The 2025 college football season has begun, and we get an intriguing clash Friday night in Boulder, Colorado, as the Buffaloes host the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Both programs enter the 2025 season with high hopes. Georgia Tech is looking to build on stability and growth under head coach Brent Key, while Colorado starts fresh after losing two cornerstone stars.
Oddsmakers favor Georgia Tech as the line has bounced from 3.5 to 4.5 since May. Taking a road team has not been a favorable proposition to start 2025, as home teams are 19-2. Can Georgia Tech’s cohesiveness carry them to a victory tonight?
Protecting him is a veteran offensive line, led by two seniors and a junior, which allows the Jackets to lean on a run-first scheme that wears opponents down. Jamal Haynes leads the backfield, coming off a strong 944 rushing yards with 9 touchdowns on the ground, adding 3 more through the air.
Defensively, Georgia Tech isn’t dominant, but they have improved each season under Brent Key, and they have an A+ rating in depth overall. Per CFBDepth.com they rank 22nd in pass rush, 34th in rush defense, and 46th overall. They are led by a group of experienced corners, four seniors, four junior linebackers, and their defensive line is riddled with seniors and juniors. This defensive group is not only deep, but they are experienced, and they may do just enough to disrupt Kaidon Salter’s Colorado debut.
Even though Colorado brought in some impressive players this offseason, the losses of Sanders/Hunter forced the Buffaloes to reset their identity. New quarterback Kaidon Salter, a transfer from Liberty, brings playmaking ability but steps into a far tougher environment than he faced in the Group of Five. He also faces immense pressure to perform right away, and while I think he will be good this season, he is facing a very hungry Tech squad.
The offensive line remains a concern, even though CFBDepth.com has them rated very highly. They have four transfer starters, and I believe that it will take a game or two to adjust. When the protection breaks down, Salter may be forced into mistakes. Defensively, Colorado struggled against both the run and pass last year, and they cannot afford to make mistakes against the Haynes brothers.
Final Score Prediction: Georgia Tech 27, Colorado 23
Best Bet: Georgia Tech -2.5 (-145) Novig
Running back Jamal Haynes is set to be the centerpiece of Georgia Tech’s offense this season. The two-headed monster of Jamal and QB Haynes King gives the defense a lot of headaches to deal with. Jamal showed last season that he can handle volume, posting multiple games over 50 yards while proving to be reliable near the goal line. He can make plays out of the backfield as a receiver as well, making him a dynamic weapon.
Colorado’s defense has been vulnerable against the run, especially last season, and its front seven still has a lot to prove. Georgia Tech’s offensive line should control the point of attack, creating lanes for Haynes. The likely game script also favors him if Tech grabs an early lead. I expect them to focus a lot on keeping Haynes King in the pocket, putting the ball in Jamal’s hands 15+ times tonight. He scored in 10/13 games last season, 4 of 5 on the road.
Best Bet: Jamal Haynes 50+ Rushing Yards + Anytime TD (–111) FanDuel
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