—
October 19th – at Arizona Colorado 34, Arizona 7
—
Colorado dominated on both sides of the ball in picking up a second consecutive Big 12 road romp, defeating Arizona, 34-7. The Buffs went for 398 yards of total offense, while holding the Wildcats to 245 total yards. CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 23-of-33 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns, while also running for a score. LaJohntay Wester collected eight catches for 127 yards, while Will Sheppard and Drelon Miller had receiving touchdowns.
On defense, the Buffs not only held the Wildcats out of the end zone for the final three quarters, but did so in convincing fashion. CU collected seven sacks, with two each from by Samuel Okunlola and Keaten Wade, while forcing three turnovers.
“Wonderful game, wonderful victory,” Coach Prime said. “Offense, defense, collectively, both units played great.
“We played a balanced game. We really did. And I’m proud of the young men. I’m proud of the coaches. They called a phenomenal game. Special teams as well.”
Colorado led, 28-7, at halftime, and, unlike a year earlier, when the Buffs squandered a 29-0 halftime lead in a loss to Stanford, the second half was just a continuation of the first.
“We really challenged the coordinators on both sides of the ball about the starts,” Coach Prime said. “We showed statistics (from) our two losses and how we started. We always come back and fight hard in the second half, but it was imperative that we get out to a tremendous start in the first half.”
—
Game Story … The Wildcats opened the game with a surprise onside kick. It might have been successful, but the kick took too long to get the requisite ten yards, with CU recovering at the Arizona 46-yard line.
CU’s opening drive began as too many of CU’s drives have begun over the years, with a run for no gain by running back Isaiah Augustave and a sack of quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Then, on third-and-15, CU’s fortunes changed, with Sanders hitting wide receiver LaJohntay Wester for 46 yards and a first-and-goal at the Arizona five yard line. After a four-yard run by Sanders, running back Isaiah Augustave took it in from the one. Less than three minutes into the game, the Buffs were up – for good – at 7-0.
Arizona’s first offensive possession was a three-and-backwards, with CU defensive end Keaten Wade picking up a sack.
Taking over at their 37-yard line, the Buff offense marched methodically down the field for a second score. After a 12-yard completion from Sanders to Wester on third-and-four kept the drive from being a three-and-out, the Buffs collected a pass interference penalty on the next play, giving CU a first down at Arizona 30-yard line. Two plays later, CU faced another third-and-four, and again Sanders hit Wester, this time for 11 yards to the Arizona 13-yard line. A second pass interference call set the Buffs with a first-and-goal at the Arizona two. On third-and-goal at the one, CU borrowed a play from the Kansas City Chiefs, a shovel pass to freshman wide receiver Drelon Miller, with Miller scoring his first collegiate touchdown. Midway through the first quarter, the Buffs were up, 14-0.
The Wildcats looked to make a game of it with next drive, going 75 yards in ten plays. The Wildcats were backed up with a first-and-25 at the CU 37 after a personal foul penalty, but a 24-yard run by Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita got almost all of the yardage back. Three plays later, Fifita completed a pass to Chris Hunter for a one yard touchdown. With just over a minute to play in the first quarter, it was now a 14-7 game.
Eleven plays and 75 yards later, the Buffs were back up by two touchdowns. A quarterback sneak by Shedeur Sanders on third-and-one got the drive going, with consecutive runs by Isaiah Augustave picking up another 14 yards. After a 20-yard completion from Sanders to Will Sheppard set the Buffs up at the Arizona 30, the Buffs appeared ready to score for a third consecutive drive to open the game. Three straight incompletions, though, left CU with a fourth-and-10. Rather than go for a 47-yard field goal attempt, Coach Prime decided to go for it. The gamble paid off, with Sanders connecting with Travis Hunter for 14 yards and a first down. On the next play, Sanders hit Will Sheppard for a 16-yard touchdown. Colorado 21, Arizona 7.
The Arizona offense made it as far as the CU 28-yard line on its next drive, but a sack by Nikai Hill-Green turned a third-and-two into a fourth-and-eight at the CU 34. When All-Big 12 kicker Tyler Loop missed a 52-yard field goal on the next play, the air seemed to go out of Arizona Stadium, giving the ball back to CU with a two-score lead.
