Posts Tagged ‘Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig’

No. 21 Colorado 41, Texas Tech 27

//posted 11.10.2024

(There have been 7 comments, comment now)

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.

Colorado 34, Cincinnati 23

//posted 10.28.2024

(There has been 1 comment, comment now)

Colorado gained bowl eligibility with a sixth win, defeating Cincinnati with a balanced effort from both the offense and defense. The Buff offense scored on all four offensive possessions in the first half to take a 24-14 lead into the break, with the defense making it hold up. A 47-yard field goal by CU kicker Alejandro Mata with 1:39 to play gave the Buffs their final two-score cushion, raising CU’s record to 6-2, 4-1 in Big 12 play.

Shedeur Sanders completed 25-of-30 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns, also scoring on a four-yard run. Travis Hunter collected both touchdown passes, with Hunter catching nine passes for a season-high 153 yards. Isaiah Augustave led the CU rushing attack with 91 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, with the Buffs going over 100 yards rushing (123) for the second game in a row.

“We’re excited with some of the things that we’re doing,” Coach Prime said. “We really are. But some of the things are still a work in progress. We’re happy about some things. We’re happy about some of the players and what they’re doing. I got to see the film to see what everyone truly did and clean up some of the mistakes we made because we shouldn’t have let that game get that close. But we got the ‘W. ‘That’s what counts.”

Colorado 48, Central Florida 21

//posted 9.29.2024

(There have been 17 comments, comment now)

Colorado used big plays from both the offense and the defense to defeat Central Florida on the road, 48-21. Shedeur Sanders completed 28-of-35 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns, while the defense forced four turnovers, including a 95-yard fumble return for a touchdown by safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig to seal the game with five minutes remaining.

The Buffs were out-gained on the steamy afternoon (85-degrees at kickoff, with 78-percent humidity) by the Knights, 461 yards to 418, but never trailed. Three different receivers scored, with Will Sheppard scoring on a 47-yard pass from Sanders to lead the team with 99 yards on only four receptions. Travis Hunter had his five-game streak of 100-yard receiving games broken, collecting nine passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. LaJohntay Wester, the hero of the Baylor comeback the week before, had three catches for 34 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown.

The CU running game, while not outstanding, was effective for the first time in memory. Three backs – Isaiah Augustave, Dallan Hayden, and Micah Welch – had a combined 20 carries for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, with Shedeur Sanders being sacked only twice, the Buffs finished with a season-best 128 yards rushing.

Four turnovers were certainly the key to the CU defense holding UCF to 21 points, but the Buffs were effective the entire game. The Buffs surrendered their first points in the third quarter all season, but gave up only a third quarter touchdown, allowing the offense to put the game away in the second half.

Colorado 38, Baylor 31, OT

//posted 9.22.2024

(There have been 10 comments, comment now)

Travis Hunter knocked the ball loose from Baylor running back Dominic Richardson at the CU goal line in overtime, with the fumble recovered by the Buffs to give Colorado an unlikely 38-31 victory. The Buffs had no business getting to overtime in the first place, but a 43-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Shedeur Sanders to wide receiver LaJohntay Wester as time expired sent the game to an extra period. In CU’s overtime possession, Micah Welch scored on a one-yard run to give the Buffs their first lead since holding a 7-3 advantage late in the first quarter.

Shedeur Sanders completed 25-of-41 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders also scored on a two-yard run, CU’s first rushing touchdown of the season. Travis Hunter had seven catches for 130 yards, while also making the game-winning play on defense. Overall, the Buffs had 431 yards of total offense, while holding Baylor to 314 yards. Baylor used big plays, including a 100-yard kickoff return and a 45-yard touchdown run by quarterback Sawyer Robertson on a a fourth-and-short, building a 24-10 lead late in the second quarter before the Buffs began their comeback. The Bears squandered a chance to put the game away late, but Baylor kicker Isaiah Hankins missed a 45-yard field goal attempt with 2:45 left with the Bears leading by seven, setting up CU’s Hail Mary to tie the game on the final play of regulation.

“A great, great, great, great win,” Coach Prime said in his postgame press conference. “Young men were resilient. They never gave up. They never surrendered. The coaches were still inspired. I mean, all the way to the end, they were still calling and devising things … I don’t like how it played out, but I love the results. I think we’re so much better than what we’re showing you at times. We keep showing you glimpses of running game. We show you glimpses of us playing tough football defensively. We show you we can throw the ball all around, and then we just stall for a series or two and surrender something foolishly. But I’m pleased.”

