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Colorado Daily – Oklahoma State Week
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December 3rd
… CU in a few minutes …
CU Press Release to Heisman and All-American voters
- The two have been an integral part of Colorado’s turnaround, from 1-11 in 2022 to 4-8 last season and 9-3 this year, CU’s second nine-win season in the last 22 years. A few indications of just how dramatic of a turnaround it has been here in Boulder.
- In 2022 CU ranked 117th in passing offense and in 2024 ranks fourth.
- In 2022 CU ranked 112th in passing defense and in 2024 ranks 45th.
- In 2022 CU ranked 126th scoring 15.4 points per game on offense and in 2024 ranks 24th scoring 34.5 points per game.
- In 2022 CU ranked 130th allowing 44.5 points per game on defense and in 2024 ranks 37th allowing 22.0 points per game.
- Finalist for the Walter Camp, Maxwell, Bednarik, Lott IMPACT, Hornung and Biletnikoff awards.
- Has 688 defensive and 672 offensive snaps and is the only FBS player with 150-plus snaps on both offense and defense and the only Power 4 conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides.
- CU record and Power 4 leading 14 receiving TDs while his 92 catches ranks second in the Power 4 and second in CU history and his 1,152 yards ranks second in the Power 4 and is the fifth most in school history.
- Has 92 receptions and allowed just 22 receptions, 14 receiving touchdowns and allowed just 1, and has 53 first downs and allowed just six.
- Has been targeted 39 times, third fewest in the Power 4 and his six first downs allowed is the best mark in the FBS. Has an interception every 10.3 targets, tied for the best mark in the Power 4 and third best in the FBS.
- PFF grades of …
- 89.4 receiving, top among all players with 450-plus receiving snaps
- 88.2 offense, 3rd WR in P4 with 500 snaps
- 87.7 coverage, 6th in P4 with 300 coverage snaps
- 85.5 defense, 7th CB with minimum of 500 snaps
- 82.0 run defense, 3rd CB in P4 with minimum 300 snaps
- Ranks 2nd in the P4/5th in FBS in receptions per game, 3rd in P4/6th in FBS in receiving yards per game, 1st in P4/2nd in FBS in receiving touchdowns
- Ranks 3rd in P4/8th in FBS in passes defended (15, 11 PBU, 4 INT) and 5th in P4/15th in FBS in interceptions.
- Bookended the regular season with three receiving touchdown games vs. North Dakota State and Oklahoma State, matching the CU record.
- First FBS player in the last quarter century with three touchdowns and an interception in a game and he has two of the four instances of multiple touchdowns and an interception since 1996 in the FBS.
- First player in the last quarter century in the FBS with nine receptions and an interception in a game, he has three such games this season and four in his career.
- First FBS player in at least a quarter century with 10 receptions, 100 yards, 2 TDs and an interception (vs. Colorado State).
- First FBS player and just one of two FBS/NFL players with 50 receiving yards, a rushing touchdown and interception (vs. Utah), joining Champ Bailey who did it in the NFL.
- First known FBS player with 150 receiving yards and 4 pass breakups in the same game (both career highs vs. Cincinnati)
- First FBS player to be named Power 4/5 conference offensive and defensive player of the week in the same season.
- First known FBS player to be a midseason All-American on both sides of the ball by the same publication (AP, CBS).
- Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Winner, Finalist for Davey O’Brien and Semifinalist for the Manning Award (finalists named this week).
- Only FBS player in the top five for completion percentage (1st, 74.2%), completions per game (2nd, 28.1), passing touchdowns (2nd, 35), passing yards per game (3rd, 327.2) and pass efficiency (5th, 168.8).
- Only the fifth player in the last nine seasons to accomplish that feat along with Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins (2018 Heisman finalist), LSU’s Joe Burrow (2019 Heisman winner), Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud (2021 Heisman finalist) and Oregon’s Bo Nix (2023 Heisman finalist).
- Leads the FBS and is responsible for 82.0 percent of Colorado’s offense in 2024, a CU and Big 12 record and the third-highest total in the FBS since at least 1996.
