Colorado’s 2026 opener against Georgia Tech comes with a built-in storyline: Julian Lewis is heading back to the state where he first made his name, and there’s now a fresh layer of intrigue around how close he may have come to wearing Yellow Jackets colors.
Lewis, a four-star recruit out of Carrollton High about an hour from Georgia Tech, originally committed to USC before flipping to Deion Sanders and Colorado. But according to an Aug. 26 report from Kelly Quinlan of Jackets Online, people around Lewis explored the idea of him ending up in Atlanta when the transfer portal was open in early January.
“A few people around Lewis were interested in him replacing Haynes King as the Jackets' quarterback,” Quinlan wrote. “Multiple sources confirmed to JacketsOnline that people representing Lewis inquired about the talented quarterback coming home to Atlanta to play for Tech.
This happened in early January when the transfer portal was still open. All communication was through backchannels.”
Lewis never entered the portal, stayed at Colorado and has now settled in as the Buffaloes’ starting quarterback after Kaidon Salter’s one-year run as a transfer experiment from Liberty.
Georgia Tech, meanwhile, cycled through other names before landing on Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of Indiana national champion quarterback and Las Vegas Raiders first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Quinlan framed the Sept. 3 matchup as a “what if” game, and it’s easy to see why.
Colorado is also sending Lewis into a very different offensive setup. Brennan Marion takes over as offensive coordinator after a one-year head coaching stint at Sacramento State, and he’s already been part of the conversation around Lewis. At Big 12 Media Day, Lewis said he believes he’s watching way more film than he did last season under Pat Shurmur, which drew criticism before Marion stepped in to defend him.
The new offense should look plenty different, too. Marion’s “Go-Go” system is built around a run-heavy feel, sidecar formations from the backs and a look that can become efficient and explosive with a dual-threat quarterback.
Even so, Marion said Lewis isn’t expected to run much in it. The idea is for Lewis to work more one-on-one chances, lean on the ground game and use play-action while the scheme mixes in a fullback and more tight end usage to keep defenses guessing.
So when Lewis walks back into Georgia, he’ll do it as Colorado’s starter, in a new offense, against a program that may have had interest when the portal window opened. It’s a homecoming with plenty of noise around it.
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Colorado is leaning further into the idea that Folsom Field should feel like more than just a stadium on fall Saturdays. The University of Colorado Athletics announced a new batch of in-game fan experiences, including live music from local bands, a new in-game host in Gianna Girardi and upgraded video board displays, all aimed at making the home atmosphere louder and more layered for Buffaloes fans.
The changes also reach beyond the seating bowl, with a pregame street party called Ralphies Road set to bring food trucks, a giant TV, a DJ and interactive games into the mix. Colorado opens its 2026 season at Georgia Tech before coming back to Boulder, where the program will find out how much these additions can help turn Folsom Field into the kind of edge the Buffaloes want every week. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Suddenly Faces Two Painful Roster Questions After Eligibility Blow
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Deion Sanders also addressed the situation, but the broader concern now stretches beyond one player and into the teams overall depth chart planning. With Christensen out of the equation, Colorado has to keep sorting through other roster issues as well, including potential competition among its kickers, a reminder that even one legal setback can ripple through several parts of a team at once. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Restored Receiver Group Faces One Big Opener Concern
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The timing also matters because Colorado is turning to new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, whose system should benefit from having more options available on the perimeter. Sanders had already said both receivers would be back in time for the opener, and while their presence at practice is encouraging, the bigger question now is how quickly they can be fully integrated once the full-speed work begins. [Read more 🡒]