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October 13th – Boulder Stanford 46, Colorado 43, 2 OT
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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.”
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Game Story … For the first time since the first game of the season against TCU, the Buffs did not start the game with the ball … And for the first time since the first game of the season against TCU, not having the ball first paid off handsomely for the Buffs.
The Cardinal posted a first down early on its first drive, but three straight completions gave Colorado the ball at its 23-yard line less than two minutes into the game. After a false start penalty to open the series, everything else went like clockwork for the Buff offense. On third-and-11, quarterback Shedeur Sanders hit Travis Hunter – back for the first time in four games – for 12 yards and a first down. On the next play, Sanders took off on a 38-yard run, putting the ball deep into Stanford territory. A seven-yard completion to Jimmy Horn two plays later put the Buffs into the red zone, and two plays after than, Sanders hit Xavier Weaver for a nine-yard touchdown. Less than five minutes into the game, the Buffs were up, 7-0.
Stanford gained some yards and chewed some clock on its second drive, but still punted the ball back to Colorado without passing midfield.
A pair of 18-yard completions, the first to Alton McCaskill, the second to Jimmy Horn, quickly got the Buffs to midfield to start their second drive. After another hookup between Sanders and Horn, this time for 14 yards, the Buffs finished the nine-play, 85-yard drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Sanders to Travis Hunter. Colorado 14, Stanford 0, late in the first quarter.
On the ensuing drive, the Stanford offense set off on an epic drive. The Cardinal held the ball for 15 plays, and over half a quarter of game clock … but still came up empty. Stanford had a first-and-goal at the CU nine yard line, but an offensive penalty and two negative plays, including a sack of Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels by Buff linebacker Jordan Domineck, and the Cardinal had to settle for a 37-yard field goal attempt. The Joshua Karty offering missed, however, and Stanford remained scoreless.
Seven plays and 80 yards later, the Buffs were on the board again. Shedeur Sanders opened the drive with a 15-yard run, with Sanders and Travis Hunter connecting for a five yard gain on third-and-two at the CU 43-yard line to keep the drive alive. Three plays later, Sanders found a wide open Xavier Weaver for a 39-yard touchdown. Tight end Caleb Fauria ran the ball in for a two-point conversion, giving CU a 22-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
Stanford then once again drove into CU territory, only to once again come up empty. On fourth-and-eight at the CU 36-yard line, the Cardinal decided to go for the first down. Quarterback Ashton Daniels, though, was only able to cover two of those yards, with the Buffs taking over on downs with just under five minutes remaining before the break.
After Shedeur Sanders was sacked on the first play of the drive, it was all Buffs, with gains of 21 (Sanders to Hunter), 11 (Dylan Edwards run), and 10 (Sanders to Jimmy Horn), setting up a Xavier Weaver run for 14 yards and a touchdown. Colorado 29, Stanford 0, with three minutes remaining.
The Buffs had yet another opportunity to score before the break after the Buff defense forced a three-and-out. The CU offense took over at the Stanford 39 after a 23-yard punt, but was unable to score, with Alejandro Matta missing a 46-yard field goal in the final minute.
Halftime score: Colorado 29, Stanford 0
The CU offense took the second half kickoff, and once again found itself in enemy territory. This time, though, the Buffs bit off more than they could chew. On fourth-and-two at the Stanford 45-yard line, the Buffs not only failed to pick up a first down, but quarterback Shedeur Sanders was sacked for a 12 yard loss on the play, giving the ball to the Cardinal at the CU 43-yard line.
With a short field to work with, the Cardinal finally got on the board. It took seven plays and two penalties on the Buff defense, but Stanford scored its first points of the game at the nine minute mark of the third quarter on a two-yard run by Bryce Farrell. When Stanford’s two-point conversion failed, it remained a 29-6 score.
The Buffs appeared to have things rolling again after a 14-yard completion from Sanders to Javon Antonio and an 18-yard run by Anthony Hankerson. But the Hankerson run was called back on a holding penalty, with the Buffs punting the ball back to the Cardinal after holding the ball for only five plays and two-and-a-half minutes of clock.
The Mark Vassett punt of 57 yards was downed by the Buffs at the Stanford three yard line, giving the Cardinal 97 yards of Folsom Field turf to cover. One play later, though, Stanford was on the board again. A 97-yard touchdown pass from Ashton Daniels to Elic Ayomanor quieted the sellout crowd. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but it was now a game again, at 29-12, with 6:18 still to play in the third quarter.
