Colorado’s quarterback picture has gone sideways fast enough to put Julian Lewis in an awkward spot nationally, even if his long-term story is hardly finished.
Lewis returned to Boulder as one of the biggest holdovers in a season that opened with cautious optimism for the Buffaloes, thanks in part to the arrivals of new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve. Colorado also had to replace a lot of familiar faces through the transfer portal, including offensive lineman Jordan Seaton (LSU), defensive lineman Tawfiq Thomas (Georgia Tech), and wide receiver Omarion Miller (Arizona State). Still, Lewis’ decision to stay was one of the headline developments around the program.
Now, that decision has placed him on an unfortunate list. According to 247Sports' Cooper Petagna, Lewis is one of six quarterbacks who have turned into the most disappointing NIL investments. The other names on that list are Michigan's Bryce Underwood, Texas' Arch Manning, Texas A&M's Marcel Reed, Oklahoma's John Mateer, and Penn State's Rocco Becht.
Lewis stands out from that group in one obvious way: experience. While Manning, Reed and Mateer opened the year with College Football Playoff expectations, Lewis and Colorado were trying to climb out of a 3-9 season in 2025.
He did get the first four starts of 2026, and the raw numbers are solid enough on paper. Lewis threw for 733 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 64.2 percent of his passes. But the offense never found a steady rhythm against Power Four competition, averaging 11.3 points in losses to Northwestern and Baylor as well as the season-opening win over Georgia Tech.
Lewis is only 19, which keeps the runway long and the ceiling intact. Petagna isn’t shutting the door on him, either.
As he wrote, "With limited production in just four starts, it's too early to close the door on the former blue-chip quarterback making something of himself at the Power Four level. But it shouldn't be lost on evaluators that not everything translates to the next level."
That’s where the awkward part comes in for Colorado. If the NIL fit hasn’t delivered the expected return, the development piece hasn’t exactly popped yet either. Underwood could be staring at a transfer from Michigan, but Lewis appears to have the longest path of anyone on Petagna’s list to still turn things around and build an NFL case.
For now, though, Colorado has moved forward with starting quarterback Isaac Wilson, and Lewis is sidelined. At this point in his young career, he is still a long way from making any argument for the NFL Draft.
In Other News...
Reagan Kotschau Gave Colorado Fans Another Reason To Celebrate
Colorados womens soccer team kept rolling with a 4-0 win over Arizona, getting goals from four different players and another clean sheet in a season that has been defined by control on both ends. Senior midfielder Reagan Kotschau was right in the middle of it, helping the Buffaloes dictate the pace while head coach Danny Sanchez saw his group back up the momentum with another convincing road performance.
Kotschau also gave Buffaloes fans a milestone to remember, adding to a season that has already featured plenty of production from the veteran midfielder. Colorado outshot Arizona 13-5 and never let the Wildcats generate a shot on goal, which made the night feel even more complete as the Buffs locked down their ninth shutout of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Faces An Oklahoma State Threat Fans Shouldn't Overlook
Oklahoma State arrives with more than just a dangerous offense, because Drew Mestemaker has become one of the more talked-about quarterbacks in the country. The buzz around him has been loud enough to push him into first-round NFL Draft conversations, and some mock drafts have even sent him as high as No. 2. He has been a major reason the program has regained national attention, with head coach Eric Morris leaning into modern recruiting methods and an offensive system that fits Mestemaker's skill set.
For Colorado, the challenge is obvious: this is a quarterback who can swing a game with his arm and command a defense's full attention. The concern for Oklahoma State, though, is that the hype comes with some volatility, and Mestemaker has already thrown six interceptions this season. That makes him a fascinating threat to prepare for, because the ceiling is enormous even if the margin for error has not disappeared. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Injury News Could Change What Oklahoma State Faces Saturday
Colorados injury report for Saturdays visit from Oklahoma State brought a little more clarity, even if it still leaves the Buffaloes short-handed heading into Week 8. The official list shows seven players unavailable, but there was at least some movement in the right direction as Ashley and Lester were upgraded from questionable to probable, giving Deion Sanders team a bit more optimism on the margins.
The more revealing part of the report came with Richardson and Atkins being taken off the injury list altogether, which usually points to something bigger than a simple week-to-week setback. For Colorado, that matters in a few different spots, from depth on defense to the tight end room, and it leaves the Buffs still sorting out who is truly close to returning before they try to handle an Oklahoma State team that will be watching those updates just as closely. [Read more 🡒]