Georgia Tech opened up the 2025 season with a road game at Colorado in Week 1. The Yellow Jackets got a 27-20 road victory. Now the Buffaloes will be the road team on Thursday night in Atlanta. Let’s breakdown betting angles on the game.
Colorado Buffaloes at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Thursday – 8pm ET)
Georgia Tech has some moving parts entering the season, and it remains to be seen just how good it can be. Alberto Mendoza, Fernando’s brother, transfers in from Indiana at QB. He’ll be working with a completely rebuilt group of receivers. The biggest reason why the Yellow Jackets went from 8-0 to 9-4 last year was the defense falling apart late in the season.
The defense returns four starters, and the strength should be the linebackers. There are question marks here, but I think they will show up over the course of the season in the ACC rather than a Week 1 semi-home game against Colorado. The one advantage the Buffs could have in this matchup is hitting deep passes. GT lost five of its top six members in the secondary from last season, while the strength of Colorado’s depleted roster is the WR room, and its not even close. Colorado made an offensive coordinator change, and is expected to take deep shots this season.
Georgia Tech stopping those deep shots will be one of the keys to this game, but I believe it can hold up. Why? The Buffs’ offensive line was dreadful last season and is in a complete rebuild. They ranked among the worst in the country in pass protection, and were not much better getting the run game going. All preseason publications rank Colorado’s OL among the worst in the Big 12, many placing it dead last. It’s one of the worst offensive lines in the Power-4. I expect the Yellow Jackets’ defensive line to have success in this matchup.
The key on the other side of the ball will be Georgia Tech’s run game. It was one of the best rushing offenses in the country last season, and will be emphasized again in 2026. Justice Haynes spent time at RB1 for Michigan, and transfers in to lead a talented GT backfield. Pick Six Previews ranks the RB room No. 2 in the ACC and just outside the top-10 nationally. It pairs with an elite offensive line, that PSP also ranks No. 2 in the ACC and in the top-15 nationally. That plays right into the Buffs’ weakness — they ranked as the second-worst run defense in the country last season.
Long story short, I expect Georgia Tech to get to the quarterback and run the ball down Colorado’s throat to win this game. Personally, I gave out GT on a moneyline parlay with Auburn on Saturday afternoon — you can read more about that play in my best bets cheat sheet article on DraftKings Network.
However, if you want a straight bet for Thursday night, I do think there are options. The Yellow Jackets run game should get going early and often. I think that should mean a couple of things — Georgia Tech jumping out to an early lead, and continuing to run to protect it. Georgia Tech is available on the Halftime/Fulltime line at -120 — essentially a double result wager to lead the game at halftime and go on to win the game. I’d also look at player props on Haynes — who is available to bet at OVER 80.5 rushing yards.
CFB Pick: Georgia Tech/Auburn ML Parlay (-108)
