Key Matchup to Watch in Colorado vs. Georgia Tech

The Colorado Buffaloes and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are set to feature a quarterback battle between two young stars in their Week 1 matchup.

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis speaks with reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Colorado Buffaloes kick off their season against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, and their Week 1 clash is shaping up to feature an intriguing quarterback battle. Redshirt freshman Julian Lewis will take on sophomore Alberto Mendoza in the primetime Thursday night showdown.

Lewis is a former five-star recruit, per ESPN, while Mendoza is the younger brother of the 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner, Fernando Mendoza. The former has just two collegiate starts under his belt, but he still holds the experience advantage over Mendoza, who will be making his first start on Thursday.

Julian Lewis

Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) prepares to pass the ball during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lewis looked promising in his first few appearances, playing controlled football. He threw for 589 yards and four touchdowns to no interceptions while completing 55.3 percent of his passes. He had Colorado neck-and-neck with the West Virginia Mountaineers in their Nov. 8 clash last season, but sputtered in cold conditions against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Nov. 22.

However, his game will look substantially different in 2026. Due to offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s innovative ‘Go-Go’ offense, Lewis will be asked to use his legs far more than last season. He’ll also be asked to work a high number of triple options and RPOs, a stark contrast to former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s spread offense.

Lewis will be returning to his home state to open the season, which may ease the feeling of a road atmosphere slightly.

Alberto Mendoza

Jan 17, 2026; Miami, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Alberto Mendoza (16) participates in a practice for the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As for Mendoza, he is in his first season with the Yellow Jackets after spending two years with the Indiana Hoosiers. He won a National Championship alongside his brother last season and turned to Atlanta in search of more playing time. 

He appeared in nine games during his time with the Hoosiers, but all of his appearances came in garbage time. He threw for 286 yards and five touchdowns to one interception while completing 76 percent of his passes in that small sample size.

As a lanky, 6-2, 215-pound quarterback, he certainly resembles his brother. However, he may be asked to take on a very different role. While Fernando Mendoza was your typical pocket passer, Alberto Mendoza is entering a Georgia Tech offense that is known for utilizing its quarterbacks heavily in the run game.

Last season, Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King rushed for 953 yards and 15 touchdowns on 185 carries, and he was a real sparkplug for coach Brent Key’s offense. 

So while the Yellow Jackets utilize RPOs at a similarly high rate to the Hoosiers, Mendoza may shape his game differently aside from that.

Which quarterback holds the advantage?

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) throws a pass during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is about as tight as a quarterback matchup can be on paper. Both quarterbacks are highly inexperienced and preparing to play their first game of the season. No matter how prepared you are, the first game always comes with some rust to knock off, which will be a factor for both quarterbacks.

Mendoza has home-field advantage, but it will be his first in-game reps in his new system and with his new teammates. 

As for Lewis, the little bit of experience he has will go a long way. That, combined with the fact that he’ll be playing in his home state, should be able to settle his nerves enough to be conducive to success. As it stands, Lewis currently holds the upper hand in the ‘Go-Go’ offense, but Mendoza could quickly change that narrative if he shows the world what it has been missing while he’s been riding the bench.

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