Previewing the Colorado Buffaloes’ clash with Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Offensive tackle Jordan Seaton eyes a rushing defender during spring ball (Aspen Doust/Sko Buffs Sports)

Folsom Field will be the stage for a sold-out crowd, as Kaidon Salter and the Colorado Buffaloes welcome the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to begin the 2025 season.

Ushering in the Salter era, a Week 1 clash will be the first in program history for both squads. Having an array of new faces ready to make an impact and fighting for dominance in the trenches will be key for each team.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders made the announcement Tuesday that Salter earned the right to lead the Buffs this season. The dual-threat running ability adds another layer of attack that the offense lacked last season. As a veteran leader, he provides the stability Colorado wanted under center. 

Confidence has grown in the chemistry and scheme of the offensive unit under coordinator Pat Shurmur. Entering without running back Dallan Hayden, who will miss week one with a hand injury, transfers will need to make a significant contribution for the Buffs to perform well. 

“It’s natural to believe that we will be more balanced. I want to call plays for us, and I want us to execute plays that gain yards,” Shurmur said. “Whether we run the ball or throw the ball, we want to gain yards and ultimately get it past the goal line.”

Returning receivers Dre’lon and Omarion Miller, running back Micah Welch and tackle Jordan Seaton are the familiar faces expected to make an early impact for the Buffs’ offense. Four new starters will be revealed come game time on the offensive line.

Defensively, the Buffs return a multitude of members from their front seven that led the Big 12 in sacks in 2024. Edge Arden Walker, defensive tackle Amari McNeil, linebacker Jeremiah Brown, and corner DJ McKinney have stood out as returning players set to play a key role in the scheme against the Yellow Jackets. 

Dre'lon Miller stiff-arms a defender on his way to the end zone. (Ryan Asaro/Sko Buffs Sports)

Their transfer class also included an abundance of talent in the skill position room, with receivers like Joseph and Hykeem Williams and Sincere Brown. Running backs Simeon Price and Dekalon Taylor come in as hungry weapons ready to be unleashed as well. 

Honing in on the Yellow Jackets, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston acknowledged the presence of tenured quarterback Haynes King. The focal point of the Yellow Jackets' offense, King brings experience and a dual-threat skillset that Colorado has been preparing for.

“He is an elite competitor; you feel him on every play. Offensively, they go as he goes. He’s the straw that stirs the drink,” Livingston said. “The kid will make a 35-yard out route, and then on the next play he’s running counter through the A Gap. He’s what college football is about.”

In the backfield with him returns explosive running back Jamal Haynes, who toted the rock for 944 yards and three touchdowns in 2024. Limiting the ground game of GT’s tenured playmakers will be a focal point of Colorado’s defense. 

Defensively, Yellow Jackets' safety, Clayton Powell-Lee, brings confidence to the defense, a unit that has spent camp time honing its skills to beat Colorado. He acknowledged during a presser, focusing on Colorado’s transfers and any film they could obtain, while expressing confidence in their ability to get it done.

With assurance in their skill positions, transfers in the trenches for both squads raise questions about which team will be the more physical. On paper, the Jackets hold an edge as the favorite according to multiple sportsbooks, but this game will be played on the artificial blades of Colorado’s new turf.

All questions will be answered on Friday night when the season kicks off at 6 p.m. MT

on ESPN.