ATLANTA - In a rematch of the 2025 season opener, the Colorado Buffaloes traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The matchup between the 1990 co-National Champions took place in front of a sold-out crowd at Bobby Dodd Stadium.Colorado got the win 14-13 after a successful two-minute drive from the Buffs offense followed by a blocked kick on special teams to secure the victory. Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis found tight end Charlie Williams for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Georgia Tech's last-minute comeback was stopped short."It looked like they were in man. We saw man. He tried to hold onto the tight end. Coach Marion beat them with the play, I beat them with the ball. It’s just how ball works. Charlie made a great catch, touchdown," Lewis said.Kickoff was originally set for 6 p.m. MT on Thursday, Sept. 3 on ESPN, but a lightning delay has pushed back the game until approximately 6:20 p.m. MT. The weather seemingly cleared before kickoff, but a humid night could make things exciting for both teams in Atlanta. Sacramento State Hornets head coach Brennan Marion listens to one of the assistant coaches yell at players on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThree things we learnedThe Buffaloes' miraculous victory wasn't without some good bounces going their way. Georgia Tech had nine penalties against it, which set it back a combined 49 yards. Then, the usually automatic Aidan Birr was only 2-for-4 on the day, missing his first field goal and having the last one blocked. That six-point swing ultimately made the difference in the game. This is to say that Colorado didn't play its best football on Thursday and gave the Yellow Jackets plenty of chances to seal the victory. Colorado's poor offensive day overall was primarily to blame, and we now know that unit is where Sanders needs to focus his attention ahead of Week 2.The next learning point concerns the special teams unit. That group struggled mightily for Colorado as well, with Georgia Tech's only touchdown of the game coming on a 100-yard kick return by Rahkeem Smith. In addition, kicker Daniel Gerlach had his lone field goal attempt blocked, creating a 10-point swing against Colorado.The answer is clear: Colorado needs to make a pair of moves in the kicking game. With the open roster slots Colorado has after the rulings against Ezra Christensen and Balansama Kamara's eligibility for the 2026 season, making the call to kickers Alejandro Mata and Buck Buchanan is the best next step. Buchanan's ability to force touchbacks would prevent the long returns Colorado saw in this game, and Mata would add needed security on field goals. The pair was granted an extra year of eligibility for being members of the 2022 recruiting class. Finally, Colorado fans learned what their new defensive coordinator is all about. Chris Marve's 4-3 scheme dominated the Yellow Jackets, particularly out of the backfield. CU held Georgia Tech to just 51 rushing yards, as the Buffs' linebackers filled gaps effectively all night. Colorado hit on this hire, and Marve has changed the narrative around its defense.Fourth Quarter0:00 - The field goal attempt is BLOCKED by Buffs defensive back Boo Carter. Colorado wins 14-13.0:03 - Georgia Tech runs it up the middle before calling timeout its final timeout before a field goal attempt on 4th down. Colorado leads 14-13.0:28 - Georgia Tech reaches Colorado's 32-yard line with a gain of 42.— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace) September 4, 20260:37 - PAT IS GOOD. Colorado leads Georgia Tech 14-13.0:37 - TOUCHDOWN Colorado. Lewis finds tight end Charlie Williams open down the field, and Williams finds the end zone to tie the game 13-13 before the extra point.0:42 - Colorado running back DeKalon Taylor runs for 16 yards for a first down. Timeout Georgia Tech.1:01 - Pass is complete from Lewis to Colorado receiver Joseph Williams. First down for Colorado.1:09 - Georgia Tech calls timeout before a 3rd and 11 from the Colorado offense.1:40 - Georgia Tech FIELD GOAL GOOD. The Yellow Jackets lead Colorado 13-7. No timeouts remaining for the Buffs.1:43 - The Yellow Jackets complete a pass but come up short for the first down. Colorado burns a timeout as Georgia Tech prepares to kick a field goal.1:50 - Sanders calls another timeout before 3rd and 12 for the Georgia Tech offense.1:56 - The Buffaloes call their first time out of the half to stop the clock after Georgia Tech's run on first down.2:00 - Two-minute timeout. Colorado has all three timeouts remaining.2:25 - Georgia Tech converts a key third down in Colorado territory with a completed pass to tight end Kevin Roche Jr. for a 16-yard gain. 7:35 - A drive that saw Colorado record 61 rushing yards and drive down the Georgia Tech 20-yard line ends in a blocked field goal. Georgia Tech's defense holds firm to maintain the lead.Third Quarter1:47 - Lester's third sack of the day stalls another Georgia Tech drive. Carter fields the punt at the Buffs' 19-yard line as they look to break their offensive slumber.4:44 - Long Colorado drive ends in heartbreak. Buffs hold the ball