The Buff offense didn’t help matters a few moments later, going three-and-out. Mark Vassett’s punt went all of 27 yards, giving Stanford the ball back at its 40-yard line.
This time, it took Stanford all of two plays to score. On second-and-ten, Ashton Daniels connected again with Elic Ayomanor, this time for 60 and a touchdown. What had been a 29-0 game with nine minutes to play in the third quarter was now a 29-19 game with five minutes still to play in the third.
Trying to right the ship, the Buff offense posted gains of nine, 12 and 12 yards on its next drive … and still ended up going nowhere. Two sacks of Sanders, the second being a 21-yard loss on a fourth-and-four at the Stanford 46 not only gave the Cardinal the ball back, but gave them the ball at the CU 33-yard line.
An unsportsmanlike penalty on Travis Hunter on a third-and-22 kept the next Stanford drive alive, with the Cardinal cashing in on a one-yard Justin Lansom run. With 12:29 left to play, it was one score game, at 29-26.
The Buffs seemed to regain the momentum a few plays later. After an 11-yard completion to Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders hit Xavier Weaver for 48 yards down to the Stanford 16. Two plays later, Sanders connected with Hunter for a 16-yard touchdown, and the Buffs had a double-digit lead once again, at 36-26.
It wasn’t enough, though, as the Cardinal then marched slowly, inexorably, inevitably, for its fifth straight touchdown of the second half. It was pitch-and-catch for Ashton Daniels and Elic Ayomanor, who connected on six passes for 58 yards on the 13-play, 80-yard drive. A three-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Bryce Farrell capped the drive, making it a 39-36 game with five minutes still to play.
The Buffs looked to run out the clock and escape with a victory, and made good progress early, with a swing pass to Dylan Edwards for 17 yards and an Edwards run for three giving CU two first downs. At midfield, though, the drive stalled, and a potentially game-winning pass from Sanders to Travis Hunter on third-and-three at the Stanford 41 sailed high, and the Buffs were forced to punt with three minutes left to play.
CU punter Mark Vassett did his job, pinning the Cardinal down at its one yard line …. but it hardly mattered. The Cardinal never faced so much as a third down before getting in to field goal range. With four seconds remaining, Stanford kicker Joshua Karty calmly hit a 46-yard field goal to send the game into extra time.
End of regulation: Colorado 36, Stanford 36
The Buffs won the coin flip, and, as had been the case against Colorado State, opted to take the ball rather than go on defense. The move gave CU some momentum, as the Buffs were able to score to retake the lead. A nine-yard completion to Travis Hunter and a six-yard run by Anthony Hankerson gave the Buffs a first-and-goal at the nine, with Sanders hitting Javon Antonio for a four-yard touchdown two plays later.
The Cardinal, though, responded in kind. After a false start cost the Stanford offense five yards, a Ashton Daniels pass of 30 yards was plucked off of the helmet of Travis Hunter by Elic Ayomanor, and, just like that, the game was tied once again.
End of first overtime: Colorado 43, Stanford 43
Given the option for the second overtime, Stanford opted to go on defense first, putting the CU offense back out onto the field. As had been the case in the first overtime, it took the Buffs only two plays to get in position for a score, with runs of eight yards by Anthony Hankerson and six by Shedeur Sanders set the Buffs up with a first-and-ten at the Stanford 11. Three incompletions later, it appeared the Buffs might have to settle for a field goal. but a pass interference call on third down gave CU a first-and-goal at the Stanford two-yard line. Two Hankerson runs went backwards, though, and on third-and-goal, Sanders was intercepted by Alaka’i Gilman in the end zone.
Needing only a field goal to win, Stanford kept the ball on the ground. Three straight runs by Ashton Daniels put the ball at the CU 13, with Joshua Karty putting a 31-yarder through the uprights shortly after midnight, making the comeback complete.
Final score: Stanford 46, Colorado 43
“We’re gonna take this one on the chin because we deserve it,” Coach Prime said. “I’ve never been in one of these. I don’t remember from youth on being up 29-0 and losing a football game. I really don’t. This is a little tough for me.”
