OL.

Georgia Tech fumbled three total times last season. During the Yellow Jackets' first two offensive drives, Georgia Tech has fumbled both times. Colorado will take over near midfield with 10:22 remaining in the first quarter. Not an ideal start for the road team.

Georgia Tech star wide receiver Malik Rutherford was seen on the ESPN broadcast on an exercise bike and appeared to be in pain. The broadcast said that Rutherford is dealing with a left leg injury.

Early 1Q: Colorado 7, Georgia Tech 0

If you're a Colorado fan, you couldn't have dreamed of a better start. The defense forced a turnover on the second play from scrimmage and the Buffaloes' offense followed that series up with an impressive touchdown drive to take a 7-0 lead. On third-and-2, Kaidon Salter rolled out, stepped up, and delivered a strike to DeKalon Taylor for an 8-yard touchdown. Impressive.

On Georgia Tech's second play from scrimmage, Haynes King fumbled and Colorado defender Martavius French recovered. The Buffaloes will take over at Georgia Tech's 36-yard line.

Colorado wins the toss and will defer to the second half. Georgia Tech is up first on offense.

Colorado running back Dallan Hayden isn't in uniform and won't play tonight against Georgia Tech. Hayden rushed for 196 yards and a touchdown on 64 attempts last season for the Buffaloes.

 This offseason, Sanders faced a significant personal challenge when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer during a routine checkup in the spring. He underwent surgery to remove his bladder, and his oncologist has since declared him cancer-free. Sanders kept the diagnosis private from his team -- and even his sons -- until just before a public press conference. Despite the physical and emotional toll, Sanders never wavered on coaching, returning to the sidelines fully committed to preparing Colorado for the season.

Colorado picked Kaidon Salter as its opening day starting quarterback, coach Deion Sanders announced on Tuesday. The Liberty transfer arrived as one of the most productive returning quarterbacks in college football and won the job over star freshman Julian Lewis. 

Salter started his career at Tennessee before he was dismissed during his first offseason, and resurrected his career at Liberty under Hugh Freeze and Jamey Chadwell. In three seasons, he started 24 games and threw for 5,283 yards and 59 touchdowns. The highlight came in 2023, when Salter won CUSA MVP and scored 52 total touchdowns while leading the Flames to the Fiesta Bowl. 

Colorado faces a major generation change as quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman-winning athlete Travis Hunter both depart for the NFL. The pair led the Buffaloes to a nine-win campaign in 2024, the best season in Boulder since 2016. After the season, coach Deion Sanders signed a massive five-year, $54 million contract that makes him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. 

Colorado to start Kaidon Salter at QB: Deion Sanders chooses Liberty transfer over freshman Julian Lewis

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Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Clayton Powell-Lee isn't fazed by the spectacle awaiting the Yellow Jackets in the 2025 season opener against Colorado Buffaloes on Friday night. Folsom Field expects to be buzzing under the lights, with Deion Sanders pacing the Buffaloes' sideline in his third season as coach and a celebrity presence that has become routine under Coach Prime. Still, Powell-Lee said the buzz won't distract him.

"Everybody says it's a different experience, but I've experienced some crazy stadiums since being here," Powell-Lee said Monday. "So just knowing that and not trying to overhype it, honestly. Like, it's another game. I know they bring out celebrities, they do all this crazy stuff, but we're playing football. None of them playing. They could hype people all they want to, but you're on the field not them."

Georgia Tech DB Clayton Powell-Lee unfazed by Colorado's celebrity-packed sidelines: 'None of them playing'

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Georgia Tech enters Week 1 with continuity that Colorado simply doesn't have yet. Brent Key's team knows its identity, built around veteran quarterback Haynes King and versatile running back Jamal Haynes, who give the Yellow Jackets a reliable core on offense. Colorado, on the other hand, is still a work in progress. Deion Sanders has restocked his roster through the transfer portal, but with an unsettled quarterback battle and turnover on both lines of scrimmage, cohesion may take time. The Buffaloes have upside -- and will likely be more dangerous later in the year -- but the opener presents a tough draw against a Georgia Tech team further along in its development. Pick: Georgia Tech -4.5

Colorado vs. Georgia Tech prediction, pick, odds, spread: Deion Sanders kicks off new era against ACC sleeper

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Salter, a fifth-year senior, secured the starting job after a competition that stretched into the days leading up to Week 1. He brings proven experience and dual-threat ability, having passed for 5,283 yards and 59 touchdowns while adding 1,697 rushing yards and compiling a 20-4 record as a starter over four seasons at Liberty. His primary competition came from Lewis, a four-star freshman and a savvy playmaker who ranked as the No. 10 quarterback in the class by 247Sports. He now steps into a developmental role behind the veteran.

Is Haynes King the most underrated quarterback in the country?

It's a question that has been ringing in my head for a few weeks now as I've begun digging into some numbers, trying to get a grasp on what the quarterback situation looks like around the country heading into the 2025 season. We're entering an era where I wonder if experience at quarterback will prove to be even more of an asset for programs that aren't expected to be competing for national titles or College Football Playoff appearances on an annual basis. 

It's a scenario that feels pertinent to the 2025 season specifically. Of the 12 teams that reached the College Football Playoff last season, only five have a returning starter at QB, and none of them are the annual title contenders. In fact, of the teams that finished in the top eight of the final CFP rankings last year (the rankings, not the playoff seeds), Penn State Nittany Lions is the only school with a returning starter.

Is Haynes King college football's most underrated QB? Why the Georgia Tech veteran has a strong case

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Deion Sanders and his medical team opened up last month about how the Colorado coach was away from the team over the offseason as he was treated for a cancerous tumor in his bladder. Sanders' oncologist, Dr. Janet Kukreja, explained that Sanders chose bladder removal instead of other treatment options due to a high rate of metastasis, with the cancer often coming back more aggressively. 

By removing Sanders' bladder, Kukreja said, the coach has been "cured" of cancer. 

"The bad side of this cancer is that if it does progress to the muscle, the rate of metastasis is about 50%," Kukreja said. "Only about 10% people live more than five years, even with our current medical treatment, if it metastasized. We've very lucky to have found it at this stage where I can say the word 'cure,' because I don't use that word lightly as a cancer doctor."

Sanders opened up about how he lost 25 pounds and the challenges he would face moving forward without his bladder.

"I cannot control my bladder," Sanders said. If you see a porta-potty on the sideline, it's real."

He wasn't joking.

Both Colorado and Georgia Tech enter Week 1 breaking in new starters on the offensive and defensive lines. Colorado retooled its offensive front through the portal, aiming to provide stability around former five-star left tackle prospect Jordan Seaton. On defense, the Buffaloes return production from a unit that led the Big 12 in sacks last year, but still shuffled pieces with transfer depth. 

Georgia Tech must replace multiple contributors up front on offense, leaning on transfers like Malachi Carney (South Alabama) to keep veteran quarterback Haynes King upright. Defensively, the Yellow Jackets are also working in fresh faces after turnover in the trenches, with veteran tackle Jordan van den Berg serving as the lone returning starter. With both teams in transition along the lines of scrimmage, the outcome may hinge on which rebuilt front asserts itself first.