- Has thrown a touchdown in 48 straight games, the longest streak in NCAA Division I (FBS & FCS) history (more than either division’s record, though not a record for either). It’s the second longest streak in NCAA history at any division and would be the fourth longest streak in NFL history.
- Became the 16th player in FBS & FCS history to throw for 14,000 career yards and among those 16 players, ranks first for fewest career interceptions and is one of just two that has completed over 70 percent of their career passes (Colt Brennan, Hawaii).
- Holds over 90 school records including season records for passing yards, touchdowns, completions, completion percentage, QB rating, 250-yard games, 300-yard games, games with 2-plus TDs, 3-plus TDs and 4-plus TDs, games completing 60%, 70% and 80% of passes.
- In two seasons, ranks fourth in CU history in passing yards, third in passing touchdowns, just one behind the record, and is on pace to shatter the completion percentage and QB ratings records.
- In 2024, he has completed 60 percent of his passes in all 12 games, 70-plus percent in eight games and 80-plus percent four times.
- In four games in November, he completed 117-of-154 passes, 76.0%, for 1,335 yards 14 TDs and 2 interceptions for a QB rating of 176.2. His 14 touchdowns in November is the top mark in the FBS and his QBR is the top for QBs with 100-plus completions while he ranked third for yards per game and completion percentage in the month.
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December 2nd
… CU in a few minutes …
Save the Date! Upcoming Dates to Remember
… Important dates in the next few months which will be significant for CU and the Buff Nation …
— Wednesday, December 4th … Signing Day … Rise and shine! “The Ticker” will return to CU at the Game at 6:00 a.m., MT, Wednesday, go give you up-to-the-minute updates on signees. The CU at the Game Podcast will be up Wednesday night with a discussion of the new Class.
A little different this year … After a 60-year run as a binding agreement between prospective athletes and college programs, the national letter of intent (NLI) is no longer at the Division 1 level. But signing periods still exist. Instead of an NLI, prospects will sign athletics aid paperwork. Once a student-athlete signs a written offer of athletic aid, other schools are prohibited from communicating with them. The early signing period for 2025 high school and Junior College recruits begins this Wednesday and runs through Friday. The Buffaloes currently have 15 verbal commitments on board, all from the high school ranks.
— Sunday, December 8th … Bowl matchups will be announced … The leader in the clubhouse would be the Alamo Bowl, with CU likely to face either BYU or Iowa State … but you never know.
— Monday, December 9th … Transfer Portal opens … Graduate students can enter the Transfer Portal at any time, but undergraduates can’t put their names officially into the Portal until next Monday. Colorado, and other FBS programs, will have two weeks to host potential transfers on a visit before a recruiting dead period around the Christmas and New Year’s Holidays. Buff fans will be excited about the possibilities of new transfers, but be ready to see some current Buffs leave the team as well.
— Saturday, December 14th … Heisman Trophy ceremony … Next Monday, the 9th, invitees will be announced, with the only question there being whether Shedeur Sanders will be invited alongside his teammate, Travis Hunter, to the ceremony in New York (6:00 p.m., MT, ESPN). Hunter is expected to be the second Heisman Trophy winner in CU history, joining the late Rashaan Salaam. Other major awards will be announced on Thursday, December 12th (7:00 p.m., MT, ESPN)
— Saturday, December 28th … Transfer portal closes to non-graduates … At this point, it becomes clear to college programs across the country which players are bought in and ready to return for 2025. There will be more attrition after spring ball, but this will give Colorado fans a clearer picture of what the roster will look like during those 15 practices.
— Monday, January 13th … Spring semester begins at CU … The start of the winter strength and conditioning session coincides with the start of the spring semester at CU. Players will be given some time off following the bowl game to head home, but will be back before this date. The Buffs will also welcome in new players at this time.
— Wednesday, February 5th … Signing Day, II … What used to be the most important date on the recruiting calendar, the first Wednesday in February has been reduced to second-tier status, but any freshmen who didn’t sign with a school in December will have their day in the sun in February.
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November 30th
… CU in a few minutes …
Coach Prime confirms stars will play in bowl game: “We’re not going to tap out, because that throws off the structure of next season”
From CUBuffs.com … After coaching his sons since they were youngsters, Colorado’s Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders marked the last time he will coach his sons at Folsom Field.