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28 Replies to “Stanford 46, Colorado 43 – 20T”
I know he is untouchable and off limits, but I blame Deion and don’t know why reports aren’t too. Every coach in America knows you defer in overtime, but he is too arrogant. If teams are really afraid of CU’s offense, then they will gamble going first thinking a FG isn’t good enough. If they fail we win easily. He goes first so QB has to try and make heroic pass rather than just play for 3 points when the play isn’t there. If Stanford went first, we’d know what to do and they would have to prove they can score OT TD. Overtime loss in on Dion, hope he learned. PS, I really like what he is doing most of the time, but this was just wrong, same as it was with CSU but we got lucky that time.
Well, “that escalated quickly!” All of you armchair Einsteins can’t wait to show your disloyalty to about the best thing that’s happened this university in twenty years. One game and the full-throated, whining boo-birds are back. Not one supportive comment. Pathetic. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
…well, at least there is the joy in watching Oregon lose today
Anyone see the Washington D-Coordinator running up and down the sideline like a chicken with its head cut off? Me neither
WTG FISH…..I WAS THINKIN’ THE SAME THING.
Huskies beating the ducks gave a little pleasure. The look on Lannings face was priceless.
Hunter was overworked and looked tired in 4th qtr. Whole D looked tired and without direction from coaches imho. Give Stanford credit for wanting it more than C U. My thanks to SS for trying to carry them to another victory. Next time don’t read your own press on what easy game is coming up. Play like you mean it.
That game goes in Stuart’s “CU is not allowed to have nice things…” category. The first apparently dominant performance of the season… and then the kick in the balls.
I think I’m going to need a retired coach as a therapist. So many questions. Why did they change up the offense scheme in the 2nd half? Things were going so well in the first. Why didn’t they slide a safety/LB over and double team #13, then put Hunter opposite to shut the other side down? Why didn’t they bring in Cooper to help Stoutmire out?
It could be argued Shedeur has won us four games, and lost one. Granted, that last interception was one of a handful of missed plays that changed the game, but as coach says, he wants players that make plays in that moment.
They’ve got a few. They’ll get more. I’m Interested to see how they bounce back in la.
Go Buffs
Awful coaching loses games again.
Oh and a complete lack of discipline
“Now do you believe!?!?”
uh, no coach I don’t believe… not yet
For some reason Lewis completely forgot how to coach a defense and count to 11. I like to think they could have gotten a stop or held them to a field goal on one of those red zone tries. The procedural penalties were killers.
FFFC, I think you meant Kelly, the DC. That’s Okay….we knew what you meant.
Perhaps a remedial class in numbers would help….think ?
SAID IT BEFORE………WARS ARE WON IN THE TRENCHES….IT’S YOUR LAST LINE OF DEFENSE-OFFENSE.
Shedeur was having to release the ball FRACTIONS OF SECONDS before getting blasted….AGAIN.
Although it’s been mentioned “ad nauseam,” we got beat by two players…the QB and a WR….and beaten by one play that was repeated over…. and over…. and over. This accounted for two long marches for TD’s. SITTING AT HOME, WE KNEW WHEN THIS WAS GOING TO BE REPEATED. DID IT SURPRISE OUR COACHES ?????
COACH KELLY, HOW CAN ONE PLAYER HAVE 294 RECEIVING YARDS AND 19 RECEPTIONS ?????
COACH KELLY, HOW CAN YOU HAVE 3 ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTIONS D-E-E-P IN YOUR OWN TERITORY GIVING THE OPPONENT MULTIPLE CHANCES TO SCORE ???????????
THAT’S POOR COACHING FOLKS.
WHERE’S A COACHING PORTAL ???????????????
I am still in shock. We got the big lead and then total collapse. How do we put this loss to the side and recover for two more wins?
All flash, no character. The cohesiveness of this team seems to be regressing.
Part of winning is learning how to handle success. The Buffs obviously don’t know how to do that when they are prohibitive favorites since that is new territory for them. First half was good but you could see issues rearing their heads in the last offensive possession before halftime. Second half wasn’t hot garbage it was fecal matter. Time to shovel manure during the bye week and use the next five games to build toward next year. Lots of issues to fix after one of the worst come from ahead losses in Folsom field history. Deion owns this one. Enough of the hype, interviews, watch showing, celebrities, and talk. Time for walking the talk. Like beating a substandard team at home that you are supposed to beat. Do your job. Take care of business.
So disappointing and discouraging.
This is heavily on the coaches and not only incredibly frustrating it does not bode well for the future.
Why on earth were we snapping the ball with more than 5s on the clock the entire second half while up 29?
