Colorado spent most of Thursday night trying to find its footing, and then two plays changed everything.
Julian Lewis pushed the Buffaloes in front with a late touchdown pass, and Boo Carter finished the job by blocking a potential game-winning 45-yard field goal on the final snap, lifting Colorado to a 14-13 win over Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
The ending came with all the chaos a season opener can offer. Georgia Tech had seized a 13-7 lead with fewer than two minutes left, putting Colorado in a spot where it had to go the length of the field and get the kind of drive it hadn’t consistently produced all night.
Lewis answered anyway, steering the Buffs down the field and hitting Charlie Williams on a 20-yard touchdown to give Colorado a 14-13 lead. The extra point held up, and suddenly the Buffaloes were the ones in front with 37 seconds to play.
That still wasn’t the end.
Alberto Mendoza wasted no time giving Georgia Tech another chance, finding Dalen Penson for a 42-yard gain that moved the Yellow Jackets from their own 25 to Colorado’s 33. Three seconds remained when Georgia Tech lined up for the kick, and Colorado had one final stop to make.
Carter made it.
On a night when Georgia Tech had already blocked a Colorado field goal earlier, the Buffaloes answered with the most important block of all.
For Lewis, the moment was about belief as much as execution.
“Trust each other, we work for it, we know what’s gonna happen, and God did it for us,” Lewis said during his postgame interview.
“God did a great thing for us, and I’m just blessed right now,” Lewis said.
Lewis finished 14 of 27 for 124 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. It wasn’t clean, and it wasn’t easy, but he delivered when Colorado needed a drive most.
Williams came through on the decisive touchdown and finished with two catches for 28 yards. Colorado’s ground game did plenty of the heavy lifting, with Damian Henderson rushing 12 times for 65 yards and Micah Welch adding 58 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. DeAndre Moore Jr. led the Buffs with four receptions for 37 yards.
Lamont Lester Jr. helped keep Colorado in the fight on defense, recording three sacks.
Georgia Tech got a big night from Mendoza, who completed 17 of 23 passes for 237 yards. Jordan Allen was his top target with eight catches for 113 yards, and Penson added three receptions for 73 yards. Justice Haynes ran 19 times for 64 yards.
Colorado’s opener was messy, but the closing sequence was exactly what sealed it: Lewis finding Williams, Carter slamming the door, and Deion Sanders leaving Atlanta with a 1-0 start.
In Other News...
Former Colorado Defender Just Added Real Emotion To The Georgia Tech Opener
Tawfiq Thomas did not need long to make his feelings clear before Georgia Techs season opener. The defensive tackle, who arrived in Atlanta after stops at Louisville and Colorado, used social media to put an extra charge on the meeting with his former team, bringing a personal edge to a game that already carried plenty of early-season intrigue for the Yellow Jackets.
For Georgia Tech, Thomas is more than a familiar face with a point to prove. He was brought in to help fortify the defensive line, and his first chance to face Colorado since leaving the program adds another layer to the opener. Having played for Deion Sanders in Boulder and turned in notable production there, Thomas now gets a chance to turn that past into motivation in a game both sides will notice. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech's New QB Brings Intrigue Fans Won't Ignore
Alberto Mendozas arrival gives Georgia Tech something it has been searching for at quarterback, and the Yellow Jackets are moving ahead with him as the starter for the upcoming season. After transferring from Indiana, Mendoza beat out redshirt freshman Grady Adamson and steps into the role previously held by Haynes King, giving the offense a new face and a fresh point of intrigue as the season approaches.
Mendoza comes to Atlanta with a rsum that still leaves plenty to learn about, which is part of what makes this such a compelling story for Georgia Tech fans. He spent last season backing up his brother Fernando Mendoza at Indiana and has limited collegiate experience, so the job now shifts from promising newcomer to the player who has to carry the huddle from day one. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Has A Chance To Land A Versatile Target Fans Should Watch
Jeremy Jenkins Jr. is in the middle of a recruiting reset, and Georgia Tech has put itself in the conversation early. The Class of 2027 forward is on an official visit in Atlanta as he works through a process that has already included a reopening of his recruitment after he once trimmed down his list. Mississippi State and Houston are also on the schedule, giving Jenkins a chance to compare several programs before he settles on what fits best.
For the Yellow Jackets, the appeal is obvious. Jenkins has made it clear he wants a versatile role, and Georgia Techs fast, position-less style lines up neatly with that preference, along with the staffs hands-on approach. That combination gives the Jackets a real opening with a target who seems to be thinking beyond labels and looking for a place that can let him do a little bit of everything. [Read more 🡒]