Lamont Lester Jr. wasted no time making himself known to Colorado fans.
In the Buffaloes’ 14-13 win at Georgia Tech on Thursday, the Monmouth transfer turned in a debut that landed with real force. Lester finished with three sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, and every sack came on third down, helping force Georgia Tech punts. Two of those sacks came in the third quarter, when CU needed disruption and got it.
The performance wasn’t flashy in the same way as Dylan Edwards’ four-touchdown explosion at TCU in the 2023 season opener, but it carried a similar kind of impact. Edwards was a true freshman in his first college game.
Lester arrived as a transfer trying to work his way up the college football ladder. Different path, same kind of immediate payoff.
That was the bigger takeaway from CU’s opener: a group of lower-level transfers showed they could carry over production from where they came from and make it count against a power-conference opponent.
Coach Deion Sanders didn’t sound surprised.
“A lot of these guys were great players where they came from. That’s why we got them,” Sanders said.
“Just because a guy played at a school, you don’t give him that he deserves sometimes, a smaller school. But football is football to me.
I don’t give a darn who’s on the other side. Football is football.
You can look at the film and say, ‘That guy can play.’ I don’t care who he’s playing against.
I don’t care if it’s SEC, ACC or what-C. Those guys that we grab - all three linebackers did phenomenal as well.
They stood the test.”
Lester may have delivered the biggest defensive punch, but he was far from the only newcomer who made an early statement.
Running backs Damian Henderson II and JaQuail Smith came to Colorado from Sacramento State with offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who had coached them there when the Hornets were still in the FCS. Both backs helped CU pile up 183 rushing yards, the program’s third-highest total in 38 games under Sanders. The Buffs have only topped that number twice under Sanders, with 193 yards against USC in 2023 and 193 more against Wyoming last year.
Henderson led the way with 65 yards on 12 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. Smith added 42 yards on 10 carries, good for 4.2 per rush.
At tight end, Charlie Williams had a debut he’ll remember for a long time. A former UNLV transfer who had never caught a pass in college, Williams hauled in two at Georgia Tech, including the winning touchdown with 37 seconds left.
The defense got plenty from the linebacker group, too. Gideon Lampron, a transfer from Bowling Green, tied for second on the team with seven tackles.
Naeten Mitchell added six tackles and Tyler Martinez had four, with both defensive backs and linebackers coming over from New Mexico State. Up front, transfers Toby Anene from North Dakota State, Dylan Manuel from Appalachian State and Santana Hopper from Tulane each were credited with tackles for loss.
“When our number’s called, it’s kind of just like practice. We make the play.
That’s how it goes,” Williams said. “It was a special moment.
It’s good to get that win against a tough team. It’s good to be able to beat a team like that, especially on the road.”
Colorado’s opener didn’t just produce a win. It gave the Buffs an early look at a roster built, in part, on players who came from smaller programs and immediately looked ready for the stage.
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Colorado Needs To Figure Out Ernest Campbell Before This Becomes Bigger
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.
For Colorado, the question now is how long it can afford to keep that kind of weapon underused. The Buffaloes do not need to force-feed Campbell, but they do need to find spots where his burst matters, whether that is in situational packages or on special teams. If his role stays this small, it becomes harder to justify leaving one of the rosters most intriguing pieces on the margins. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Is Bringing Back A Folsom Field Atmosphere Fans Remember
Colorado heads back to Folsom Field this week looking to keep the early momentum rolling after its 14-13 road win over Georgia Tech, and the home opener will come with a familiar visual. The Buffaloes announced a white-out theme for the upcoming game against Weber State, asking fans to show up in white and help recreate the kind of atmosphere that has given this program a big-game feel in recent seasons.
It is the sort of home-game detail Colorado supporters tend to embrace, especially after a season-opening victory that featured important contributions across the roster, including running back Damian Henderson II and edge rusher Lamont Lester Jr. The buildup now shifts from a gritty road finish to a setting that should feel much louder and more energized, with the Buffaloes hoping the crowd response matches the occasion. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Finally Got The Breakthrough This Locker Room Needed
Colorados long wait for a win finally ended in a way that fit the urgency of a locker room desperate for something to build on. The Buffaloes knocked off Georgia Tech 14-13 after a strong defensive effort and enough production on the ground to stay within striking distance all afternoon, snapping a losing streak that had stretched for 327 days.
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 🡒]