Colorado’s season opener at Georgia Tech comes with a fresh offense, a quarterback still just 18, and a run game challenge that will tell a lot about where the Buffaloes stand right away.
The biggest headline for CU is the debut of Brennan Marion’s Go-Go offense, but the real pressure sits on Julian Lewis. This is his first opening-game start, and it happens in his home state.
If he keeps the ball moving and avoids forcing throws, the Buffs should have plenty to work with around him. Deion Sanders said at least four running backs are expected to get snaps, and CU believes Lewis will have a strong group of receivers to sort through if the offensive line can hold up against a Georgia Tech front that figures to come out physical.
That front will matter because Colorado’s biggest defensive issue from last season was stopping the run. The Buffs were second-worst in the nation against it, and that puts a lot on linebacker Liona Lefau, along with Gideon Lampron and Tyler Martinez, to set a different tone. Lefau brings big-game experience from Texas, and he’s one of the players CU will lean on as it tries to clean up that part of the defense.
Lewis also has to prove he can be the guy. He made four appearances last year, and the results were uneven: 6.3 yards per attempt, no interceptions, and 94 attempts.
CU’s offense has other possibilities, including Texas transfer DeAndre Moore Jr., but Danny Scudero stands out as a potential difference-maker after earning second team Associated Press All-American honors last season at San Jose State. The Buffs need somebody to emerge as Lewis’ dependable target.
Georgia Tech brings its own set of questions and a few dangerous answers. The Yellow Jackets went 9-4 last season and 6-2 in the ACC, and linebacker Kyle Efford is the kind of player who can wreck a game plan.
He was an honorable mention All-ACC pick last year and has led Tech in tackles in each of the past three seasons, the first Yellow Jacket to do that in 25 years. If Colorado wants its Go-Go offense to function, it has to move Efford out of the way.
The other name that jumps off the page is Justice Haynes. The Michigan transfer rushed for 857 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, averaged 7.1 yards per carry, and had seven 100-yard games before an injury cut his year short.
Sanders praised him, and it’s easy to see why. Georgia Tech wants to run the ball, and Haynes could be the centerpiece of that approach.
At quarterback, Alberto Mendoza is trying to carve out his own path after leaving Indiana, where he backed up his brother Fernando, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner for national champion Indiana and the first overall pick in the NFL draft by Las Vegas. Alberto played in 10 games last season, completing 18 of 24 passes for 286 yards, five touchdowns and one interception. He may have the most recognizable last name on the field, but in terms of college experience, he’s the least tested quarterback in this matchup.
Georgia Tech’s offense is also getting a new voice with George Godsey, who spent the past 15 seasons in the NFL. CU’s defense, meanwhile, is also adjusting to new coordinators on the other side, including Jason Semore, who is in his third stint at Georgia Tech and has also coordinated at Colorado Mines and Adams State.
Special teams could decide more than either side would like. Sanders praised Australian punter Damon Greaves, now in his second season with the Buffs, though Colorado would rather not lean on him often.
The bigger concern is place-kicker, where the job was still undecided on Monday between Elliot Arnold, Boulder High graduate Daniel Gerlach and junior college transfer Cadel Ayala. None has tried a college kick yet, and one of them may end up with the game on the line.
The teams met for the first time last season, when Georgia Tech won 27-20 in Boulder. Colorado has lost its last seven road games, and the Yellow Jackets’ defense includes two former Buffs, defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas and safety Savion Riley.
CU’s roster also includes 17 players from Georgia. Georgia Tech was picked fifth in the ACC preseason poll, and ESPN’s broadcast team for the game will feature Matt Barrie, Chase Daniel and sideline reporter Paul Carcaterra.
In Other News...
Colorado Defense May Have Found An Immediate Difference Maker
Colorados defense got an early jolt from a newcomer against Georgia Tech, and Lamont Lester Jr. was right in the middle of it. The transfer turned in a disruptive outing with three sacks, including a third-quarter takedown that snuffed out a drive and gave the Buffaloes a much-needed playmaker off the edge.
Lester had already hinted at the mindset behind his rise in a prior podcast interview, describing himself as relentless and focused on dominating while constantly improving. He pointed to the development he got from his position coach at Monmouth and stressed confidence and preparation as the foundation of his success, which makes his immediate impact in Boulder feel less like a surprise than the next step in a player who believes he is built for it. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Opener Got Extra Heat From An Unexpected Colorado Twist
Shedeur Sanders was back around Colorado football for the season opener at Bobby Dodd Stadium, and his presence added a familiar layer to a game already slowed by a weather delay. The former Buffaloes quarterback, now with the Cleveland Browns, has left a real mark on the program after setting school records and steering Colorado to a bowl game last season, so his return naturally drew attention as the Buffaloes settled in with new starting quarterback Julian Lewis.
Lewis had a rough opening stretch, with ball handling and passing issues showing up during the first three quarters while Colorado tried to find a rhythm. With Sanders watching from the stands, every snap seemed to carry a little extra weight, and the opener took on the feel of more than just a new season starting. For Colorado, it was a reminder of how quickly the quarterback spotlight can shift, and how much the old one still lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Escaped Georgia Tech But Buffs Fans Still Have One Big Debate
Colorados season opener had the kind of finish that can shape a fan bases mood for days. The Buffs edged Georgia Tech 14-13 in a tense game that came down to the final snap, with the offense having to answer in the closing minutes and the defense needing one last stand to keep the win from slipping away.
Julian Lewis helped steady the moment with the late touchdown drive, and the victory gave Colorado plenty to feel good about beyond the final score. Even so, the conversation around the program now has a familiar edge to it: the kind of debate that comes after a narrow escape, when one play can be praised, questioned, and replayed from every angle long after the crowd leaves the stadium. [Read more 🡒]