Colorado Buffaloes, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets FPI Prediction: Home Underdogs?

The Colorado Buffaloes will face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in their opening game on Friday, Aug. 29 at Folsom Field. Despite being home underdogs, Deion Sanders's team is viewed as the favorite per FPI's prediction.

Nov 23, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warmup prior to the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Colorado Buffaloes at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes open their 2025 season at home against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Friday, Aug. 29 at Folsom Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. PT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. 

Colorado vs. Georgia Tech Preview, FPI Prediction

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Buffaloes a 52.7 percent chance to win against Georgia Tech. 

This will be the first game of Deion Sanders’s third season as Colorado coach. Sanders was hired prior to the 2023 season following a 1-11 2022 season. The Buffaloes went 4-8 in 2023, but Sanders turned it around last season. Colorado finished 2024 with a record of 9-4. They had a home record of 5-1 and will look to keep that trend going against the Yellow Jackets.

Colorado’s starting quarterback will be Liberty Flames transfer Kaidon Salter. Deion Sanders announced at his press conference earlier this week that he would be going with experience over the freshman Julian Lewis. 

“The kid has a ton of experience, dual-threat, he can throw the heck out of the ball as well,” Sanders said about Salter. “He’s the guy at this point.”

Salter will take over for Shedeur Sanders, who was the Buffaloes starting quarterback in 2023 and 2024 before being selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

On the other side of the field, Georgia Tech will be led by Coach Brent Key and quarterback Haynes King. The 24-year old King will be in his third season as Yellow Jackets starting quarterback. In the previous two seasons, Georgia Tech went 7-6 both times. 

Colorado vs. Georgia Tech Odds

Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King (10) throws a pass during the first half of a NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Athens, Ga., on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Despite ESPN’s FPI slotting the Buffaloes with a 52.7 chance to win, the current betting line for Colorado-Georgia Tech has Colorado as a 4.5-point underdog per DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is at 51.5 points. 

Colorado’s win total for the 2025 season is at 5.5, with odds of -140 on the over and +120 on the under. 

The Big 12 is projected to be a wide open conference to win yet again. Last season, the Arizona State Sun Devils came out of nowhere to win the conference championship. Colorado was in a four-way tie for the top spot, but tie breaking scenarios left them out of the title game. 

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Colorado vs. Georgia Tech Score Prediction

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Folsom Field will be rocking on Friday night for this Big 12 vs. ACC showdown. Colorado sold out season tickets for the third consecutive season. The Yellow Jackets will not be intimidated by this as last season they went in to Athens and nearly took down the Georgia Bulldogs on the road.

Georgia Tech has a returning starting quarterback and Colorado doesn’t. That will give the Yellow Jackets the win in a close game, but Colorado covers the spread. 

Georgia Tech 27, Colorado 24

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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