Welcome back, Buffs fans, to our weekly preview where we break down CU’s upcoming matchup! The Buffs head down south to Atlanta to open their 2026 season tonight at Georgia Tech, with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. MT on ESPN.

The Buffs come into this matchup on the heels of yet another offseason with drastic changes to both the roster and staff. After going 3-9 last season, the Buffs failed to retain key players on both sides of the ball, most notably Jordan Seaton, Omarion Miller, Tawfiq Byard and DJ McKinney. These losses have opened the door for an entirely new group of stars for fans to key in on.

Offense: Time to Go-Go

The story for the offensive group starts with the hiring of former UNLV offensive coordinator and Sacramento State head coach Brennan Marion. Marion is best known for his patented Go Go offense, meaning Buffs fans should expect to see an entirely new brand of football.

The Go Go is built around option concepts, misdirection and unusual stacked alignments. Its signature look puts two backs on the same side of the quarterback, forcing the defense to account for several possible ball carriers, while still respecting the passing game. Over the offseason, Sanders and the Buffs fully invested in playmakers to make this transition as seamless as possible.

The offensive group has kept much of its young core intact, bringing back redshirt freshman Julian “JuJu” Lewis with the keys to this offense in his hands. After redshirting last season and playing in just four games with two starts, JuJu made it abundantly clear to Buffs fans that he is the future.

His comfortability in the pocket, quickness when escaping pressure and ability to layer balls into the second and third levels against coverage gave Buffs fans optimism for what lies ahead. In his limited time last season, JuJu threw for 589 yards with four touchdowns and protected the ball with no interceptions. My personal belief is that the coupling of JuJu and Brennan Marion is a perfect one. With playmakers galore to execute the option concepts and misdirection, the sky is the limit for this group.

The playmakers Buffs fans should watch include Danny Scudero, the San Jose State transfer who was a Biletnikoff semifinalist and second team All-American. Scudero led the country with 1,297 receiving yards last season. DeAndre Moore is another highly sought after and productive pass catcher contributed last season at Texas, while Kam Perry is a lightning fast gadget receiver who previously played at both Indiana and Miami of Ohio.

These playmakers should have plenty of opportunities in the Go Go offense, and I expect Brennan Marion to make the most out of this group. I expect DeAndre Moore and second year Buff Joseph Williams to take most of the reps outside the numbers, with Danny Scudero functioning as the slot receiver and Kam Perry becoming a gadget option.

The backfield will also be extremely important in this offense. Alabama transfer Richard Young should be the main name to watch, while Micah Welch and Sacramento State transfers Damian Henderson and JaQuail Smith give Marion several different options for his two back looks. The biggest question is still the offensive line, especially after losing Jordan Seaton. With even average offensive line play, this group has the potential shock many in the Big 12.

Defense: Marve’s Room



Defensively, the Buffs bring in nearly an entirely new unit as per tradition, and this time they have a new coordinator as well in Chris Marve. Marve initially joined Colorado as the linebackers coach after previously serving as the defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech. He was promoted when Rob Livingston left for the Denver Broncos. His philosophy centers around effort and aggressiveness. I expect this defense to be a little more balanced in its coverages, relying less on the risky man concepts designed to test quarterbacks that we have seen from previous Buffs defenses. Instead, I expect more focus on generating pressure on the quarterback from all angles.

The standout acquisitions of the offseason center around Tennessee transfer Boo Carter, a do it all defensive back who is as athletic as anybody on the field. Gideon ESPN Lampron was a workhorse linebacker for Bowling Green last season, while Justin Eaglin is a playmaking defensive back from James Madison, who recorded five interceptions last year.

Opponent: Mendoza 2.0?

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets come into the season with high hopes after going 9-4 last year, with a birth in the Pop Tarts Bowl and finishing ranked No. 24, after climbing as high as #7. Most notably for Buffs fans, they beat CU during week one in Folsom.

Last season’s matchup was a close one, with Georgia Tech winning 27 to 20 and dominating on the ground, but Buffs fans know that game was well within reach. Missed throws and defensive letdowns were the story as the Buffs gave up 320 rushing yards to start the year. Haynes King ultimately broke the tie with a 45 yard touchdown run with just over a minute remaining.

This year, Georgia Tech comes in with an almost entirely new group offensively and is led by Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of last year’s Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Fernando Mendoza.

Alberto is still an unproven commodity, but he was part of a national championship offense last year and showed promise in limited action. He completed 75 percent of his passes for 286 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing for 190 yards, but his only playing time came in blowout victories. His ability to run may remind some fans of Haynes King from last season, and ultimately gives this Colorado defense another major concern after what happened when facing mobile quarterbacks last season.

Georgia Tech’s biggest strength should once again be its backfield. Michigan transfer Justice Haynes rushed for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns in only seven games last season and is expected to start. Malachi Hosley adds another dangerous option after rushing for 697 yards and seven touchdowns as a backup last year, which was more than twice the total of CU’s leading rusher. The Yellow Jackets also return All ACC offensive linemen Ethan Mackenny and Malachi Carney. Georgia Tech should have a strong offense, and I expect them to be a force on the ground.

While CU’s revamped offense is going to find ways to score the football, Georgia Tech’s run game and offensive line could be the difference in this one. I expect a lot of points to be scored and for Georgia Tech to steal a close win.

Colorado 27

Georgia Tech 28