The middle portion of the second quarter was a flurry of turnovers. The Buffs quickly moved into Wildcat territory thanks to consecutive completions from Sanders to Wester going for 14 and 16 yards. On third-and-two at the UA 22, though, a missed communication between Sanders and center Hank Zilinskas led to a fumble and a turnover.
Two plays after that … Arizona fumbled the ball back to Colorado, with LaVonta Bentley recovering.
Three plays after that … a tipped pass from Shedeur Sanders was interception, giving the ball back to the Wildcats.
The Buff defense then forced a three-and-out, with a Jimmy Horn punt return of 16 yards setting the Buffs up at the Arizona 31-yard line.
Seven plays later, the rout was on. Converting on third-and-one with a four-yard run by Isaiah Augustave, then a third-and-three with a five-yard run by Augustave, the Buffs had a first-and-goal at the UA six yard line. On the next play, Shedeur Sanders ran it in, making it a 28-7 game with a just over a minute to play before the break.
Halftime score: Colorado 28, Arizona 7
The Wildcats set out to make a game of it with their first possession of the second half … but failed. Arizona got the ball near midfield, but a holding penalty was too much to overcome, with the Buffs forcing a punt four minutes into the third quarter.
The Buff offense also held the ball for four minutes, but were able to put points on the board. Consecutive completions for 12 yards each from Shedeur Sanders to LaJohntay Wester and Will Sheppard opened the drive, with a Dallan Hayden run for 27 yards – CU’s longest run from scrimmage on the season (at least until the fourth quarter), setting the Buffs up at the Arizona 27-yard line. The Buffs made it as far as the Arizona nine yard line, but had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Alejandro Mata. Still, the damage had been done … the lead was up to 31-7, and the third quarter clock down to six minutes.
The teams then exchanged punts as the third quarter turned into the fourth, with the Buffs setting up shop at their own 40-yard line in the first minute of the fourth quarter. The Buffs moved smartly down the field as the Arizona defense started to lose its will. An eight-yard run by Isaiah Augustave … a ten-yard completion to Jimmy Horn … a seven-yard run by Augustave … completions to Drelon Miller for ten yards and seven yards. After several incompletions, though, at the Arizona 18-yard line, a tipped pass from Sanders was intercepted. The drive garnered no points, but three minutes of clock had been run off the fourth quarter clock.
After yet another sack of Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, this time by Arden Walker, forced another Arizona punt, the Buffs gave the ball quickly back after a three-and-out, but got the ball quickly back after an interception by freshman cornerback Colton Hood.
Hood returned the pick 46 yards, down the Arizona 11-yard line, but was flagged 15 yards for removing his helmet after the play. Three Charlie Offerdahl runs netted seven yards, with Mata making a 34-yard field goal to make it a 34-7 game with five minutes left.
The only team to threaten to score late was Colorado. After Brendan Gant recovered an Arizona fumble, CU running back Charlie Offerdahl tore off a 39-yard run to the Arizona 15-yard line. Rather than run up the score, the Buffs knelt, not even trying a field goal. The final Arizona drive failed to get past the Wildcat 30-yard line as time ran out.
Final score: Colorado 34, Arizona 7
“Great feeling after last week,” receiver Will Sheppard said, referring to CU’s 31-28 loss to Kansas State the week before. “We really emphasized starting fast and balled out, scoring 28 points in the first half, pretty much sealing the deal early. That’s what we went out and did.”
It was the second time this season that CU responded to a loss by getting a dominant victory on the road.
“I mean, that’s just the expectation,” Shedeur Sanders said. “Coming here, the players that transferred in, they understand everything’s not going to be easy, and especially the way the games were early on, you know? We had a little bit of everything, you know? So it prepared us for now, the second half of our season.”
