Nov. 9th – at Texas Tech – Lucky No. 7

No. 21 Colorado rallied from a 13-0 first quarter deficit to take down Texas Tech, 41-27. A sellout crowd and Fox Big Noon Saturday’s first trip to Lubbock helped the Red Raiders take an early advantage, but the Buffs fought back … looked to turn the game into a rout … then squandered chances to put the game away. Finally, Shilo Sanders returned a fumble six yards for a touchdown with less than a minute to finally end the upset bid by the Red Raiders.

Shedeur Sanders completed 30-of-43 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns, with Travis Hunter collecting nine passes for 99 yards and a 24-yard touchdown. The Colorado defense, scored upon on Texas Tech’s first three drives of the game, came through time and time again in the second half with sacks and turnovers to help CU get to 7-2 for the first time since 2016. The Buff defense finished with three turnovers (all in the fourth quarter) and six sacks.

Colorado finished with 351 yards of total offense. Texas Tech had 388 yards of total offense, including 180 yards in the fourth quarter, a quarter in which the Red Raiders settled for only seven points.

“It’s almost like they got to get hit in the face,” Coach Prime said of his team’s slow start. “They got to get slapped. They got to feel it and I don’t know why we’re like that, because we do everything in our power, even the way we script practices, to get started fast. The emphasis is let’s get out to a good start. Because we know if we get out to a good start, the sky’s the limit.”

The win gave Colorado a 7-2 overall record, 5-1 in Big 12 play. With three games remaining in the regular season, the Buffs, coupled with Iowa State’s second consecutive loss, took control of their own destiny when it came to playing for the Big 12 championship game. Wins over Utah, Kansas, and Oklahoma State would guarantee the Buffs a spot in the title game, regardless of the outcome of any other Big 12 games.

Two weeks ago, Colorado defeated Cincinnati, 34-23, giving CU a 6-2 record.

Getting to six wins and bowl eligibility for only the second time in 17 years was a huge hurdle for the Buffs to clear. The “Bowl Game For Peggy” win over Cincinnati was cathartic for the Colorado program and its fan base, a fan base which had endured 11 straight losses since 2018 when the Buffs had five wins and a chance at a bowl bid.

The sixth win though, also shifted the dynamic for CU in terms of national recognition.

The 6-2 record earned the Buffs a spot in the Associated Press poll for the first time in the 2024 season, even after Coach Prime – seriously or not – asked that CU not be ranked.

“We ain’t thinking about the playoffs right now. We go one game at a time,” Coach Prime said in the postgame news conference after the win over Cincinnati. “We don’t even want to be ranked. Don’t rank us, please. We don’t like that. We rather be in the back, in the dark, just chilling in the cut. We good, we cool. We straight. All right, so don’t feel pressure to rank us. I promise you everybody, we are straight. So we’re not thinking about that.”

Game Day! … Drew Litton’s Take on CU at Texas Tech … Daily Camera: Texas Tech players to watch … Neill Woelk’s Keys to the Texas Tech game …

With another sellout and another Fox Big Noon Saturday appearance, CU continues to set records … Texas Tech’s offense is almost as good as it’s defense is bad … CU v. Texas Tech history … Travis the unicorn …

Four Big 12 coaches who may not return in 2025 … BYU (and the Big 12) have reason to be angry over first College Football Playoff rankings … Big 12 lines for Week 11: Colorado a 3.0-point favorite over Texas Tech …

No. 7 CU rebounds from a heart-breaking loss to No. 3 Nebraska with a record-setting win over Oklahoma State in Boulder (with video game highlights) …

Playoff Bubble Watch: Colorado “In the Mix” … CU ranked No. 20 in initial College Football Playoff Rankings … CBS Power Rankings: CU up to No. 21 … Bowl Projections: Buffs still to Las Vegas or San Diego …

Texas Tech has a 1,000-yard rusher and a receiver with stats as good as those of Travis Hunter … But … The Red Raiders also have a porous defense … Will the momentum of a big win over No. 10 Iowa State, plus a Fox Big Noon Saturday appearance, help push Tech to a win? … Or are the Buffs a team of destiny ready for a November to Remember? … Let’s find out …

Can CU take advantage of Texas Tech’s porous pass defense? … Will the Buffs be able to stop star running back Tahj Brooks? … Can CU stay alive in the hunt for a Big 12 title berth? … Let’s find out …

With CU’s explosive offense, the defense only has to be good for the Buffs to be successful, and CU’s defense has continued to improve … After an enticing October, CU’s defense may offer the Buff Nation a November to remember …

The Buffs went 2-1 in October, with a close loss to Kansas State, followed by wins over Arizona and Cincinnati … The CU offense averaged 33 points a game in October – can the Buffs continue to improve? … Let’s find out …