They went out in style, each playing a key role in the Buffaloes’ 52-0 win over Oklahoma State in the regular season finale. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for 438 yards and five touchdowns. Safety Shilo Sanders notched his second fumble recovery of the season, leading to a CU touchdown.
Sanders and all three of his sons — Deion Jr., (who now heads a prominent social media company focused on his father’s team), Shilo and Shedeur — shared a moment together on the field.
“I didn’t really think about it until watching the last seconds tick off the clock like, ‘Dang, this is it,'” an emotional Coach Prime said. “You know how long this journey’s been with me and my kids. It’s been a lot of ups and downs and in and outs and things you guys don’t know about that we’ve overcome in a lot of adverse situations. A lot of highlights. It’s been unbelievable to think that that’s the conclusion of the matter. Just here, that’s tough. That’s tough.”
Of course, the Buffs’ season isn’t over. CU still has hopes of playing in next weekend’s Big 12 championship game — and even if they don’t earn that berth, they will still play in a bowl game.
Coach Prime made it clear he expects all his players, including Shedeur and Travis Hunter, to play in the bowl game. It has become more and more common in recent years for players expected to be taken high in the NFL Draft to skip bowl games.
“Our kids are going to play in our bowl game, because that’s what we signed up to do,” Coach Prime said. “We’re going to finish. We’re not going to tap out, because that throws off the structure of next season. It’s a couple teams, you take note, they laid an egg in the bowl game and they haven’t recovered. We don’t plan on doing that. We plan on going out there fighting just like we fought today, regardless of where we are.”
… Continue reading story here …
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Travis Hunter wins Buffalo Heart Award
From the Daily Camera … In two years at Colorado, Travis Hunter have proven to be one of the greatest players to ever suit up for the Buffaloes.
He also proved to be a tough, win-first player who endeared himself to the fans. And, on Friday, Hunter was honored with the Buffalo Heart Award, awarded by fans each year and created by CU fans Pat Grimes, Craig Augustin and Ashley and Thaddeus Cernac in 1998.
Perhaps two weeks away from becoming just the second Heisman Trophy winner in CU history, Hunter capped his time at Folsom Field with 10 catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns on offense, along with an interception and two pass breakups on defense in a 52-0 win against Oklahoma State on Friday.
“Just getting invited (to the Heisman ceremony on Dec. 14), that’s a win for sure because how many players go into the off season doing the same regimen, workout?” CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders said of Hunter as a Heisman candidate, as well as what he’s meant to the Buffs. “Everything is just what difference are you gonna make when the lights get on? And Travis proved that week after week, throughout injuries and throughout everything. He’s the life of our team.”
… Continue reading story here …
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November 28th
… CU in a few minutes …
Neill Woelk’s Keys to the Oklahoma State game
From CUBuffs.com … If there’s anything that’s been proven this year in the Big 12, it is that nothing is certain — and the Cowboys would like nothing better than to avoid becoming the only winless team in Big 12 conference play while also throwing a wrench in CU’s plans as a bonus.
OSU did provide a glimmer of hope last week by scoring 48 points against Texas Tech. The only problem was the Cowboys gave up 56.
In short, the situation appears to be a golden opportunity for CU’s offense to put up some big numbers, which leads us to our weekly Fast Five:
1. Attack the OSU secondary. The Cowboys are giving up more than 260 yards per game in the air and have yielded 21 passing touchdowns this season.
Those are the kinds of numbers that should have Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and his wide receivers salivating. If the Buffs offensive line gives Sanders some time to throw, CU’s receivers will be running free in the OSU secondary and Colorado should put plenty of points on the board.
2. Start fast. This is an opportunity for the Buffs to deliver a knockout punch in a hurry.
The Cowboys had to travel on Thanksgiving. They have lost eight in a row and have almost nothing to gain — other than not becoming the only team in the Big 12 not to win a conference game this year.
Colorado needs to erase any motivation OSU might have early. If the Buffs can put a couple of quick scores on the board, it could be the kind of haymaker that puts the Cowboys out of their misery and allows CU to celebrate Senior Day in style.
