Georgia Tech players insist they aren’t caught up in hype of Colorado game
The hype is real. The approach, the Yellow Jackets said, is to not get caught up in that hype.
“We treat every game as the same. We don’t try to make the event bigger than what it is, honestly,” Georgia Tech safety Clayton Powell-Lee said about Friday’s opener at Colorado.
“We just try to keep a level head in knowing that if we go there and play our best, we can play anybody in the country. We’ve shown that. Just trying to keep that consistent mindset of don’t make the game bigger, don’t make the game smaller, don’t try to play down to your opponent, don’t let the event change how you play. Play the same way you’ve been practicing, play the same way you’ve been planning to play in the game. Just keep a steady mindset.”
A senior, Powell-Lee has played in road games at Central Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Ole Miss, Miami, Clemson, Syracuse and Louisville, among many others. He’s been a part of matchups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Dublin, and in two bowl games.
But there’s no arguing Colorado will be different from those challenges. Tech will play more than 5,000 feet above sea level in front of more than 50,000 fans, fans backing coach Deion Sanders’ program, which has been resurrected over the past two seasons under his leadership.
Folsom Field has become not only a raucous atmosphere and harrowing place for visiting teams to play during Sanders’ tenure, it has become a place to be seen for celebrities. LeBron James, Dwayne Johnson, Lil Wayne, Terrell Owens, Kevin Garnett and Rob Gronkowski are just a sampling of notable names who have appeared on the stadium’s sidelines.
And don’t forget the Buffaloes come out of the tunnel after their live mascot, a bison named Ralphie, circles the field.
“Everybody says it’s a different experience, but I’ve experienced some crazy stadiums since being here,” Powell-Lee added. “So just knowing that, not trying to overhype it, honestly. It’s another game. I know they bring out celebrities, they do all this crazy stuff, but we’re playing football. None of them playing. They can hype people all they want to, but you’re on the field, not them.”
Since Sanders took over the Colorado program ahead of the 2023 season, the Buffaloes have gone 7-5 at Folsom Field. They started Sanders’ tenure 2-0 in the building before losing four consecutive home games as part of a 4-8 2023 campaign.
Last season, however, Colorado was 5-1 at home, with the lone blemish coming at the hands of Kansas State when the Wildcats scored a game-winning touchdown with 2:14 remaining in a 31-28 victory.
Of course, this season’s team is expected to be much different from the 2024 squad — quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter have moved to the NFL. The Buffaloes’ style of play isn’t expected to change, nor is the energy expected to diminish inside their home venue.
“If we just go out there and play our game, execute and play fast, shift and motion fast, and execute and play physical, we’re gonna be just fine,” Tech quarterback Haynes King said. “I know (Sanders) and all them, they’re gonna play fast and physical, as well. So it’s gonna be good-fought game. Get your popcorn ready, I’d guess you’d say.”
Under coach Brent Key, Tech is 7-8 in road games, including 1-4 in 2024. The Yellow Jackets are 0-3 in nonconference road games under Key, with a pair of losses at Georgia and one at Ole Miss.
And although Tech hasn’t traveled west of the Mississippi River since playing in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, in 2012, much of the team took part in the trip to Ireland a year ago as part of Tech’s takedown of then-No. 10 Florida State. The Yellow Jackets said that experience will help them understand how to handle another highly anticipated matchup a long way from Atlanta.
“I definitely feel like we’re gonna take this game very seriously,” defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg said. “This is a business trip for us. It’s not like a vacation. We’re excited for the opportunity.”
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