Colorado spent much of the first half doing enough on defense to stay in the game, but one special teams breakdown handed Georgia Tech the edge anyway.
The Buffaloes held the Yellow Jackets to just three points on that side of the ball, yet still reached halftime down 10-7 after Rahkeem Smith ripped off a kickoff return touchdown that immediately put Deion Sanders’ preseason decision back in the spotlight. Sanders chose to open the season without a designated special teams coordinator, and that setup drew fresh attention once Smith went the distance.
“We got three new coordinators?” Sanders sarcastically asked a media member during a spring press conference. “We don’t have a special teams coordinator.”
Colorado has spread those duties across its assistants, with tight ends coach Josh Niblett expected to have a major hand in the operation. One play does not prove the structure caused the mistake, but Smith’s return gave the Buffaloes an obvious place to start looking.
The Buffs had actually struck first, getting a rushing touchdown from Micah Welch. Smith erased that lead by taking a kickoff from inside his own end zone and racing the length of the field.
That wasn’t the only missed opportunity for Colorado in the opening half.
Boo Carter’s fumble recovery gave the Buffaloes a chance to cash in early, but the drive stalled when DeKalon Taylor was stopped for two yards on fourth-and-goal from the Georgia Tech 3, leaving Colorado a yard short and empty-handed.
Welch was Colorado’s most reliable offensive piece, finishing the half with nine carries for 55 yards and the touchdown. Damian Henderson added 30 yards on five attempts.
Julian Lewis went 6 of 11 for 41 yards, with DeAndre Moore Jr. posting the longest catch at 15 yards and Danny Scudero hauling in three passes for 11 yards.
Lewis’ last third-down snap before the break turned into another scramble for Colorado. With about 90 seconds left and facing third-and-4, the ball slipped out of his hand.
He got back on it, but the Buffaloes still had to punt. Georgia Tech then muffed the return, only to recover the loose ball.
The Yellow Jackets’ biggest offensive break came when Alberto Mendoza scrambled across the field on third-and-12 and found Jordan Allen for 22 yards down to the Colorado 4. The Buffaloes tightened up from there and forced a short field goal.
Mendoza finished 8 of 12 for 105 yards, with Allen catching four passes for 45 yards. Justice Haynes carried nine times for 32 yards.
Colorado’s defense came up with one more key stop before halftime when Lamont Lester Jr. sacked Mendoza on third-and-20 with 27 seconds left. Mendoza limped off after the play and appeared to be favoring his left leg.
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Ernest Campbells first game in a Colorado uniform was more about waiting than making plays, as the receiver saw limited action and finished the season opener against Georgia Tech without a catch. Even so, his profile still stands out for the Buffaloes. Campbell brings the kind of speed that can change how a defense lines up, and he already has a track record with Colorado offensive coordinator in the system from his Sacramento State days.
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Colorado Finally Got The Breakthrough This Locker Room Needed
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For a roster that has been reshaped so dramatically, the significance went beyond the final score. Plenty of players were celebrating their first win in Colorado colors, and a team that had spent nearly a year searching for a breakthrough suddenly had one it could point to, lean on and measure itself against going forward. [Read more 🡒]