Three Key Takeaways From Colorado Buffaloes’ Thrilling Win Over Georgia Tech

For the second straight year, the Colorado Buffaloes opened their season with a highly anticipated matchup against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. And while both contests were back-and-forth affairs, this time around it was the Buffs who played the spoiler, walking out of Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta with a massive 14-13 win to kick off the 2026 season.

Here are three big takeaways from the Buffs’ electrifying season-opening win.

The Offensive Line Set the Tone

After a weather delay due to rain and lightning pushed back kickoff, the added humidity made an already difficult passing night even more challenging, as Julian “JuJu” Lewis and his bevy of high-profile receiving targets struggled to find a rhythm early.

Fortunately for Colorado fans, offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s rushing attack and the offensive line paving the way were ready to pick up the slack.

The Buffs, who’ve struggled to establish consistency in the run game over the past several seasons under Deion Sanders, entered the matchup with plenty of questions along the offensive line, especially after losing star left tackle Jordan Seaton to LSU. But the group Marion bragged about during fall camp answered those questions in a big way on Thursday night.

Colorado consistently won the battle up front, opening holes for a rushing attack that became more effective as the game wore on.

Marion’s running back-by-committee strategy also paid off big, with Colorado continually throwing fresh legs at Georgia Tech’s defensive front and eventually wearing down the Yellow Jackets.

That physicality showed up in the numbers, too. The Buffs picked up 11 of their 21 first downs on the ground and finished the night with 183 rushing yards, led by running back Damian Henderson with 65 yards on 12 totes and Micah Welch, who added 58 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.

The ground game became especially important in the fourth quarter, helping Colorado’s offense control the clock and put together its game-winning drive.

Colorado’s Defense Answers the Call

While the Buffs’ offensive line showed considerable improvement, Colorado’s defensive front looked equally as impressive.

New defensive coordinator Chris Marve’s unit kept Georgia Tech’s rushing attack in check for much of the night, limiting the highly touted Michigan transfer Justice Haynes to just 64 yards on 19 carries.

The biggest difference-maker up front was Monmouth transfer edge rusher Lamont Lester Jr., who made an immediate impact in his Colorado debut with three sacks, including two on third down. His ability to consistently pressure Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza helped the Buffs get off the field and keep the Yellow Jackets from extending drives.

Colorado also came up with several critical stops in the red zone. The most crucial one came after Mendoza connected with wide receiver Jordan Allen on a 22-yard heave to move the Yellow Jackets inside the Colorado 5-yard line late in the first half. The Buffs’ defense held them to a field goal, keeping the game within one score at 10-7.

For a Colorado defense that faced plenty of skepticism leading into the matchup, Marve’s unit ultimately gave the Buffs the opportunity they needed to stay within striking distance until Lewis and the offense could make their move late.

Special Teams Saves the Day

While Colorado’s trench play ruled the night, special teams was a different story. After Micah Welch’s touchdown gave the Buffs a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter, Georgia Tech’s Rahkeem Smith answered with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, tying the game and immediately shifting the momentum back to the Yellow Jackets.

The Buffs also had a field goal attempt blocked in the second half, keeping the Yellow Jackets in front 10-7.

But after Georgia Tech took a 13-7 lead with 1:40 remaining, Lewis led Colorado on a 75-yard touchdown drive with no timeouts, finding tight end Charlie Williams for the go-ahead 20-yard touchdown with 37 seconds left.

Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza then quickly moved the Yellow Jackets into Colorado territory, setting up a 45-yard field goal attempt with just three seconds remaining.

Enter the Tennessee transfer, Boo Carter.

Carter, who also had a fumble recovery earlier in the night, broke through the line and blocked the potential game-winning field goal as time expired, sealing Colorado’s 14-13 upset victory in Atlanta and avenging last season’s 27-20 loss to the Yellow Jackets in Boulder.

The play capped off a wild night for Colorado’s special teams, which nearly cost the Buffs the game before ultimately making the biggest play of the night when it mattered most.

It’s a huge win for Colorado that not only gives the Buffs their first road victory of the season but should also provide plenty of optimism for a team that went winless away from Boulder in 2025. Now, the Buffs will return home to host Weber State at Folsom Field, where they’ll look to carry this week’s momentum into their home opener.

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