3. Play with an edge. Coach Prime didn’t mince words last week when he said too many Buffs might have become intoxicated with success.
Now it’s time for Colorado to return to playing with that chip on their shoulder. The Buffs are at their best when they play like they have something to prove.
They have plenty to prove against the Cowboys.
… Continue reading story here …
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November 27th
… CU in a few minutes …
Coach Gary “Flea” Harrell talks about running back rotation for OSU
From YouTube, courtesy of BuffStampede.com …
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November 26th
… CU in a few minutes …
*Coach Prime’s Weekly Press Conference*
… “A tough week, of course, but we plan to respond accordingly … We plan to get our swagger back … Mike Gundy is real, honest, and hilarious … We know they will want to run the ball … Both teams still have a great deal to play for … Hope has been replaced by expectation, which is why our fans our frustrated, and I can appreciate that … Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders finalists for several awards … Travis not a finalist for the Thorpe Award (given to to the nation’s best defensive back) … You can have my Thorpe award. I’m going to give mine to Travis … How could he not be a finalist for the Thorpe Award? … We have to do a better job of getting these guys prepared … This week, we’re coming to win and to dominate … Will Shedeur and Travis play in a bowl? Yes … These seniors have done a great job of getting us to this point, and we’ll want to end this thing on the right note … Whatever bowl game we go to, you’re going to see everything you’ve seen throughout the season … We’re going back to the drawing board, and let’s get it on. We can’t harbor on the last game … I’m not going to wish for other teams to lose … I’m not going to watch the games on Saturday – we had our chance … Defensive lineman Shane Cokes will be back in the lineup Friday … Running back Isaiah Augustave will also be back this week … Defensive lineman Amari McNeill and right tackle Phillip Houston are out … An “outside shot” that Jimmy Horn will be able to play …
… Also … Wide receiver Will Sheppard …
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November 25th
… CU in a few minutes …
OSU game unlikely to sell out
Tweet from Brian Howell at the Daily Camera … As of this afternoon (Monday), Colorado has about 4,000 tickets available for Friday’s game against Oklahoma State. Most of those are unclaimed student tickets, with many students heading home for Thanksgiving break.
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Coach Prime grateful for the short week: “You gotta flush it and get it on and let’s go to the next window”
From the Daily Camera … Following a humbling defeat on Saturday in Kansas City, Colorado doesn’t have much time to regroup, and that suits head coach Deion Sanders just fine.
Sanders and his 23rd-ranked Buffaloes (8-3, 6-2 Big 12) will face Oklahoma State (3-8, 0-8) in the regular season finale at Folsom Field on Friday (10 a.m., ABC). The Buffs will be looking to rebound from a 37-21 loss to Kansas that ended their four-game winning streak and dented their chances of reaching the Big 12 title game.
“We’re thankful that we have one less day, pretty much,” Sanders said after the game. “We’re thankful because now you just, you gotta flush it and get it on and let’s go to the next window.”
Although CU has been playing well most of the season, there’s a lot to fix going into Friday’s game.
Defensively, the Buffs had their worst performance of the season, giving up a season-high 520 yards in offense, including 331 rushing yards — the most allowed by a CU defense since the 2022 finale.
… Continue reading story here …
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November 24th
… CU in a few minutes …
Big 12 Press release: Title game tie-breakers
… The math is simple for Colorado … The Buffs need to win, and have two of the other Big 12 6-2 teams lose (there is a few three-way ties in which the Buffs qualify – see the Big 12 release, below – but it would require a significant dominos to fall, starting with BYU having to lose to Houston).