for nearly seven minutes but are forced to punt after a shallow cross to receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. is stopped short of the line to gain. Greaves' punt goes through the end zone for a touchback.12:20 - Another sack by Lester forces a Georgia Tech punt. However, Colorado returner Boo Carter downs the ball at his own five-yard line.Second Quarter0:00 - Three-straight drops by Colorado receivers stall out the drive. Halftime score is 10-7 Yellow Jackets.0:23 - Two false start penalties on Georgia Tech's offensive line followed by a sack from Colorado's Lamont Lester Jr., force the Yellow Jackets to punt from their own end. Colorado returns the ball to their own 27-yard line with with a timeout and 18 seconds to play.1:14 - Lewis loses the handle on two snaps; Colorado is forced to punt. Greaves' punt pins the Yellow Jackets at their 28-yard line, but a facemask moves the ball to their 43-yard line to start the drive.Alberto Mendoza making mom and dad proud ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VpTK5Ye00L— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 4, 20262:03 - GEORGIA TECH FIELD GOAL. After Mendoza marched Georgia Tech down the field with an efficient drive, the Buffaloes bent but didn't break. The Buffaloes held the Yellow Jackets to a field goal on a drive that saw them reach the CU four-yard line. Georgia Tech leads 10-77:49 - Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis comes up short on a scramble. The Buffaloes call a timeout on 4th and 5 and elect to punt. Punter Damon Greaves pins the Yellow Jackets deep at their own four-yard line.— Georgia Tech Football (@GeorgiaTechFB) September 4, 202612:52 - TOUCHDOWN GEORGIA TECH. Yellow Jackets return man Rahkeem Smith fields the kickoff midway through his own end zone, finds a seam and returns the ball 100 yards for a game-tying touchdown. Game tied 7-7.🚨 Micah Welch gets four straight carries and punches the final one in for Colorado’s first TD of the season.Welch already has 44 yards on 7 attempts (6.3 YPC). CU 7, GT 0. 13:06 left in 1H.— Scott Procter (@ScottProcter_) September 4, 202613:06 - TOUCHDOWN COLORADO. Colorado running back Micah Welch bounces off of tacklers and dives across the goal line for the first score of the game. Colorado leads 7-0.15:00 - Backed up in their own end, the Yellow Jackets punt to Colorado returner Quentin Gibson. He sets the Buffs up at the Georgia Tech 35-yard line.First Quarter5:23 - Colorado running back Damian Henderson II was bailed out on a fumble as he was ruled down by contact. However, the Buffaloes failed to convert on 4th and Goal, giving the ball back to Georgia Tech at its 1-yard line.6:23 - After a botched pitch from Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza to wide receiver Jordan Allen, Buffaloes cornerback Boo Carter recovered the fumble to set the Buffs up in the Red Zone.11:29 - The Buffaloes had first possession after a second round of warmups, but after 27 yards and two first downs, quarterback Julian Lewis missed receiver Joseph Williams for what would've been a first down. The Buffaloes punted to conclude their first drive, and the Yellow Jackets began their first drive at their own 40 yard-line.PregameThe Colorado Buffaloes’ offenseThe Buffaloes are welcoming a new offensive coordinator into the fold in former Sacramento State Hornets head coach Brennan Marion. The innovator of the ‘Go-Go’ offense brings his unique scheme to the Black and Gold, as Colorado fans are in for an entirely different look to what they’ve become accustomed to in recent seasons.The scheme is a run-heavy scheme that utilizes RPOs and triple-options with regularity, a far cry from the pro-style offense featured under Pat Shurmur in the Coach Prime era thus far.“It’s just different, like, it’s weird,” said Colorado running back JaQuail Smith, who played in the scheme with the Hornets in 2025. “When you’re on the field and looking at it, it’s weird. You don’t know what’s happening. There are exotic formations, two running backs, three receivers. You never know what’s coming, so it’s fun to play in.”Notable offensive additions:Quarterback Isaac Wilson (Utah Utes transfer)Wide receiver Danny Scudero (San Jose State Spartans transfer, led FBS in receiving in 2025)Wide receiver Kam Perry (Miami University Redhawks transfer)Wide receiver Ernest Campbell (Sacramento State Hornets transfer)Wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (Texas Longhorns transfer)Running back Richard Young (Alabama Crimson Tide transfer)Running back Damian Henderson II (Sacramento State Hornets transfer)Running back JaQuail Smith (Sacramento State Hornets transfer)Offensive lineman Bo Hughley (Georgia Bulldogs transfer)Offensive lineman Demetrius Hunter (Houston Cougars transfer)Offensive lineman Sean Kinney (Lafayette Leopards transfer)Offensive lineman Jayvon McFadden (Ohio State transfer)Offensive lineman Xavier Payne (consensus three-star recruit)Offensive lineman Taj White (Rutgers Scarlett Knights transfer)The Colorado Buffaloes’ defenseFSU linebackers coach Chris Marve at the FSU National Signing Day Party on Feb. 5, 2020.