Vegas isn’t convinced, but analytics say Colorado’s opener is up for grabs

Most experts are taking a wait-and-see approach with Deion Sanders and Colorado this year. It's understandable considering the loss of program stalwarts like Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. The Buffs are replacing a lot of production from last season, including their top four wide receivers and a good chunk of their secondary.

Of course, Coach Prime restocked the cupboards efficiently in the Transfer Portal, with brand new faces in so many key spots, you never know how it will all fit together, no matter the talent level.

With so many unknowns, I'm sure Sanders would prefer more of a tune-up game to open the season. Unfortunately for him, that won't be the case as Colorado will get an immediate test at home with Brent Key's Georgia Tech making the trek to Boulder.

Colorado still hasn't named a starting QB yet, though most expect that it will be Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter. Star freshman Julian Lewis could see some action, too, as his talent has proven to be undeniable during spring practice and fall camp.

With four days to go until kickoff, the Vegas oddsmakers still favor the Yellow Jackets over the Buffaloes on the road. According to FanDuel, Georgia Tech currently sits as a 3.5-point favorite as of Monday morning.

ESPN analyst Bill Connelly's SP+ system sees the game even tighter.

SP+ sees Colorado vs. Georgia Tech as essentially a pick-em

For the nerds among us (guilty as charged), Connelly releasing the SP+ picks is the surest sign that college football is back. And according to SP+, Colorado's matchup against Georgia Tech on Friday night is essentially a coin flip:

SP+ projects a 30-29 win for Georgia Tech, but it's even tighter than that when you look closely. That one point is the rounded figure, with the projected margin actually at just 0.4 points.

It seems like many aren't giving Coach Prime and his team much of a chance, even at home, to knock off the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech is a preseason media darling, with some going as far as to predict them as a dark horse in the College Football Playoff race.

It's easy to see why. Georgia Tech took a nice step forward in competitiveness last season under Key and narrowly missed out on a major road upset over rival Georgia at the end of the regular season. They bring back an experienced group with a veteran, battle-tested QB in Haynes King.

Georgia Tech being favored is probably fair. They certainly have more "knowns" than Colorado does. But those not giving the Buffs a chance might be pretty disappointed by what they see on Friday night at Folsom Field.