Colorado is banking on Julian “JuJu” Lewis to handle a big leap in a tough spot, and the early signs from inside the program sound encouraging.
The Buffaloes are in Atlanta for their Week 1 matchup with Georgia Tech, and the redshirt freshman quarterback is set to make the start after keeping the job he finished the 2025 season with. Lewis comes into the opener with the kind of buzz that follows a former five-star recruit, according to ESPN, but he still brings only two starts and four total appearances into a game that will ask plenty of him.
Colorado quarterbacks coach Hajj-Malik Williams sounded confident about where Lewis is right now. Appearing Wednesday on Thee Pregame Network’s TMR Live, Williams said the young quarterback has responded well to being pushed.
“He’s ready,” Williams said. “He had yet to be challenged the way I challenge him, and it caused some friction, but I love friction because that’s where growth comes from.
That confrontation, those uncomfortable situations and all of those things … I have to draw the line between, ‘Hey, I’m big bro from the training sessions,’ and ‘I’m really telling you what you need to do to be the best version of yourself. He’s doing a phenomenal job of growing.”
That growth will be tested quickly. Bobby Dodd Stadium is sold out, and the environment figures to be a real road assignment for a quarterback still early in his college career.
Lewis has already had a taste of that kind of setting, though, in his first career start last season at West Virginia. In Morgantown, he threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns, completing 22 of 35 passes in front of a near-capacity crowd of 55,510.
The weather was no small factor that day either, with temperatures ranging from a high of 57 degrees to a low of 38. Atlanta should be a different kind of challenge at kickoff, with the forecast calling for 88 degrees. Lewis’ first start showed he can manage a hostile atmosphere, and the warmer conditions should fit him better in his home state.
Still, the bigger issue may not be what he does through the air. Last year’s meeting between these teams was shaped by quarterback runs, and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King was the difference. He piled up 156 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Yellow Jackets’ win over Colorado.
Deion Sanders made that point clear on Monday.
“Thank God that quarterback [Haynes King] is gone,” said coach Deion Sanders on Monday. “That kid, that kid refused to lose a year ago, and he was definitely a difference maker.
I think he had, what, 140 yards rushing? Something like that.
- Thank you for checking.
I wanted to settle for 140. Yeah, this is a great team though, man.
I love it.”
If Lewis can give Colorado the kind of production on the ground that changes the game, the Buffaloes may have a real shot to leave Atlanta with an upset.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Is Suddenly In Play For A Coveted Stanford Commit
Marquis Fennell has become one of the more intriguing names on Georgia Techs radar, and not just because the Yellow Jackets would love to keep an elite Georgia talent closer to home. The Valdosta High standout, recognized as the states 6A offensive player of the year, is already committed to Stanford, but he has continued to explore his options by taking visits and staying in touch with other programs, including Georgia Tech and Florida State.
For Georgia Tech, the appeal is obvious: landing a player of Fennells caliber would be a major win on the recruiting trail and a statement about the programs pull inside the state. Stanford is still very much in the mix, though, and Fennell is watching closely to see how the Cardinal develops under new coach Tavita Pritchard before making anything final. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Has A Huge Chance To Build Thursday Night Momentum
Georgia Tech gets a valuable recruiting spotlight Thursday night when Colorado comes to campus, and the Yellow Jackets will have several high-profile visitors watching closely. Among the names expected on hand are Prince Che, Myles Tate, Chandler Dyson, Elijah Reeves and Terrence Brandon Jr., giving the program a chance to showcase the atmosphere, the staff and the direction of the roster in front of some of its top targets.
For Georgia Tech, the appeal goes beyond a single game. Elijah Reeves is already committed, while Terrence Brandon Jr. has come away with positive impressions of the program and its coaching staff, so the visit list also serves as a way to deepen relationships and keep momentum moving into future classes. Nights like this can matter in ways that do not show up immediately, but they can shape how recruits view the Yellow Jackets when decisions start to get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Faces A Huge Recruiting Test During Colorado Weekend
Georgia Tech will spend its Colorado weekend doing more than trying to win a football game. A large group of 2028 recruits is set to be on hand, giving the Yellow Jackets a chance to show off the program, the atmosphere and the direction they believe they are headed. The visitor list includes Isaiah Reeves, Elijah Reeves, Havyn Searels, Tory Clark, TJ Brandon, Bryce Willingham, John Matthews, Quincy Mills and twins Quinn and Cole Pollock, a mix of prospects with growing offer sheets and others still sorting through early recruiting attention.
Elijah Reeves is already committed to Georgia Tech, but the rest of the group brings a more revealing test of how the staff is selling itself to younger targets. Some of these recruits already view Georgia Tech as an early favorite or a key stop, while others have additional visits lined up and plenty of decisions still ahead. Weekend visits like this can matter a lot in recruiting, especially when the school is trying to turn early interest into real momentum, and this one gives the Yellow Jackets a chance to make a strong impression in front of a deep class. [Read more 🡒]