Colorado freshman quarterback Julian Lewis hit tight finish Charlie Williams for a 20-yard landing with 42 seconds remaining within the fourth quarter, lifting the Buffaloes to a last-minute, 14-13 win in opposition to Georgia Tech on Thursday evening within the season opener.
Georgia Tech appeared prefer it may pull off the inconceivable when quarterback Alberto Mendoza discovered receiver Dalen Penson for a 42-yard acquire, placing the Yellow Jackets in area aim vary. However Boo Carter blocked Aidan Birr’s 45-yard try, and the Buffaloes stormed the sector.
Extra on Georgia Tech’s efficiency in season opener, Saturday on GameDay on 2 airing at 11 a.m. solely on Channel 2
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Coach Deion Sanders stated his workforce, regardless of trailing all second half, by no means misplaced hope.
“In the event you’d know what number of linemen grabbed me and stated ‘I advised y’all we bought this, I advised you we bought this coach,’” Sanders stated. “I imply you don’t have any concept what number of occasions I used to be shaken by a lineman and advised that we bought this, and I by no means doubted it.”
A troublesome evening for Lewis got here collectively within the remaining two drives. The freshman quarterback took 9:07 off the clock with a 17-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a blocked area aim from 6-foot-9 Georgia Tech tight finish Kevin Roche Jr.
Georgia Tech responded with a area aim scoring drive to take a 13-7 lead, however with newfound confidence, Lewis led a clutch two-minute drill for the win.
“I talked to him at halftime in entrance of the entire workforce… I advised (Lewis) ‘Let’s go. Be that man. We imagine in you. Let’s go.’ You understand, I challenged him in entrance of the entire workforce,” Sanders stated. “He took benefit of the second.”
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After a primary half with six completions for 41 yards, Lewis completed the evening 14-of-27 for 124 yards and a landing. Working again Micah Welch put the Buffaloes on the board with a 5-yard speeding landing within the second quarter, giving Colorado a short-lived 7-0 lead.
Georgia Tech responded 14 seconds later as Rahkeem Smith returned a kick 100 yards for a landing and tied the sport. It was Smith’s first contact as a Yellow Jacket and this system’s first kick returned for a landing since Jahmyr Gibbs in opposition to Boston Faculty in 2021.
Mendoza’s debut
Mendoza completed the evening 17-of-23 for 237 yards and dodged an harm scare that onlookers feared may have an effect on his second half availability.
His debut featured promising moments, like scrambling away from visitors within the second quarter and throwing a 22-yard dart to Jordan Allen on the transfer. Mendoza capped off Georgia Tech’s remaining drive along with his longest completion of the evening, a 42-yarder, to place the Yellow Jackets in area aim vary.
He was sacked thrice for a lack of 22 yards.
Harking back to 2023
Colorado’s final time beginning the season 1-0 was in 2023 in Sanders’ debut with a 45-42 win in opposition to TCU, and it, too, was a thriller. The Buffaloes have been the final to seek out the tip zone in a barnburner, with Shedeur Sanders main a 6-play, 82-yard drive late within the fourth.
Takeaway
Colorado: After seven seasons with out a 1,000 yard rusher, Colorado has two robust prospects with Welch and Damian Henderson II splitting snaps within the backfield. Welch completed the evening with 58 yards and a landing on 13 carries. Henderson had 12 carries for 65 yards.
Georgia Tech: Atlanta’s 74% humidity didn’t impression fan attendance, with 51,913 followers packed in Bobby Dodd Stadium’s third consecutive sell-out. The humidity helped contribute to ball management points for Georgia Tech who fumbled thrice within the first half, dropping one.
Up subsequent
Colorado hosts Weber State on Sept. 12.
Georgia Tech hosts No. 20 Tennessee on Sept. 12.
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