MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — There was no shortage of drama—or pain—for Colorado’s freshman quarterback Julian Lewis in his first collegiate start. Despite an impressive personal performance, the Buffaloes fell 29–22 to West Virginia on Saturday, officially ending their bowl eligibility hopes and extending their losing streak to three games.

Lewis, just 18 years old, showed composure beyond his years, completing 22 of 35 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns, giving head coach Deion Sanders a glimpse of the future amid another difficult defeat. But it wasn’t the rookie’s stat line that had fans talking—it was the unusual, painful play that saw a piece of his hair left on the field after a sack late in the fourth quarter.

A Promising Debut Amid Frustration

For the first time this season, the Buffaloes looked like they had stability under center. Lewis, who had been patiently waiting behind transfer quarterbacks all year, finally got his opportunity to start. He took it with poise—navigating the pocket, delivering accurate throws downfield, and showing flashes of the athleticism that made him a five-star recruit.

“I felt amazing playing football again, realistically as a starter,” Lewis said postgame. “It’s a dream come true. I just wish we came away with the win.”

Colorado’s offense found rhythm at times, particularly in the second quarter when Lewis connected on back-to-back scoring drives, including a 42-yard strike to Travis Hunter, who continues to be the heart of Sanders’ squad. However, consistent protection issues and drive-killing penalties once again plagued the Buffaloes, preventing them from sustaining momentum.

The Hair-Pulling Play That Stole the Spotlight

The defining—and bizarre—moment of the game came late in the fourth quarter with Colorado trailing by a touchdown. As Lewis rolled right to evade pressure, West Virginia linebacker MarSon Oxley grabbed a handful of the quarterback’s long dreadlocks to pull him to the ground. The tackle was so forceful that it ripped a chunk of hair free, which was left lying on the field.

Social media immediately erupted.

“Julian Lewis just got an unwanted haircut. Ouch,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Another joked: “Biggest offseason question for the Buffaloes: does Julian Lewis cut his hair to avoid whatever that just was?”

While the play looked brutal, officials correctly ruled it legal, as the NCAA considers long hair an extension of the uniform. That means defenders can legally grab or pull it as part of a tackle—as long as it doesn’t meet the criteria for a horse-collar.

Lewis, to his credit, laughed it off afterward. “It hurt more when I saw the replay than when it happened,” he said with a grin. “But hey, if that’s the price of playing quarterback, I’ll take it.”

Sanders’ Frustrations Boil Over

The loss dropped Colorado to 3–7 overall, officially eliminating them from bowl contention in Year 2 of Deion Sanders’ rebuild. After starting the season 3–2, the Buffaloes have stumbled through conference play, losing five of their last six contests.

“We’ve done everything you can think of to try to flip it,” Sanders said after the game, visibly frustrated. “I don’t think we’ve played a team that’s athletically and physically better than us. I really don’t. I’ll stand on that.”

Still, the record tells a different story. The Buffaloes were outgained 421–357 and never led in the contest. West Virginia controlled the line of scrimmage from start to finish, exposing Colorado’s biggest weakness—the offensive line. Lewis was sacked three times and hit on nearly a dozen dropbacks, a recurring issue that has derailed the Buffaloes’ season.

Looking Ahead: A Glimpse of Hope

Despite the defeat, Sanders made clear that Lewis’ performance was a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season.

“Julian showed me something tonight,” Sanders said. “He stood in there, took hits, made plays, kept us fighting. That’s the kind of heart we need.”

For Lewis, it was a trial by fire—and hair-pulling—but also validation that he can be the future of Colorado football.

“I’m proud of how I played,” he said. “But I’m hungrier now. I want to win. That’s all that matters.”

As Colorado limps toward the end of another losing campaign, the emergence of Julian Lewis may give “Coach Prime” and the Buff Nation one reason to look ahead with optimism—because even in defeat, a star might just be in the making.