Julian Lewis didn’t need long to make Folsom Field feel different on Saturday.
Colorado’s quarterback needed just one snap to put the Buffaloes in the end zone against Weber State, then only two more plays to top the passing yardage he had produced in the entire season opener against Georgia Tech. In a flash, the home crowd had seen the kind of vertical passing game Colorado was chasing after a quieter night in Atlanta.
The first strike came 35 seconds into the game, after Colorado’s defense forced a three-and-out. Lewis hit DeAndre Moore Jr. for a 66-yard touchdown to open the scoring. On Colorado’s third offensive play, he went right back over the top, finding Joseph Williams for a 63-yard touchdown.
By that point, Lewis was 2 of 3 for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and Colorado was already up 14-0 with 11:54 left in the first quarter. At halftime, the Buffaloes led Weber State 42-14.
The contrast with the opener was impossible to miss. Against Georgia Tech, Lewis had only 68 passing yards through the first 58 minutes.
On Saturday, his first throw went for 88 yards. By the time he had attempted his third pass, he had already delivered two scores and blown past his Week 1 output.
Colorado’s receivers helped turn those early shots into immediate damage. Moore, who led the Buffaloes with 37 receiving yards against Georgia Tech, eclipsed that total on one catch.
Williams did the same after finishing Week 1 with 23 yards. Colorado’s longest completion in Atlanta was 20 yards; against Weber State, Lewis cleared 60 yards twice before the offense had even run its fourth play.
The second touchdown was set up by the defense, which stopped Weber State on fourth and 1 and gave the offense the ball at its own 37. One play later, Lewis and Williams were celebrating again.
There was already a little evidence of Lewis’s resilience coming into the home opener. In the win over Georgia Tech, he finished with 124 passing yards and one touchdown, but his best work came late. Colorado’s final possession featured a 4-for-6 stretch for 60 yards, capped by a 20-yard touchdown to Charlie Williams with 37 seconds left.
Deion Sanders said after that game that he had challenged Lewis at halftime in front of the team.
“And I challenged him in front of the whole team, and he went and did his thing,” Sanders said.
Lewis answered then, but Saturday’s response came far sooner. His first two completions at Folsom Field produced 129 yards and two touchdowns before Colorado had even run its fourth offensive snap. Weber State still had plenty of time left, but the opening minutes showed a passing game that looked far more explosive than it had in Atlanta.
In Other News...
Colorado Still Has One Receiver Problem To Solve Fast
Quanell Farrakhan Jr. arrived at Colorado with plenty of recruiting buzz, but his first game showed how much work remains before he becomes a bigger part of the Buffs plan. Through the season opener, the former four-star recruit had only a limited role on offense and special teams, a quiet start for a player the staff clearly expects more from as the season unfolds.
Jason Phillips and Deion Sanders have both addressed Farrakhans need to sharpen his game, while also pointing to personnel choices that have shaped the special teams picture. Colorado could be looking for a way to get him more involved soon, and the Week 2 meeting with Weber State feels like the kind of game where those touches might start to come. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Has A New Game Day Twist As Its Firepower Keeps Growing
Georgia is adding a fresh look to a week already defined by depth and momentum, and the timing only makes the Bulldogs more interesting to watch. After rolling past Tennessee State 63-3, the offense kept stacking productive drives with Gunner Stockton steering five straight touchdown marches before giving way to the backups, a reminder that the programs firepower is not limited to one quarterback or one pace.
Ryan Puglisi got into the act with 109 passing yards and a touchdown, and Ryan Montgomery showed why the staff feels comfortable expanding the rotation when he connected on a long scoring strike. Now the focus shifts to Western Kentucky, where the uniform change will grab attention, but the deeper storyline is whether Georgia can keep stretching what its offense can do while bringing more of its depth into the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Faces A Brutal Reality Heading Into Tennessee Test
Georgia Tech gets a huge-stage chance tonight, hosting Tennessee at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN in a matchup that already looks uphill on paper. The Vols are favored, and plenty of the pregame conversation has leaned their way, but that only adds to the attention around what Brent Keys team is walking into at home.
Key spent part of the buildup pointing to the challenge Tennessee presents on both sides of the ball, singling out quarterback Faizon Brandon and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. It is the kind of test that can expose a team quickly if it is not ready from the opening series, and Georgia Tech will need to settle in fast if it wants to make this more than the kind of night most observers expect. [Read more 🡒]