Why are we going for it on fourth at midfield still up by a ton?
Honestly getting sick of the attitude and “flash”. Shedeur needs to humble himself because while talented he hasn’t actually done anything yet outside of some good stats (which honestly after last night I concede they might be padding).
At this rate we might be lucky enough to be yet another 5-7 woulda, coulda, shoulda, just missed a bowl, showed improvement in a first year blah blah blah buff team that we have been for 20yrs.
Sure we are better than last year. Sure we have hype. But unless we fix something its going to be the same Macintyre type record. And unless I see something improve over the next 5 I suspect next year will be the same.
I do think Deion structures this team to benefit the QB which is good, he should, he takes if too far though. We need some power football. Shedeur throwing a hope ball for glory and losing us OT is unacceptable. No matter what else he had don there’s no excuse to be so boneheaded in a critical situation.
Travis is either still hurt and we put him in too early or he is overrated.
Whole team looked lazy and titled 2nd half. Maybe strip the chains and bling from the players? Ban the streams? Ban the tik toks/socials? You wanna strut like a team that doesn’t suck? Cool, make a bowl first.
They’re proving Dan Lanning right. I hate it.
First half Shedeur had time to throw, second half was a complete offensive line meltdown. Gotta throw that ball out of bounds in OT
Oh the hype
can we get rid if the hype now?
Can all the celebs go back to where they came from? Can the coaches and players get their heads on straight now?
The tortoise beat the hare. We have now barely beat the 2nd worst team in the conference and lost to the worst.
The Buffs were completely outcoached. Not that is was hard to do. Stanford kept their cool and kept probing on offense until they found the key. Its almost as if he watched the tape of the CSU game at halftime. Up until then the Buffs were lucky they were up by so much. Hunter got beat soundly on a deep ball that should have been a touch down and Stanford’s own mistakes. and the trail by error probing kept them off the scoreboard.
And the Lewis offense sucks
Oh wait they score over 40….right?
Completely on the shoulders of Shedeur and a the WRs. The playbook must be half a page. With one running play. There were no plays to counter the blitz. Not even a designed roll out. I saw only one ball fake on a designed Shedeur run. I guess there no screens because the O line cant handle it? Instead of slants which we cant seem to even begin to defend, where the receiver catches the ball in stride we do these sit down routes which get tackled immediately after the reception. I lost count on how many were just short of a 1st down on a third down try. And the 4th down attempts?
You need a quick hitting play to succeed instead we got deep sacks.
And the D? Still not nearly enough pressure on the QB. Dont ask me what is going on in the secondary. You would think they would get their skills honed practicing against our WRs. Maybe the coaches arent paying enough attention to the film directing the scout team. One things for sure Adjustments seem to be a word not in their vocab.
Its a one dimensional team. and all the opposing coaches know it.
If this is the bye week coming up there better be some changes in tactics and strategy or I dont see a bowl game.
This. 100% this.
IDGAF if the Pope and Taylor Swift are on the sideline waving PomPoms.
Win.
I dont care if shedeur breaks every statistical category for a QB.
Win.
I don’t care if we have 12 straight big noons.
Win.
I dont care if Prime has 57 viral one liners per press conference.
Win.
Wow…one guy, one play over and over with no answers or adjustments. Just like CSU with Horton. More significantly, 17 penalties…17. How is this possible? Obviously Prime expectations a bit high…this will take time. 5 games after a bye…anything can happen.
Well 83Buff, maybe now you understand what I was saying last week.
The filth, the mental mistakes, a completely discombobulated defense over and over….
I did not see a team that improved but went backwards. The coaching was absolutely terrible. No one had a clue how to act with such a large lead.
The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. And there might be an opening for a certain coordinator sooner than later. Wow this was disappointing!
Wow.
Horrible..There are some internal issues to be addressed.. Game reminded me of 2018 Oregon State Meltdown.. Go Buffs!! Heal and get better in 2 weeks.. F Bomb..
Shedeur wasnt the same after he got hurt. The missed throw to Hunter that would have been a 1st down. The interception at the end. Still love him. Feels like last year in that our coaches cost us the game. The one thousand three hundred and fourteen penalties didnt help. Still better than last years disasters. But this one stings on a number of levels…
same old CU just a little more heartbreaking
“hope is the greatest evil for it prolongs the suffering of man”
~Nietzsche