–
Game Notes …
— The win gave CU a 17-10 lead in the all-time series against Arizona, including a 10-4 record in games played in Tucson;
— Arizona announced a sold-out crowd of 50,724. The sell-out represented the 17th time in 19 games in the Coach Prime era in which the Buffs played before a sold out crowd;
— Cornerback Colton Hood had an interception for the second game in a row;
— Shedeur Sanders threw an uncharacteristic two interceptions. It was his first two-interception game since October 15, 2022, when he was playing for Jackson State and was picked off twice by Bethune-Cookman;
— Colorado has won back-to-back road games by 27-plus points for the first time in 37 years, since 1987 when the Buffs beat Iowa State 42-10 on Oct. 31 and Kansas State 41-0 on Nov. 21. CU is the first Big 12 team to accomplish that feat since Oklahoma in 2015. CU has also won three straight road games for the first time since the end of the 2001 and start of the 2002 seasons;
–
–
—–
22 Replies to “Colorado 34, Arizona 7”
CHARLIE IS ALL HEART. SO GLAD HE (FINALLY) GOT AN OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW, THE NEW RB’S ARE GOOD…. BUT THERE’S NOTHING LIKE HAVING FRESH RB LEGS THE ENTIRE BALL GAME.
CHARLIE COULD HAVE PLAYED THE LAST 3 POSSESSIONS, EXCEPT I KNOW SHURMUR DIDN’T WANT TO RISK IT. WHAT WAS HE SCARED OF (?) CHARLIE IS A BALLER KINDA’ DAWG…. WHO DOES NOTHING BUT EXCELL AND MAKES FEW MISTAKES.
I’M NOT A DOWNER. I LUV THA’ BUFFS. SO GLAD THE PLAYERS HAD SOMETHING TO BE
R-E-A-L-L-Y PROUD OF.
I know it seems shallow to keep pounding on the cobbs but I cant help it. Its their own fault for being so self righteous.
But here is what the pundidiots really think of the cobbs. The AP poll has Indiana, undefeated, even with a back up QB, only 13th in the country, even after making the “holy” huskers look like the worst team in the pop warner league. This is behind two other undefeated teams, BYU and Iowa State, both who pulled off last minute wins against teams with losing records and 7 one loss teams.
BTW
UCF took Iowa State to the wire making the Buff’s win look a lot better.
EP nothing wrong with kicking a holer when they’re down. They were supposed to be 7-0! Ooops. Now they’re 25 point dogs to the Buckeyes. Fhule still has some work to do. It would make my year if they missed a bowl game!
Utah has injuries, Oklahoma State has fallen short the first four conference games and will be “limping into Boulder” for the last game, and Kansas is not the team the experts originally predicted. Defeat Cincinnati this week, and then go into Lubbock to secure two more victories before the final three “winnable games.” In that scenario, “the drive” in those final three minutes by KSU would be all that is separating CU from a 9-0 “Big 12” record and 11-1 for the season. Wow!! Simply put, “wow.”
Unfortunately, BYU, Iowa State and Kansas State have fairly easy schedules for the remainder of the season. It is likely that the winner of the Iowa State and Kansas State game in the final week of the season will play BYU for the Big 12 title. Yes, projecting these outcomes is “getting a little ahead” of things, but it seems that this is the way the conference race will probably unfold.
The difficulty associated with these large conferences, IF CU had hung on to defeat KSU, and ISU, BYU, and CU continued to win out, there would have been THREE Big 12 teams with undefeated conference records. Given “tie-breakers,” CU would have likely been “left out” of the conference title game due to the loss to Nebraska (a loss that would still come into effect should CU wind up tied with another team that has one conference loss).
FWIW I think you are right. But for me, I am just happy letting the chips fall where they fall. If the Buffs get to a “nice” bowl game for Peggy, that will represent massive progress. While playing in the playoff would be amazing, just winning as many of the remaining games as possible is good enough for me. Got to take care of business against Cincy first.
Very well said!! If CU continues to play like they have in the “Spring Training states” (Florida and Arizona) for the remainder of the season, they will, indeed, play in a “nice” bowl game for “Peggy” and the Buff faithful.
On a separate note, if the Buffs “win out,” would Coach Prime be a “lock” for “Coach of the Year?” It seems to me that the honor would be a “slam dunk,” but one never knows given the attitudes of some media members. It would be great if that would occur.
More good news today even with the Buffs DOMINATING AZ.
The cobbs were harvested, husked and ground into corn meal. And they face Ohio St. next game.
