The Buffaloes opened the season with a road win thanks to a touchdown with 37 seconds to play.The Athletic Live Team September 4, 2026 at 1:00 AM EDTJulian Lewis returned to his home state to beat Georgia Tech. Getty ImagesColorado edges Georgia Tech to open seasonDeion Sanders returned to Atlanta to begin his fourth season as Colorado’s head coach with a 14-13 win over Georgia Tech.The Buffaloes took the lead on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Julian Lewis to Charlie Williams with 37 seconds to play. But Georgia Tech and quarterback Alberto Mendoza weren't done, as they drove to the Colorado 27-yard line to set up a 45-yard field goal try on the final play.That try, by Aidan Birr, was blocked by Buffaloes defensive back Boo Carter, sending the Buffaloes to an opening win.Get involved in our chat tab or send us your thoughts on this game at live@theathletic.com.SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementA full Week 1 slate approaches IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectJust two more sleeps, college football fans, before the 2026 season officially begins!We’ll be back with you Saturday for live coverage of Week 1’s marquee matchup: Clemson at LSU in Baton Rouge.And no, we don’t quite have full clarity yet on whether certain players who were previously in NFL training camps will be allowed to play for Lane Kiffin, although LSU did secure another win in state court this evening.Weird night in Atlanta caps weird day IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIt was a weird day in college football, with lawsuits across the Southeast and UMass beating Rutgers after going 0-12 last season.And the weirdness continued in Atlanta. Neither Georgia Tech nor Colorado looked like a good team. Both have major, major issues. But the Buffaloes won’t care about that after winning their opener.And whatever good the Yellow Jackets did will be washed away with the loss. That’s life in college football.Now, both teams have more than a week to sit around and wait for their next game. What’s next for Georgia Tech? IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Yellow Jackets remain at home to host Tennessee on Sept. 12. What’s next for Colorado? IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Buffaloes are set for their home opener on Sept. 12 against Weber State.Colorado got another driveAs my colleague Chris Vannini pointed out on X before their final drive, Colorado had already been inside Georgia Tech’s 40 yard line five times previously and had just seven points to show for it.The Buffaloes really should have won by more, but got stopped on fourth down from the 1-yard line in the first quarter and had a field goal blocked in the third. Georgia Tech gave Colorado another chance, though, and Deion Sanders’ team made the most of it.SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementSmall things add up IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIn a one-point game, the small things matter. Georgia Tech had the game’s only turnover. Colorado ran 75 plays with a time of possession of 34:09, and Georgia Tech ran 52 plays and had the ball for 25:51. Those things add up.Sanders: 'We were resilient' IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectDeion Sanders on his team surviving this tough road test:💬 “I told (my players) it was going to be adversity, but I we wanted to implement the adversity, not be the recipients of the adversity. We were resilient. ... We still are not satisfied, but I’m happy overall with the victory.”He also points out Colorado had not won a road game since doing so at Texas Tech ... in 2024.💬 “We didn’t have any flights back home after a victory last year, but this is going to be a wonderful flight. ... I’m really pleased.”Georgia Tech has some massive trench issuesAs stunning as it was to see Colorado transform into an old-school pound-the-rock offense given what the Buffaloes’ identity was at the start of Deion Sanders’ tenure, I’m even more shocked to see how lackluster Georgia Tech looked in the trenches on both sides of the ball.When removing the three sacks Alberto Mendoza took, Georgia Tech only had 73 total rushing yards, compared to Colorado’s 183. And Georgia Tech recorded just one sack — which can primarily be credited to Julian Lewis fumbling a snap rather than any defensive playmaking — and six tackles for loss. Colorado had eight tackles for loss, three of which were sacks — all courtesy of Buffaloes defensive lineman Lamont Lester Jr.How did Mendoza look in his GT debut? Getty ImagesAlberto Mendoza approached his starting debut with a nod to how he would be viewed, but an effort at separation from his brother — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.