Deion Sanders has officially pulled the plug on the Julian Lewis experiment at quarterback for Colorado. After another dismal first-half performance, this time against Baylor, Coach Prime made the bold call to bench his former four-star recruit in favor of Isaac Wilson, the younger brother of NFL quarterback Zach Wilson.
Lewis, who arrived in Boulder with sky-high expectations, completed just 11 of 16 passes for 75 yards before getting the hook. The move came after a brutal outing last week in a 41-7 loss to Northwestern, where Lewis looked completely overmatched. While his season stats (658 passing yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions) might seem respectable on the surface, a closer look reveals that most of that production came in a soft matchup against Weber State.
"Colorado has benched Julian Lewis. Hard to argue with the decision," CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli wrote. "This offense has been horrible against every P4 team it's seen so far."
Fans echoed that sentiment across social media. "Juju doesn't look like a starter in a good conference," one supporter posted. Another added, "They need a spark but this is such a bad sign of where the program is at."
The frustration in Boulder is palpable, especially after Sanders promised a significant turnaround following a 3-9 campaign in 2025. "I'm not happy with nothing right now," Sanders said at the time. "I don't think it's a motivation thing as it's more a part of life. This fan base, the school, Rick (George)… everybody deserves better than this, and they expected better than this. I expected to be much better than this and we're going to give them much better than this… starting tomorrow."
But tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. In fact, things could get worse before they get better. The Buffaloes are staring down a gauntlet over the next three weeks, with matchups against No. 11 Texas, No. 15 Utah, and Oklahoma State. If Colorado thought Baylor was tough, the road ahead looks like a minefield.
For Lewis, the benching is a harsh reality check. The talented young passer was once the crown jewel of Sanders' recruiting efforts, but the jump to Power Four competition has exposed serious growing pains. Meanwhile, Isaac Wilson now gets his shot to inject life into a sputtering offense. The younger Wilson brother may not have the same pedigree as his sibling, but he offers a fresh start for a team desperate for a spark.
Whether this change ignites a turnaround or simply delays the inevitable, one thing is clear: Coach Prime isn't afraid to make tough decisions. As the Buffaloes prepare for a brutal stretch, all eyes will be on Wilson to see if he can seize the moment.
For more on the Sanders family's impact, check out Shedeur's community MVP honor and the ongoing Browns fans clamoring for Shedeur.
