Julian Lewis got Colorado to the edge. Boo Carter pushed it over.
That was the story Thursday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium, where the Buffaloes escaped Georgia Tech 14-13 after Carter swatted away a potential game-winning 45-yard field goal on the final play. Colorado had just taken the lead with 37 seconds left, and still needed one last stop to finish the job.
Lewis was the one who delivered that late punch. With Georgia Tech up 13-7 and less than two minutes to play, Colorado’s offense finally found its rhythm.
Lewis guided the Buffs down the field and hit Charlie Williams on a 20-yard touchdown to tie the game at 13-13. The extra point put Colorado ahead.
Afterward, Lewis pointed to the belief inside the locker room.
“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.
Georgia Tech nearly spoiled the celebration immediately. Alberto Mendoza connected with Dalen Penson for a 42-yard gain, flipping the Yellow Jackets from their own 25 to Colorado’s 33 and putting the Buffs in danger again almost as soon as they had surged in front. Then, with three seconds left, Georgia Tech lined up for the kick.
Carter made the season-opening escape possible by blocking it.
The Yellow Jackets had already blocked a Colorado field goal earlier in the night, so the Buffs simply returned the favor at the most important moment. It handed Deion Sanders a road win to open the season and gave Lewis a memorable night back in Georgia.
“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. Williams caught two passes for 28 yards, including the must-have score.
Colorado did a lot of its damage on the ground. Damian Henderson ran 12 times for 65 yards, and Micah Welch added 58 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. DeAndre Moore Jr. led the receiving group with four catches for 37 yards.
The defense had its own hand in keeping the game close. Lamont Lester Jr. piled up three sacks and helped Colorado hang around until the offense could finally break through.
Georgia Tech got strong passing production from Mendoza, who went 17 of 23 for 237 yards. Jordan Allen hauled in eight catches for 113 yards, and Penson added three receptions for 73 yards. Justice Haynes ran for 64 yards on 19 carries.
Colorado will have plenty to clean up after a messy opener, but when it mattered most, the Buffs found the two plays that decided everything: Lewis to Williams for the go-ahead touchdown, then Carter’s block to seal it.
A sloppy game. A wild finish. And Colorado walked out of Atlanta 1-0.
In Other News...
Titans Offense Just Got A National Verdict Fans Will Hate
USA TODAYs preseason offense rankings did not offer much comfort for a Titans group trying to turn the page. Tennessee landed 31st, a blunt reminder of how far the unit still has to climb, even after a busy offseason aimed at making the attack more functional around quarterback Cam Ward. The front office has tried to address the obvious pain points, bringing in receivers Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate while also giving the offensive line a boost with rookie Fernando Carmona and a new extension for Peter Skoronski.
There is at least a case to be made that the Titans are not starting from the same place they were a year ago. Ward remains the starter, and the pieces around him look better on paper than they did last season, which is exactly why the ranking stings a little more. It is one thing to be underestimated in the preseason and another to have a national outlet look at the roster and still place the offense near the bottom, leaving Tennessee with a long way to go before the actual production matches the offseason optimism. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Ward Now Has Everything Needed To Silence Titans Doubters
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Brian Daboll is now in place as offensive coordinator, and Tennessee has also worked to improve the receiving group around Ward with Wan'Dale Robinson and first-round pick Carnell Tate among the additions. It is the kind of support system that can make a real difference for a quarterback still trying to turn flashes into consistency, and it is why the 2026 season feels like such an important one for Ward. The doubt is still there, but for the first time since his arrival, so is a clearer path to answering it. [Read more 🡒]
Robert Saleh's Titans Face An Uncomfortable AFC South Reality
Robert Saleh is stepping into a familiar but uneasy Tennessee Titans job, with the team set to welcome its third head coach in three years in 2026. The move comes after four straight losing seasons since 2021, and while there is an expectation that the Titans can take a step forward, the broader picture around them is not exactly forgiving.
Garrett Podell of CBS Sports still has Tennessee pegged to finish last in the AFC South, which is a reminder of how steep the climb remains. Houston, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all bring more established competition in the division, leaving Saleh and the Titans with more than just an internal reset to manage as they try to change the trajectory. [Read more 🡒]