“I mean, he’s, he’s Fernando Mendoza. I’m Alberto Mendoza. We’re two different people, and what he’s done is totally separate from what I’m going to do, and what’s expected to be,” he said this spring. “I mean, I’m coming in here as Alberto Mendoza.”And Alberto Mendoza on Thursday night looked like a quarterback with promise.Mendoza’s numbers weren’t eye-popping, but he was accurate, efficient and made key throws, especially down the stretch. His 42-yard connection with Dalen Penson over the middle of the field in the final minute set up Georgia Tech for the potential win.On the drive before that, which ended in a field goal, he completed a 22-yarder down the right side to Jordan Allen and a 16-yarder to Kevin Roche Jr.Defensive additions boost Buffs Getty ImagesIt was fitting that Boo Carter came off the edge and blocked Georgia Tech’s field goal attempt to seal the Buffaloes’ win, because Colorado won this game because of its defense.A lot of attention will be placed on Juju Lewis’ game-winning drive. But he would not have been in position to win the game without a defense that made stop after stop.Colorado displayed the toughness it lacked defensively last season, looking much improved. Colorado ranked 112th in scoring defense last season, allowing 30.5 points per game, and 118th in yards per play allowed (6.14).On Thursday, the Buffaloes held Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards. They gave up 320 yards on the ground to the Yellow Jackets last season. They didn’t surrender an offensive touchdown for the first time since 2024.The transfer additions sparked the win. Carter is a Tennessee transfer. Monmouth defensive line transfer Lamont Lester Jr. notched three sacks. Vanderbilt defensive back transfer Randon Fontenette and Texas linebacker transfer Liona Lefau led the team with eight tackles apiece.SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementYellow Jackets need a running game IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectGeorgia Tech had better find a running game before next week’s contest with Tennessee. The Yellow Jackets finished with 51 yards on 29 carries. Yes, that includes the 22 yards lost on sacks of quarterback Alberto Mendoza, but the numbers don’t lie.And the eye test showed a Yellow Jackets offensive line that didn’t get much push.A loaded Colorado RB group IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIf Colorado is going to get back to a bowl game this year, as Sam said, they will need to do so with a very different formula than the one they had two years ago, when Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter carried the team to a 9-3 record.The running back room is clearly the strength of this team. Three different running backs got at least 10 rushing attempts, and all three of them plus DeKalon Taylor averaged over 4 yards per attempt. Here’s the full list...Damian Henderson II: 12 attempts, 65 yardsMicah Welch: 13 attempts, 58 yards, 1 TDJaQuail Smith: 10 attempts, 42 yardsDeKalon Taylor: 4 attempts, 22 yardsBreaking down the winHow did Colorado pull out this win when it didn't look good in the closing minutes? Our Seth Emerson and Antonio Morales break it all down here.Bad decision by Tech coachesI have to question the decision by the Georgia Tech coaching staff to settle for the long field goal at the end of the game. The Yellow Jackets should have been more aggressive and tried to get closer to make it an easier kick. This is not the NFL where long field goals are a ho-hum experience.NEVER trust college kickers.Mendoza was solid IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectAlberto Mendoza made his first start for Georgia Tech and was solid. But with no running game to speak of, the Yellow Jackets needed just a little bit more than that.He completed 17-of-23 passes for 237 yards and did hit a big pass on the Yellow Jackets’ final drive. But the Yellow Jackets’ offense didn’t score a touchdown. SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementBuffs dominated on the groundI'm still surprised Colorado ran as effectively as it did. Under Deion Sanders, the Buffs have had a lot of flash and skill talent without the power and line play needed to be a contender. I'm not going to overreact off one performance, but Colorado’s ground game dominated one stretch in the second half, and the rush on the final drive was critical. Given the questions I had about them after losing standout tackle Jordan Seaton to LSU, this was a nice Week 1 showing.Can Colorado reach a bowl game?Ready for an overreaction? I think Colorado can go bowling this year.After going 3-9 last season, the Buffaloes did a good job of restocking the roster with experienced, proven talent from across the Power 4 and Group of 6 ranks. Coming into Thursday’s game, I thought they had a chance to flirt with bowl eligibility even with a loss to Georgia Tech. A win makes me think they have a pretty good shot, given the schedule.Doubling the win total would be huge for the program’s momentum after a rough 2025More on Lewis' performanceJulian Lewis was underwhelming for 58 minutes of game clock, but he came through in the clutch. The sophomore completed 5 of his final 7 passes on Colorado's go-ahead drive for 71 of his 124 passing yards. That included a well-placed, 20-yard game-winning touchdown to Charlie Williams, who juked a Georgia Tech defender out of his shoes on a pretty out-and-up route.Lewis comes through IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectIt’s hard to judge any player on one game, and that’s definitely true of a young quarterback. Juju Lewis was bad for three and a half quarters, but he had a heck of a final drive to lead Colorado to the game-winning touchdown. The Buffaloes quarterback completed 14-of-27 passes for only 124 yards. But he didn’t turn the ball over on the road and won the game. What a start to the season.