Colorado Stuns Georgia Tech in Week 1 Thriller 14-13

Julian Lewis Delivers Last-Minute Winning Drive

Freshman quarterback Julian Lewis connected with tight end Charlie Williams for a 20 yard touchdown with just 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, propelling the Colorado Buffaloes to a heart pounding 14-13 victory over Georgia Tech on Thursday night. Trailing for the entire second half, the Buffaloes mounted a dramatic comeback in their season opener, capped by defensive heroics when Boo Carter blocked Aidan Birr’s 45 yard field goal attempt as time expired, sending the Colorado sideline storming onto the field. Head coach Deion Sanders praised his squad’s resilience after the victory, stating that despite the second-half deficit, the team never lost faith.

The Clutch Final Drive and Second Half Comeback

Lewis, who struggled through a difficult opening half with just six completions for 41 yards, found his rhythm when it mattered most. The young signal-caller initially led a grueling 17 play, 61 yard drive that consumed 9:07 of game clock, only to see a potential scoring play halted when 6-foot-9 Georgia Tech tight end Kevin Roche Jr. blocked a field goal attempt. Georgia Tech capitalized on the ensuing possession, driving downfield to extend its lead to 13-7 with a field goal. Unfazed, Lewis took the field for the two-minute drill with newfound confidence, engineering the game-winning touchdown march and finishing the night 14-of-27 for 124 yards and a score.

Early Fireworks and Special Teams Impact

The action started slow before breaking wide open in the second quarter. Running back Micah Welch initially put the Buffaloes on the board with a 5 yard rushing touchdown, handing Colorado a 7-0 advantage. However, that lead was short lived, as Georgia Tech responded just 14 seconds later when Rahkeem Smith fielded the kickoff and took it 100 yards to the house. It marked Smith’s very first touch as a Yellow Jacket and the program’s first kickoff return touchdown since Jahmyr Gibbs accomplished the feat against Boston College in 2021.

Alberto Mendoza’s Promising Georgia Tech Debut

Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza put together an efficient performance in his team debut, finishing 17-of-23 for 237 yards while dodging a scary injury concern that briefly threatened his second half availability. Mendoza displayed strong mobility under pressure, highlighted by a second quarter scramble where he threw a 22-yard dart to Jordan Allen on the run. Despite taking three sacks for a loss of 22 yards, Mendoza appeared to set up an improbable victory on the final possession by completing a night long 42-yard pass to Dalen Penson to put the Yellow Jackets well within field goal range before the final kick was turned away.

Echoes of Colorado’s 2023 Season Opener

Thursday’s dramatic outcome carried strong echoes of Colorado’s 2023 season opener, which was also the last time the Buffaloes started a campaign 1-0. In Sanders’ official head coaching debut that year, Colorado pulled off a thrilling 45-42 shootout against TCU. Much like Thursday’s comeback effort against Georgia Tech, the 2023 opener featured late-game magic, with Shedeur Sanders orchestrating a 6 play, 82 yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to secure the win in a classic college football barnburner.