Carter, Lester, Defensive Line Pick Up Big 12 Weekly Honors
September 07, 2026 | Football
BOULDER — Colorado claimed three Big 12 Conference weekly awards Monday for its 14-13 win at Georgia Tech, with Boo Carter named Special Teams Player of the Week, Lamont Lester Jr. named Defensive Player of the Week and the Buffaloes' defensive front recognized as Defensive Line of the Week.
Carter blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired to preserve the one-point win, sprinting around the end of the line on the final play after the Yellow Jackets had driven 48 yards in 34 seconds. The third-year defensive back also recovered a first-quarter fumble at the Georgia Tech 26 that set up an eight-play Colorado drive to the 1-yard line, made two tackles — one for no gain on Georgia Tech's opening possession — and returned two punts.
"I did one in practice before, so it's just the mental prep," Carter said of the block. "I timed it pretty well."
Lester recorded all three of Colorado's sacks (22 yards in losses) and 3.5 tackles for loss while on the field for just 12 passing plays. The third-year lineman's second-quarter sack forced a punt from the Georgia Tech 20, his two third-quarter sacks ended consecutive Yellow Jacket possessions in punts, and he shared a tackle for loss and made a third-down stop on Georgia Tech's final field goal drive to hold it to three points. He was in on four of the defense's eight third-down stops.
"A lot of these guys are great players where they came from," Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders said of Lester, who transferred in from Monmouth. "That's why we got them. Football is football to me. I don't give a darn who's out there on the other side."
The defensive line honor recognized a front that held Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards on 30 carries — 1.7 per carry, four rushing first downs and no run longer than 11 yards. Georgia Tech gained 33 of those yards on its opening possession and 18 over the final 3.5 quarters, and 11 of its 30 carries went for zero or negative yardage. The Yellow Jackets ranked 21st nationally in rushing a year ago at 197.5 yards per game; Colorado ranked 133rd against the run at 222.5 allowed. The defense did not surrender a touchdown, as Georgia Tech's lone score came on a kickoff return and its two scrimmage scoring drives ended in field goals.
"It says a lot about Marve and who he is and what he is and how he is," Coach Prime said of defensive coordinator Chris Marve, "and how smart and intelligent he is playing situational football."
Colorado opens its home schedule Saturday against Weber State at Folsom Field. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
Carter blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt as time expired to preserve the one-point win, sprinting around the end of the line on the final play after the Yellow Jackets had driven 48 yards in 34 seconds. The third-year defensive back also recovered a first-quarter fumble at the Georgia Tech 26 that set up an eight-play Colorado drive to the 1-yard line, made two tackles — one for no gain on Georgia Tech's opening possession — and returned two punts.
"I did one in practice before, so it's just the mental prep," Carter said of the block. "I timed it pretty well."
Lester recorded all three of Colorado's sacks (22 yards in losses) and 3.5 tackles for loss while on the field for just 12 passing plays. The third-year lineman's second-quarter sack forced a punt from the Georgia Tech 20, his two third-quarter sacks ended consecutive Yellow Jacket possessions in punts, and he shared a tackle for loss and made a third-down stop on Georgia Tech's final field goal drive to hold it to three points. He was in on four of the defense's eight third-down stops.
"A lot of these guys are great players where they came from," Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders said of Lester, who transferred in from Monmouth. "That's why we got them. Football is football to me. I don't give a darn who's out there on the other side."
The defensive line honor recognized a front that held Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards on 30 carries — 1.7 per carry, four rushing first downs and no run longer than 11 yards. Georgia Tech gained 33 of those yards on its opening possession and 18 over the final 3.5 quarters, and 11 of its 30 carries went for zero or negative yardage. The Yellow Jackets ranked 21st nationally in rushing a year ago at 197.5 yards per game; Colorado ranked 133rd against the run at 222.5 allowed. The defense did not surrender a touchdown, as Georgia Tech's lone score came on a kickoff return and its two scrimmage scoring drives ended in field goals.
"It says a lot about Marve and who he is and what he is and how he is," Coach Prime said of defensive coordinator Chris Marve, "and how smart and intelligent he is playing situational football."
Colorado opens its home schedule Saturday against Weber State at Folsom Field. Kickoff is 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN+.
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