Brent Key coached the fourth quarter like a man hoping Colorado would beat itself. It didn't. The result was a 14-13 season-opening loss to Deion Sanders' Buffaloes, and the college football crowd did not hold back. "Gross." "Cowards Never Win."
The flashpoints were both self-inflicted. Georgia Tech's final offensive possession turned conservative and ended in a field-goal try rather than one aggressive shot at the end zone. Then Key called a timeout while Colorado's two-minute drill looked stuck, giving Sanders' offense a reset and a chance to start cooking. Colorado escaped with a one-point win, and Georgia Tech fans were left furious at a coach who coached like the moment was too big for him.
This isn't some random October blip. Key's record in season openers now reads 2-2 after he entered Thursday at 2-1. The one prior opening loss came in 2023, when Georgia Tech led Louisville 28-13 at halftime and collapsed. Different year, same shape: a physical start, followed by a scaled-back approach in the fourth quarter.
Nobody questions Key's ability to build a tough, competitive program in Atlanta. The questions are about what happens when the game is on the line and he chooses safety over aggression. Colorado's sideline looked more comfortable in the final minutes than Georgia Tech's, and that comfort showed in the scoreboard.
If Key doesn't trust his players to go win a game in the fourth quarter, he shouldn't expect anyone else to trust the direction of the program. With Tennessee next on the schedule, another close game will test exactly how much he learned from this one.
