Posts Tagged ‘Mark Vassett’

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 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 Arizona 34, CU 31

//posted 11.13.2023

(There have been 9 comments, post your CU memory now)

Tyler Loop connected on a 24-yard field goal with no time remaining, giving No. 23 Arizona a comeback 34-31 win over Colorado 34-31 at a sold-out Folsom Field. Jonah Coleman rushed for 179 yards as the Wildcats earned their fourth consecutive victory, while Colorado lost its fourth straight to fall to 4-6.

Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch led the Wildcats to bowl-eligibility in his third season in charge. So he understood the plight of first-year Colorado coach Deion Sanders, trying to turn around a program that went 1-11 a season ago. “I would not be worried if I was a Colorado fan,” Fisch said. “They have a fantastic head coach that is going to do just great.”

Shedeur Sanders ran for a score and threw for two more as the Buffaloes (4-6, 1-6) lost for the sixth time in seven games since a 3-0 start. Sanders also finished with 262 yards passing to go over the 10,000-yard mark for his career.

“We could have won the darn game. I like that we should have won. I’m tired of ‘we could’ve won’,” said coach Coach Prime, whose team had 11 penalties for 83 yards. “There ain’t no lose in me. It don’t sit well with me. It don’t rock well with me. It don’t lay down with me. I have no lose in me.”

No. 16 Oregon State 26, Colorado 19

//posted 11.7.2023

(There have been 10 comments, post your CU memory now)

Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei threw for one touchdown pass and ran for another, leading No. 16 Oregon State to a 26-19 victory over Colorado. The sold out Homecoming crowd of 52,725 watched the Buff offense continue to struggle, with CU only producing 238 yards of total offense – 52 in the first half. Buff quarterback Shedeur Sanders came into the game as the nation’s second-leading passer with a 337-yard average. But he was limited to 41 yards before halftime and finished with 245 after two late touchdown drives following an in-game painkiller injection for the second straight week in his sore hip.

Questionable play-calling at the end of the first half allowed the Beavers to post a touchdown in the final minute of the second quarter, giving Oregon State a 14-3 cushion at halftime. The Buff offense produced a pair of 75-yard touchdown drives in the second half, after the Buffs’ first 10 possessions resulted in just 78 yards of offense, with Sanders posting touchdown passes of 15 yards to Travis Hunter and 12 yards to Anthony Hankerson.

“The reason it’s so hard is because you know you’re capable of doing better, playing better, performing better, calling better games, coaching better on my behalf and you are coming up short when you have enough to get the job done,” Coach Prime said of his team, which fell below .500 (4-5) for the first time in his tenure at Boulder.

“It’s painful. It hurts myself, the team and all the coaches, the fans … Our kids fought hard. I love the fact that they didn’t have any quit in them. They rallied at the end and gave a heck of an effort. We just wish we could do that in the midst of the game — the first, second, third, and fourth quarters with consistency. And we haven’t found that level of consistency as of yet and that’s what’s truly disheartening.”

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.”

Colorado 45, No. 17 TCU 42

//posted 9.4.2023

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

Colorado shocked the college football world with a 45-42 upset victory on the road against No. 17 TCU. Head coach Deion Sanders silenced his critics by leading the Buffs to a win over a Horned Frog team which was coming off of a national championship game appearance. The Buffs, a 20.5-point underdog, led throughout much of the game, and withstood comeback after comeback by the Horned Frogs, with a stop on fourth down with under a minute to play sealing the win.

“We were just preaching one stop,” Coach Prime said. “Just one dern stop. I always had confidence because I knew as long as we had the ball, Shedeur was gonna get us down there. But we just needed to stop.”

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was impressive in leading the Buffs to victory. In his first start at CU, Sanders had a school-record 510 yards passing, completing 38-of-47 attempts for four touchdowns and no interceptions. Freshman running back Dylan Edwards scored four touchdowns, with one on the ground and three through the air, including a 75-yard score to open the third quarter, and a 46-yarder in the fourth quarter for the game winner. Edwards finished with 135 yards receiving on only five receptions – the highest receiving total by a running back in school history. Three other CU receivers topped the 100-yard mark, with Travis Hunter going for 119 on 11 receptions, Xavier Weaver going for 118 yards on six receptions, with Jimmy Horn collecting 11 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

“I knew we was gonna do this,” Shedeur Sanders said. “The scoreboard is just telling y’all that’s what’s going on, but you didn’t believe. Nobody believed that we was gonna do that.”

Transfer Portal Tracker

//posted 6.30.2023

(There have been 216 comments, post your CU memory now)

(6/30) Gavin Layton, a 6’6″, 290-pound offensive lineman from Rochester, Minnesota, becomes the fifth junior college offensive lineman to commit to CU … (6/9) CU adds another 1,000-yard rusher, with junior Sy’veon Wilkerson becoming the latest Jackson State Tiger to join the team …