Shannon Sharpe didn’t waste any words describing what he was watching Thursday night. The Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end posted his reaction on X as Colorado struggled in its 2026 season opener against Georgia Tech.
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“Can’t even lie. It’s painful watching the Buffs. 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️” Sharpe wrote on X.
The reaction came during a messy opening half for Colorado. The Buffaloes had a chance to score after a Georgia Tech fumble but were stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Another Colorado possession stalled, while Georgia Tech gained momentum through a 100-plus-yard kickoff return by wide receiver Rahkeem Smith. A 22-yard field goal from placekicker Aidan Birr then put the Yellow Jackets ahead 10-7 at halftime.
Colorado’s first score came from running back Micah Welch, who punched in a five-yard touchdown run to give the Buffaloes their first lead of the season. They showed some spirit in the third quarter, being able to move the chains and overcome Georgia Tech on both sides of the ball. The Colorado offense deployed 15 running plays on a series that totaled 66 yards and lasted nearly 10 minutes, per CBS Sports’ David Cobb.
However, with seven minutes left in the final quarter, Colorado’s field goal attempt to tie the score was blocked by Georgia Tech.
Thursday’s game carried plenty of weight for Deion Sanders after Colorado stumbled to a 3-9 record last season. That was a sharp decline from the Buffaloes’ nine-win campaign in 2024, and the team was picked 15th in the 16-team Big 12 preseason poll. With Sanders entering his fourth year, expectations were already under scrutiny.
This game was a rematch of their 2025 clash, which Georgia Tech won 27-20. The Yellow Jackets set fire on the field, torching the Colorado defense with 320 rushing yards, 156 of which came from former quarterback Haynes King.
This year’s game looked different on paper, with both programs undergoing significant changes. Colorado entered Thursday with Julian Lewis as its starting quarterback and Brennan Marion taking over as offensive coordinator. New defensive coordinator Chris Marve was also overseeing a defense that had only one returning starter.
Georgia Tech was rebuilding as well (Fernando Mendoza’s brother, Alberto, takes over for King as QB1), but the Yellow Jackets had home-field advantage at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The matchup was viewed as an early opportunity for Colorado to show some progress, but the Buffaloes entered as 6.5-point underdogs against a Georgia Tech team coming off a 9-4 season.
The challenge looked even bigger with Colorado debuting yet another team with very new players, having lost plenty to the transfer portal earlier this year. Thursday’s performance highlighted the gap between the current roster and the team that captured attention during the 2024 season.