Colorado edges Georgia Tech in thriller: I never doubted it

ATLANTA — Colorado freshman quarterback Julian Lewis hit tight end Charlie Williams for a 20-yard touchdown with 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, lifting the Buffaloes to a last-minute, 14-13 win against Georgia Tech on Thursday night in the season opener.Georgia Tech looked like it could pull off the improbable when quarterback Alberto Mendoza found receiver Dalen Penson for a 42-yard gain, putting the Yellow Jackets in field goal range.But Boo Carter blocked Aidan Birr’s 45-yard attempt, and the Buffaloes stormed the field.Coach Deion Sanders said his team, despite trailing all second half, never lost hope.“If you’d know how many linemen grabbed me and said ‘I told y’all we got this, I told you we got this coach,'” Sanders said.

“I mean you have no idea how many times I was shaken by a lineman and told that we got this, and I never doubted it.”A tough night for Lewis came together in the final two drives.The freshman quarterback took 9:07 off the clock with a 17-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a blocked field goal from 6-foot-9 Georgia Tech tight end Kevin Roche Jr.Georgia Tech responded with a field goal scoring drive to take a 13-7 lead, but with newfound confidence, Lewis led a clutch two-minute drill for the win.“I talked to him at halftime in front of the whole team… I told (Lewis) ‘Let’s go.

Be that man.We believe in you.

Let’s go.’ You know, I challenged him in front of the whole team,” Sanders said.“He took advantage of the moment.”After a first half with six completions for 41 yards, Lewis finished the night 14-of-27 for 124 yards and a touchdown.

Running back Micah Welch put the Buffaloes on the board with a 5-yard rushing touchdown in 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 touchdown and tied the game.It was Smith’s first touch as a Yellow Jacket and the program’s first kick returned for ...