Five days after Colorado’s wild 14-13 win over Georgia Tech, Deion Sanders was still giving credit where he thought it was due.
Before shifting to Saturday’s home opener against Weber State, Sanders made sure to salute the Buffs fans who turned Bobby Dodd Stadium into a Colorado-friendly scene late in the night.
“Hats off to Buff Nation,” Sanders said. “I really think we have the best fans in the nation.
Knowing what transpired on the field last season, a lackluster effort. But they showed up in Atlanta and showed out.
When we scored that last touchdown it was almost like it was a home game if you’d have heard the volume of that. It was unbelievable.”
Now the attention turns to a different kind of challenge: keeping that same edge against an FCS opponent that comes to Boulder after opening its season with a one-point win at Northern Colorado on Aug. 28. Weber State will make its second trip to Colorado in three weeks, with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
What stood out most in Atlanta wasn’t just the win. It was the way Colorado handled the line of scrimmage, an area that had haunted the Buffs through last season’s 3-9 finish.
The defense set the tone immediately. Georgia Tech managed only 51 rushing yards on 30 carries, and Colorado’s pass rush got home three times, all by Monmouth transfer Lamont Lester Jr. The Buffs also forced the game’s lone turnover when Boo Carter recovered a fumble in the first quarter.
That effort earned Colorado’s defensive line recognition from the Big 12 as the league’s top defensive front of Week 1.
The offense was just as striking in its own way. In Brennan Marion’s Go-Go scheme, Colorado ran for 183 yards, the third-most the Buffs have produced in 38 games under Sanders. Each of the top four rushers averaged at least 4.2 yards per carry.
Even more important, the protection held up. Julian Lewis was sacked just once, and the loss was only one yard - a sharp change for a line that had struggled badly in pass protection during Sanders’ first three seasons.
Asked whether the Go-Go offense is easier on the offensive line, Sanders pushed back on the idea that the scheme alone explains the improvement.
“I don’t think they’ve been asked anything different. I think it’s personnel,” Sanders said.
“You’ve got different personnel that can do what you’ve asked them to do. And not only can do it, they take pride in it and they want to do it.
“Those guys, man, they know what they possess. They know what they got.
They want it. They’re not going to let up this week whatsoever.
You’re going to see a group of young men go out there and pick up where they left off, which is to try and punish somebody.”
In Other News...
Colorado Suddenly Faces A Very Different Test In Home Opener
Weber States trip to Colorado now comes with a different kind of uncertainty after starting quarterback Devin Brown was expected to miss the game with a dislocated right pinkie finger. Brown was injured in the season opener, and the Wildcats are likely to turn again to freshman Nate Dahle, who is in line to make his second straight start against a Buffaloes team that will have to adjust its preparation accordingly.
Eric Kjar said he had updates on Browns status and made clear he has confidence in Dahle to handle the assignment. For Colorado, the change only adds another layer to a home opener that was already drawing attention, since a young quarterback being asked to settle in on the road can alter the feel of a game before it even begins. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado's Upset Win Just Brought Immediate Big 12 Recognition
Colorados upset win over Georgia Tech didnt just change the mood around the program, it quickly put the Buffaloes in the league spotlight. The Big 12 handed out three weekly football honors from the performance, with Lamont Lester Jr. earning Co-Defensive Player of the Week, Boo Carter taking Co-Special Teams Player of the Week and Colorados defensive line getting Defensive Line of the Week recognition.
For a team looking to prove it belongs in bigger conversations, the timing matters as much as the hardware. Individual awards are nice, but the real value is what they suggest about how Colorado won: disruptive play up front, impact moments on special teams and enough across-the-board execution to get the leagues attention right after a statement victory. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado May Have Found A New Pass Rush Problem For Opponents
Lamont Lester Jr. gave Colorado a much-needed jolt off the edge in its recent 14-13 win over Georgia Tech, turning in a three-sack performance that stood out in a game decided by the slimmest of margins. The Buffaloes have spent plenty of time looking for defensive answers under Deion Sanders, and Lesters emergence offered one in a hurry, especially from a player who came to Boulder with a background at Monmouth and quickly fit the tone the staff wants.
For Colorado, the bigger question now is whether this was a one-game burst or the start of a real pass-rush problem for opponents. Lester talked about the defense playing fast, smart and with relentless effort under Sanders and defensive coordinator Chris Marve, and that mindset will be tested again as teams start planning for him. If the Buffaloes can keep getting that kind of pressure off the edge, they may have found a new way to make life uncomfortable for opposing quarterbacks. [Read more 🡒]