CU plays Oklahoma State (Friday, 10:00 a.m., MT, ABC). Other games involving Big 12 6-2 teams:
- No. 14 Arizona State at Arizona … Saturday, 1:30 p.m., MT, Fox
- Kansas State at No. 17 Iowa State … Saturday, 5:30 p.m., MT, Fox
- Houston at No. 19 BYU … Saturday, 8:15 p.m., MT, ESPN
Standings:
- No. 14 Arizona State … 6-2; 9-2
- No. 17 Iowa State … 6-2; 9-2
- No. 19 BYU … 6-2; 9-2
- No. 23 Colorado … 6-2; 8-3
- Kansas State … 5-3; 8-3
- Baylor … 5-3; 7-4
- TCU … 5-3; 7-4
- West Virginia … 5-3; 6-5
- Kansas … 4-4; 5-6
- Cincinnati … 3-5; 5-6
- Houston … 3-5; 4-7
- UCF … 2-6; 4-7
- Arizona … 2-6; 4-7
- Utah … 1-7; 4-7
- Oklahoma State … 0-8; 3-8
Press release from the Big 12 … Entering Week 14, nine teams are still in contention for the Dr Pepper Big 12 Football Championship. The following details tiebreaking scenarios for ties among teams with 7-2 Big 12 records:
- Two-team tie scenarios:
- The two tied teams at 7-2 will be the Championship game participants.
- Three-team tie scenarios:
- Colorado loss: Arizona State vs. Iowa State
- Arizona State loss: Iowa State vs. BYU
- Iowa State loss: Arizona State vs. BYU
- BYU loss:
- If Texas Tech defeats West Virginia, then
- If Baylor beats Kansas and Cincinnati beats TCU: Colorado vs. Iowa State
- Otherwise: Colorado vs. Arizona State
- If West Virginia defeats Texas Tech: Arizona State vs. Iowa State
- If Texas Tech defeats West Virginia, then
- Four-team tie scenario:
- Arizona State vs. Iowa State
- For teams who are 5-3 entering the week, they must win and see at least three of the four 6-2 teams take a loss
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Coach Prime: “We controlled our own destiny, and we fumbled it”
From the Daily Camera … Shedeur Sanders (266 passing yards, three touchdowns) and Travis Hunter (eight catches for 125 yards, two touchdowns) put up some big numbers for the CU offense, but this was a costly defeat the Buffs, who could have taken over sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with one week to play.
Instead, the Buffs go into next week’s finale in a multi-team tie atop the standings and likely needing some help to get into the Big 12 title game. The Buffs’ goals are still in front of them, but the path isn’t so clear.
“I already did (relay that message to the team),” Coach Prime said. “Trust me, we just did. When you’re in control of your own destiny, it’s a phenomenal thing. I don’t just think about football, I think about life. So the message to these young men, if God were to grant you every darn thing you needed in life: all the ability, the thought process, the connections, the visuals, and you don’t do nothing with it, that’s on you, and that’s where we are. We controlled our own destiny, and we fumbled it.”
Why the Buffs fumbled goes back to the week leading up to the game, Coach Prime said. The recent four-game win streak and leap in the rankings had the nation heaping praise on the Buffs.
“We started smelling ourselves a little bit,” Coach Prime said. “That’s what I just told our team. We got intoxicated with success, we got intoxicated with the multitude of articles and the assumption that we’re this and assumption that we’re that, and we did not play CU football. Therefore we got our butts kicked. It is what it is.”
As he always does, Coach Prime brought plenty of confidence into the game, but he also tried guarding against this type of effort.
“Well, we tried to handle it in the meetings,” he said. “Some folks you can’t put behind microphones, and you can’t give them podcasts. You can’t do that because they get intoxicated with the success and you know who that is, so you try your best to eliminate that, but they can’t stop reading the stuff about who we are.
“That’s a little tough, so you try to humble everything around you, including yourself. You try your best to do such, because you know what you have in the locker room. I know my kids, man, I know all of them.”
The only other time CU got manhandled like this was in Week 2 at Nebraska. CU responded by routing Colorado State the next week to kickstart a three-game win streak.
Coach Prime and Shedeur hope the Buffs can do the same thing this time around as they prep to host Oklahoma State (3-8, 0-8) on Friday (10 a.m., ABC).
“It’s 24 hours, wins and losses, the same thing,” Shedeur said of getting past this loss. “You don’t change the recipe based off the result. Do the same thing week in and week out, and this week it didn’t go our way. So we just have to go 24 hours, look at it, see what went wrong, and head into next week and be ready for next game.”
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