Colorado’s trip to Georgia Tech ended with a win on the field and a haul of Big 12 weekly honors afterward.
The Buffs were among the biggest winners in the conference’s first weekly awards release for 2026, landing two individual selections and one unit award after their upset on the road late Thursday night. On Monday, lineman Lamont Lester Jr. was named the Big 12’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week, cornerback Boo Carter earned Co-Special Teams Player of the Week, and Colorado took Defensive Line of the Week.
Only BYU, with Cannon DeVries and Legend Glasker, matched Colorado by collecting multiple spots on the Week 1 list.
Lester’s first game in a Colorado uniform came with a big stat line: five tackles and three sacks. The Monmouth transfer was a major force in a defense that turned in a strong all-around showing, and he already had a decorated resume before arriving in Boulder after being named the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2025.
Carter delivered the moment that sealed the game. With Colorado leading 14-13 and the clock nearly gone, the Tennessee transfer blocked a 45-yard Georgia Tech field goal attempt on the final play to preserve the road victory.
Colorado’s front also earned its share of the credit for limiting Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards. Lester, Santana Hopper, Samu Taumanupepe, Dylan Manuel, Quency Wiggins, Kylan Salter, Toby Anene and Immanuel Ezeogu were among the players who helped make that happen.
Colorado’s next game is Saturday at home against Weber State, with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
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 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 🡒]
Deion Sanders Rumors Create A Colorado Problem Fans Know Too Well
Following Florida States loss to SMU, the old Deion Sanders-to-Florida State chatter has started creeping back into the conversation, and it is exactly the kind of noise Colorado fans have learned to brace for. Sanders is tied to Colorado through 2029 and has said he is happy in Boulder, but his name is still going to surface any time a major opening feels even a little bit plausible.
For Colorado, the problem is not just the speculation itself, but the way it can spill into recruiting and keep the program in a constant state of answering questions it would rather avoid. There is still no credible reporting that Florida State has reached out, and Mike Norvell is under his own pressure after recent results, but the ripple effect is familiar enough in Boulder to make this a storyline worth monitoring. [Read more 🡒]