“Friday” Fast Facts

//posted 8.28.2024

(There have been 3 comments, comment now)

CU’s record in season openers … 2024 Rule changes … Buffalo v. Bison … Lopsided weekend: Half of the Big 12 are at least four-touchdown favorites (one Big 12 underdog) …

No. 23 UCLA 28, Colorado 16

//posted 10.30.2023

(There have been 15 comments, post your CU memory now)

The Colorado offense, last in the nation in sacks allowed, was exposed early and often as No. 23 UCLA slowly pulled away in the second half, posting a 28-16 win before a sold out Rose Bowl crowd. Buff quarterback Shedeur Sanders was harassed and hit all night, suffering seven sacks and numerous other hits. A strong early effort by the Buff defense, which generated four first half turnovers, was wasted as the CU offense netted all of three points off of those opportunities.

The UCLA offense, kept to a 7-6 lead at halftime, methodically pulled away in the second half, finishing with 487 yards of total offense. The Buff offense, meanwhile, posted only 255 yards of total offense … with 86 yards of that total coming in CU’s only touchdown drive of the contest late in the fourth quarter. Shedeur Sanders completed 27-of-43 passes for only 217 yards, with other totals – 24 pressures; 17 hits; 13 knockdowns; seven sacks – telling the true story of the game.

“Offensively, we’ve got to improve,” Coach Prime said. “Our quarterback is taking a beating. (Shedeur Sanders) got an injection at halftime just to block some of the pain… We have to do a better job of protecting him … Running the football, we’ve had a couple lineman go down (with injuries), but that’s no excuse.”

No. 8 USC 48, Colorado 41

//posted 10.2.2023

(There have been 34 comments, post your CU memory now)

Colorado rallied from a 48-21 third quarter deficit to make it a game, but nonetheless lost to USC for the 17th-straight time, falling 48-41 before a sellout crowd of 54.032. Shedeur Sanders threw for 371 yards and three touchdowns, while running for another, but it was not enough to keep up with USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who threw for six touchdowns and 403 yards. For the game, the Buffs actually out-gained the Trojans, with 564 total yards to 498 for USC, but the first half once again was the Buffs’ failing, with USC taking a 34-14 lead into the break.

Freshman wide receiver Omarion Miller, who had no receptions on the season coming into the game, collected seven passes for 196 yards and a touchdown. Jimmy Horn, Jr. contributed two touchdowns and 84 yards with his seven catches, while tight end Michael Harrison had six catches for 44 yards and a 21-yard touchdown. The Buff rushing “attack”, which had only 223 total yards in the first four games of the season, came alive with 193 yards on 45 carries. Running back Anthony Hankerson led the Buffs with 16 carries for 74 yards, posting a two-yard touchdown run.

“Wonderful game. They played their hearts out,” said Coach Prime. “I addressed the team and told them I love each of them, coaches included, because they were resilient. They did not give up and they had multiple, multiple opportunities to give up. They fought to the end. We sustained injuries, meaning the next man up came in and did their thing”.

Despite the second straight defeat, and despite having a defense which had given up 90 points in its last two games, Coach Prime was defiant. “If you can’t see what’s coming with CU football, you’ve lost your mind”, Sanders said. “You’re just a flat out hater. If you can’t see what’s going on and what’s going to transpire over the next several months. Something’s wrong with you.”

No. 18 Colorado 43, CSU 35 2OT

//posted 9.19.2023

(There have been 32 comments, post your CU memory now)

Buff quarterback Shedeur Sanders struggled throughout much of the game, but directed a game-tying 98-yard scoring drive in the final two minutes of regulation, then threw two touchdowns in two overtime periods to lead the No. 18 Buffaloes to a come-from-behind 43-35 win over rival Colorado State.

CU trailed 21-14 at the half — with one of its touchdowns coming on an 80-yard interception return by Shilo Sanders — and looked to be heading for an embarrassing loss to 23.5-point underdog CSU when the Rams took a 28-17 lead with just more than 11 minutes to go in regulation. But the Buffs cut the margin to 28-20 with a field goal and Colorado’s defense forced a punt with just more than two minutes to play. The kick bounced out of bounds at the CU two-yard line with 2:06 on the clock — but that proved to be plenty of time for Sanders.

Sanders completed five passes on the drive for 106 yards as CU overcame two penalties on the march. Sanders found a wide-open Jimmy Horn Jr. for a 45-yard touchdown, then connected with tight end Michael Harrison for the two-point conversion to set up overtime. “I went into ‘Brady mode’,” said Sanders, referring to Tom Brady and his penchant for last minute victories. “They left us too much time”.

“I knew even if we got the ball on a two, three, or four-yard line, as long as the ball is in Shedeur’s hands, we’re going to get down this field,” said Coach Prime, who raised his first season record at Colorado to 3-0. “I knew that without a shadow of a doubt. And when we went to center field to talk about overtime until we won the ball. I want you to have the ball. I want you to pressure him to get them out of their comfort zone. That’s how transparent an excellent day for Colorado was a great day for the Buffalo fans. It’s a great day that we got to win.”

The Buffs were out-gained on the evening by the Rams, 499 yards to 418, but too many turnovers (four, including the pick-six by Shilo Sanders and the game-clinching interception by Trevor Woods in the second overtime) and too many penalties (17 for 182 yards) denied the Rams the upset.