Colorado Defeats Georgia Tech 14-13; Lewis Leads Late Rally, Defense Blocks Final FG
Colorado defeated Georgia Tech 14-13 in a season-opening college football game Thursday, September 4, as freshman quarterback Julian Lewis led a two-minute drill touchdown drive and the defense blocked the Yellow Jackets' final field goal attempt on the final play.
Colorado's season-opening game against Georgia Tech came down to one final play, with the Buffaloes blocking a field goal attempt as time expired to secure a 14-13 victory Thursday night, September 4, 2026. Freshman quarterback Julian Lewis led a clutch two-minute drive that proved decisive in his first collegiate start. With 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Lewis found tight end Charlie Williams for a 20-yard touchdown pass to put Colorado ahead. Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza responded with a 42-yard pass to wide receiver Dalen Penson, placing the Yellow Jackets in position to attempt a game-winning kick. Defensive lineman Boo Carter blocked Aidan Birr's 45-yard field goal attempt, ending the game. According to ESPN, this was the first time an FBS team ended a season opener by blocking a field goal as time expired since Northern Illinois blocked a kick against Georgia Tech in 2021, per ESPN's reporting. Lewis completed 14 of 27 passes for 124 yards and one touchdown. His performance through three quarters was inconsistent, but Colorado coach Deion Sanders said he challenged the quarterback at halftime, telling him in front of the team: "Let's go. You're that man. We believe in you. Let's go." Sanders told reporters after the game: "I never flinched, man. I told several people on the sideline, we're gonna make it very, very interesting, but we're gonna win this game." Georgia Tech answered 14 seconds later when kick returner Rahkeem Smith took a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to tie the score at 7-7. Per ESPN, it was Smith's first touch for the Yellow Jackets and the program's first kick returned for a touchdown since Jahmyr Gibbs against Boston College in 2021. Georgia Tech then moved down the field for a field goal to take a 13-7 halftime lead. Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, completed 17 of 23 passes for 237 yards. Mendoza dodged an injury scare that onlookers feared could affect his availability in the second half, according to ESPN's reporting. Colorado entered the game as a heavy underdog after finishing 3-9 last season. The Buffaloes faced into this matchup having rebuilt their defensive unit through the transfer portal after ranking among the worst defensive teams in 2025.
With 37 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Lewis threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to tight end Charlie Williams, then the Colorado defense blocked Georgia Tech kicker Aidan Birr's 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
Lewis's late-game execution masked an otherwise uneven debut; his completion rate and yardage through three quarters raise immediate questions about whether he can sustain the pace needed to lead a rebuilt offense. Colorado's defensive turnaround on a single blocked kick in a low-scoring game will need validation against higher-ranked opponents in the coming weeks to determine whether this represents a genuine turnaround or a narrow escape.
The score is a fact. The story gets checked.
Sources
Single-source report. As published, only ESPN had reported this development. No independent outlet had corroborated it.
Also reported by CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, Daily Camera, FanDuel. Independent coverage of the same development, found by search; not this story's sources.
GoCheckMySports reports events. It never advises bets. Nothing here is betting or gambling advice.