Well done. Shedeur was good, not great (2 ints), but didn’t have to be. A bit of a running game, nice pass protection, and an outstanding defensive effort made for a solid game and dominant win. 5-2(3-1) right in the mix…should be a really interesting 2nd half.
I have watched Beck and Gabriel but not Texas yet. I might have to bite my lip and do it, but I have seen Ewers and Manning’s stats. None of these guys are as accurate as Shedeu. He is so damn accurate he gets int trouble occasionally firing into double and triple coverage because he can do it so many times. That is what I noticed with the picks.
Lets go kill some flowers Buffs! Its nice to see a W but this was not an impressive victory against a team that limped into the game. Colorado does not look like they can beat a ranked team. Hell, they are not even gonna get a chance to play a good team this year. I wish I could be less honest but that was a game that they should have dominated and even though they won on the road again, which is rare the last two decades; it did not look or feel like Colorado could beat a strong opponenent. Sorry guys. Ive been a Buff fan my whole life but this is not a team of world beaters with all of the talent assembled. They remind me of the 93 Buffs.
I can’t tell if you are joking, or if you are trying to be serious.
Who is saying that CU is a world-beater? Who is saying that CU could handle a ranked team?
CU was supposed to play five ranked teams this year – Is it CU’s fault that other teams have faltered?
Yes, Arizona is flawed, but the Wildcats were also favored to beat another flawed team … and the Buffs dominated on both side of the ball.
Enjoy the win … there have been so few of them in the past few years.
Colorado has won back-to-back road games by 27-plus points for the first time in 37 years, since 1987 when the Buffs beat Iowa State 42-10 on Oct. 31 and Kansas State 41-0 on Nov. 21. CU is the first Big 12 team to accomplish that feat since Oklahoma in 2015. CU has also won three straight road games for the first time since the end of the 2001 and start of the 2002 seasons.
Not bad for a team which are not world-beaters …
Some people will never be happy. I am though. I am loving this season.
Seconded!
YOU TELL EM STUART! I love you man!
You said it all in your essay False Summits. I have been on the band wagon my whole life with Colorado. I have seen or been at every game you have. I sold, cokes and Gold Star Hot Dogs, worked the parking lots, student tickets and of course season tickets. I also drank a lot of Kool Aid.
Colorado has not been able to build but one successful team since 2001 bros, so they bought one. With all of that bling, the bar is raised. That is why the decision to take 4 years to develop a winning program was scrapped. You can buy it now. Ask Oregon and USC. They kicked CUs butts with CU players.
Ok, sure, its acceptable now. Its minor league pro football.
After all of the gold chains and Rolex watches and cheap sunglasses…..THEY ARE STILL THE FLUFFS!
The Big 12 is a shadow of its former self. This might as well be the WAC. Im done drinking Kool Aid.
The with that rant I would think we wont have to hear from you anymore. If we do it will deepen my suspicion of your validity and existence of another agenda.
should have dominated?
you didnt watch the game or you are a sour grapes AZ troll.
Sad your Huskers lost 56-7 eh? I note that these are how your comments always are.
After years of futility, a true shot at a winning record is much appreciated and something to build on.
You sir are an idiot. 1-11 to 4-8 and now 5-2. If that is not progress I don’t what is. World beaters no, climbing up the ladder we are getting there. And by the way you are clueless. Don’t get hurt trying to jump back on the bandwagon.
I detect a holer fan in disguise, trolling the Buffs after his holers were ground into cornmeal as so eloquently stated by EP. If you’re not a holer troll, maybe you should take a second to remember that just 2 years ago we were suffering through the worst season in Buffs history.
I was having thoughts of the Stanford game last but our Buffs played a great second half.
lets hear from the pundards on this one.
You know….all those “experts” that AZ hitting the top ten with their preseason predictions. this after their coach leaves and takes over 20 players with him.
but but but Fifita and McMillian were the next coming of Young and Rice.
sheesh
by the way
how bout that Buff D?
the running game is still taking baby steps but sat least in the right direction.
In spite of that I am now a bowl believer. Tech looked tough until today.
How bout Charlie? If he didnt have to slow down to try and use a block he could have taken it to the house.