Oct. 13th – Stanford – Driving a Stick

Colorado built a 29-0 halftime lead, but ultimately fell in double-overtime to Stanford, 46-43. In one of the worst collapses in school history, the Buffs gave up three touchdowns in four minutes of game clock in the third quarter to allow the Cardinal back into the game, then failed to hold on to a ten-point lead with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. After the two teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, an interception of Shedeur Sanders in the end zone on CU’s second overtime possession made it easy for the Cardinal, setting up Joshua Karty for a 31 yard game-winner.

Shedeur Sanders completed 33-of-47 passes for 400 yards and five touchdowns, but two costly sacks on fourth downs, and the interception in the end zone on CU’s final possession, overshadowed the effort. Travis Hunter returned from a lacerated liver injury to catch 13 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns, but was also part of a Buff secondary which surrendered 396 yards passing to Ashton Daniels, including 294 yards and three touchdowns to Cardinal wide receiver Elic Ayomanor.

“I’m truly disturbed,” Coach Prime said in his post-game press conference. “We started out the game wonderfully, finally put it together in the first half like I desired, like we desired … and then we surrender three touchdowns unanswered (the total was actually four), which I can’t fathom right now. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. And then this thing just kept going.”

For those too young to know, learning how to drive a manual transmission isn’t always an easy proposition … For fans of the 2023 CU football team, “shifting gears” has become a week-to-week emotional roller-coaster, with the Buffs taking us to new highs – but is also giving us some pretty steep descents …

Latest rankings: CBS 1-133: USC, Washington State, TCU among “biggest movers” downward (CU holding steady at No. 54) … ESPN+ Rankings: Colorado still not favored (at No. 77), while 6-2 USC comes in at No. 13 …

Coach Prime spoofed on Saturday Night Live (pretty funny, actually) … Folsom at 100: The Brightest Lights … Neill Woelk’s Keys to the Stanford game … ESPN – Grading 46 transfer QB’s (only two got A’s, including Shedeur) …

Do you have a gold parka for the game? (Forecast for the kickoff of CU’s Gold Rush game is 42-degrees) … The all-time series is tied at 6-6, with CU winning the past three games … Why is the Stanford mascot a Tree? … Another slow start/fast finish for Shedeur? …

Washington seeks to dismiss lawsuit filed by Washington State and Oregon State … CBS Bottom 25: Arizona State and Stanford remain ranked … Report: Big 12 again considering adding Gonzaga as a basketball only member …

The Buffs were double-digit favorites once before this season, but the CSU game didn’t play out as expected … Will Stanford’s bye week of preparation play a role, or will the mismatch of CU’s No. 8 passing offense against Stanford’s No. 128 passing defense be the deciding factor? … Let’s find out …

The Buffs emerged from the desert with win No. 4, but with plenty of work to do … Stanford, with a 1-4 record and a porous defense, represents the Buffs “easiest” remaining game on the schedule, but are the Cardinal coaches and players thinking the same thing about CU? … Let’s find out …