Colorado Stuns Georgia Tech 14-13 on Late Touchdown, Blocked Field Goal

Colorado spoiled Georgia Tech’s home opener with a dramatic finish at Bobby Dodd Stadium/Hyundai Field on September 3, 2026, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 37 seconds left and then blocking a potential game-winning field goal as time expired to escape Atlanta with a 14-13 victory. The win moved Colorado to 1-0 on the season, while Georgia Tech dropped to 0-1. A crowd of 52,113 watched under sunny skies and 85-degree temperatures as the two teams combined for a wild finish that saw the lead change hands multiple times in a game that stayed low-scoring until a furious final stretch.

The first quarter went scoreless, with both offenses trading punts and neither team finding the end zone. Georgia Tech missed a 35-yard field goal attempt from Aidan Birr in the frame. The scoring floodgates opened in the second quarter, when Colorado struck first as running back Micah Welch capped a five-play, 35-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run at the 13:06 mark, giving the Buffaloes a 7-0 lead. Georgia Tech answered almost immediately and emphatically — on the ensuing kickoff, Rahkeem Smith returned it 100 yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 7-7 just 14 seconds of game clock later. Birr then put Georgia Tech ahead with a 22-yard field goal to cap a 12-play, 92-yard drive, making it 10-7 Yellow Jackets at halftime.

Georgia Tech controlled much of the third quarter, but neither team scored again until the fourth quarter, when Birr connected on a 29-yard field goal to push Georgia Tech’s lead to 13-7 with 1:40 remaining. Colorado was not finished. Taking over after the Birr field goal, quarterback Julian Lewis engineered an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive in just over a minute, capped when Lewis found tight end Charlie Williams for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds left on the clock, putting Colorado ahead 14-13 after the extra point. Georgia Tech got the ball back at its own 25 with 37 seconds remaining and mounted one last push. A 42-yard completion from Alberto Mendoza to Dalen Penson moved the Yellow Jackets into Colorado territory, setting up a 45-yard field goal attempt by Birr as time expired. The kick was blocked by Colorado’s Boo Carter, sealing the win for the Buffaloes.

Colorado outgained Georgia Tech on the ground 183 yards to 51 and won the time-of-possession battle, controlling the ball for 34:09 compared to Georgia Tech’s 25:51. The Buffaloes also converted 7 of 17 third downs and 2 of 3 fourth-down attempts. Georgia Tech countered through the air, with Mendoza completing 17 of 24 passes for 237 yards, though he was sacked three times for 22 yards and threw for zero touchdowns. Jordan Allen was his top target, hauling in 8 catches for 113 yards. Lewis finished 14-of-27 passing for 124 yards and the game-winning touchdown to Williams, posting a 102.7 passer rating. On the ground, Damian Henderson II led Colorado with 65 yards on 12 carries, while Welch added 58 yards and the first touchdown. Colorado’s defense also came up big in the trenches, recording three sacks for 22 yards and 8.0 tackles for loss, compared to Georgia Tech’s one sack and 6.0 tackles for loss. Both teams struggled with turnovers and penalties — Colorado lost none of its two fumbles, while Georgia Tech lost one of three. Georgia Tech was also flagged nine times for 49 yards compared to Colorado’s six penalties for 60 yards.

Final score: Colorado 14, Georgia Tech 13.