By : Sabri Haidar
(Photo/Rodney Cofield- The Mojo Network)
Colorado’s 2025 season didn’t start the way Deion Sanders hoped. The Buffaloes dropped their opener to Georgia Tech, 27-20, in a game where quarterback Kaidon Salter showed flashes replacing Shedeur Sanders but the offense couldn’t consistently finish drives. Much of the blame from outside circled around offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s play-calling—but Coach Prime wasn’t having it.
Sanders came to Shurmur’s defense after the loss, pointing out that the struggles weren’t one-sided. “It’s funny that you start out with Coach Shurmur and we gave up over 300 yards, darn near 400 yards rushing,” Sanders told reporters. “It’s ironic to me. It seems like you guys pick and choose who you want to target.” His stance was clear: this wasn’t just an offensive issue.
The Buffaloes’ defense had bright spots, forcing three turnovers early, but they failed to capitalize—scoring only seven points off those takeaways. As the game wore on, Georgia Tech’s ground game wore Colorado down, finishing with nearly 400 rushing yards. Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King sealed the victory with a 45-yard touchdown run in the final minutes.
Sanders didn’t shy away from accountability himself. “We didn’t lose the game because of Coach Shurmur, Coach Livingston, or one specific thing,” he said. “I’ve got to do a better job.” His message underscored a team-wide responsibility rather than placing the loss on one coordinator.
Looking ahead, Colorado needs answers on both sides of the ball. Shurmur is still tailoring the offense around Salter’s dual-threat abilities, while defensive coordinator Charles Kelly faces the task of shoring up a unit that surrendered more than 460 yards.
For Sanders, the early challenge is keeping the locker room steady and the fan base confident. The Buffaloes have an opportunity to rebound next week—but their response will be an early indicator of whether they can live up to the expectations swirling around Boulder this season.