Six Big Winners and Losers from Colorado vs. Northwestern

The Colorado Buffaloes suffered their first loss of the 2026 season Saturday night, falling 41-7 to Northwestern in a game that quickly got away from them. After opening the season 2-0 with wins over Georgia Tech and Weber State, Colorado struggled to carry that momentum against the Big Ten opponent on the road.

The Buffaloes were hurt by turnovers throughout the night, committing four in total while struggling to consistently move the ball or keep Northwestern’s offense off the field. Despite the lopsided result, there were still a few individual moments of positivity for Colorado, while several players and areas of the team had difficult performances.

Colorado Buffaloes Football Northwestern Wildcats Micah Welch Joseph Williams Julian Lewis Defense Offense — Sep 19, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Colorado Buffaloes safety Randon Fontenette (7) tries to tackle Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver Ricky Ahumaraeze (10) during the second half at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Winners

Colorado’s Rushing Attack

One of the biggest positives for Colorado was its ability to run the football. The Buffaloes finished with 180 rushing yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry.

Colorado running back Micah Welch and the rest of the Colorado rushing attack helped the offense move the ball at times even when the passing game struggled. Colorado's ability to establish the run could be an important part of its identity moving forward, particularly as the Buffaloes prepare for Big 12 play.

The problem was that Colorado could not consistently turn those yards into points. Still, the production on the ground was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise difficult night.

Receiver Joseph Williams

Colorado wide receiver Joseph Williams also provided one of Colorado's biggest highlights of the game. The wide receiver caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis in the third quarter, giving the Buffaloes their only touchdown of the night.

Williams' big play showed the type of explosive ability Colorado can rely on moving forward. Even though the offense struggled for much of the game, the 50-yard touchdown demonstrated that Colorado can still create explosive plays when it gets the right opportunity.

Colorado's Ability to Respond

While there wasn't much to celebrate from a 41-7 loss, Colorado did show some ability to respond after halftime. The Buffaloes forced a turnover early in the second half and quickly turned it into points when Lewis connected with Williams for the touchdown.

That drive gave Colorado a chance to generate some momentum, even though Northwestern answered immediately afterward. The response was ultimately short-lived, but it showed that the Buffaloes were able to capitalize on an opportunity when one presented itself.

Losers

Quarterback Julian Lewis

Lewis had one of his toughest games of the young season. After throwing for 366 yards and four touchdowns against Weber State the previous week, the sophomore quarterback finished Saturday's game 19-of-29 for 168 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

The interceptions were particularly costly because Northwestern turned Colorado's mistakes into points. Lewis' second interception came late in the game and gave Northwestern another opportunity to extend its lead.

Lewis has now experienced both sides of the early-season quarterback experience. He helped Colorado win a close game against Georgia Tech, dominated Weber State and then struggled against Northwestern. The loss provides another learning experience as he prepares for conference play.

Colorado's Turnover Problems

Turnovers were arguably the biggest problem for Colorado. The Buffaloes committed four turnovers, including three in the first half, which repeatedly gave Northwestern favorable field position.

Welch also lost a fumble during the first quarter, while Colorado's other turnovers included interceptions from Lewis. The Buffaloes simply could not afford to give Northwestern that many additional possessions.

After taking care of the football during their first two games, Colorado's mistakes became a defining part of Saturday night's loss.

Colorado's Defense

The Colorado defense also struggled to contain Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles and the Wildcats' offense. Chiles completed 17 of 22 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns while adding two rushing touchdowns.

Colorado struggled to prevent Northwestern from creating explosive plays and could not consistently get off the field. The Buffaloes allowed 429 total yards and 41 points.

The performance was a significant step backward from the optimism surrounding the defense after the first two games. Colorado will now have to make adjustments quickly with its Big 12 opener against Baylor in week 4.

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