SALT LAKE CITY – So this is how it ends for Deion Sanders in his first season in Colorado – a 23-17 loss at Utaha six-game losing streak and his son starting quarterback Shedeur sidelined the entire game due to injuries.
But it could have been much worse. Despite injuries and a series of flu-like symptoms, the Buffaloes held on again before Utah (8-4) took over with 7:25 left and ran out the clock with 12 final plays.
It was Colorado’s fifth loss decided by seven points or fewer, leading Coach Sanders to double down on his prediction of bigger things for the Buffs next year in year two.
“We’re getting ready to start cooking,” Sanders said afterward. “We’re getting ready to go get that grocery and make sure we do it right. You know what we need. Everyone knows what we need. You know very well what we need, so we’re going to get it.
The Buffs finished with a 4-8 record, including no wins against teams that finished the regular season with winning records. Their six-game losing streak also marked a real downfall after a 3-0 start to the season, when the Buffs were described as the best. the greatest sports story after finishing 1-11 in 2022.
Ultimately, a breakdown on the offensive line and the loss of their early-season swagger doomed them down the stretch, punctuated by Saturday’s loss in front of a sellout crowd of 51,595 at Rice-Eccles Stadium .
What else did Deion Sanders say?
He’s once again focused on the future as the transfer portal prepares to heat up on Dec. 4, a year after he was hired at Colorado. He plans to tackle a “plethora” of transfer recruits, but acknowledged it could be “expensive” to secure some high-profile players who seek financial compensation in exchange for the use of their names, images and resemblances (NIL).
“We’re getting there,” he said. “We absolutely need to give. You know what I mean. It’s unfortunate to say this, but some children cost…I haven’t put a chart on it yet, but I’ve asked for the numbers. But if you start thinking about the best teams in the country, I see what was spent to build their teams. You know, we can sit here and talk about great coaching, great this and great that, whatever we want, but it’s going to be a credit card hit one way or another with all these guys going to these places. And I understand that.
Sanders also said he expected “some” changes to his team before next year, although he did not provide further details.
“I love everything that’s happened,” Sanders said of his first season in Boulder. “I wouldn’t be able to grow up if I didn’t experience what we experienced. I couldn’t thrive if I didn’t take advantage of what happened this season. I couldn’t be who I am if I didn’t have these tasks to accomplish. I am truly grateful. This isn’t the first challenge I’ve faced in my life, but I know how I’ll end up. I know how this is going to end. I promise you. I know how this is going to end.
What happened in the game?
Both teams were forced to bring in backup quarterbacks due to injuries. In Utah’s case, the Utes turned to a fifth-string backup, Luke Bottari, who scored two rushing touchdowns, including a 1-yarder in the third quarter that helped the Utes lead 20-10 . The Utes ended up outscoring the Buffs 268-37 and possessed the ball for nearly 40 of the game’s 60 minutes.
Utah “ran the ball down our throats,” Sanders said.
Freshman Ryan Staub made his first career start for Colorado in place of Shedeur Sanders. He got off on the wrong foot when he fumbled the ball on a strip-sack during his team’s first possession.
But Staub still rallied Colorado before halftime and helped cut Utah’s lead to 13-10. It didn’t help his cause that a replay review overturned a 29-yard diving touchdown pass from Staub to receiver Travis Hunter late in the second quarter. After the official ruled Hunter “lost control of the ball” on the catch, the Buffs still got a 47-yard field goal from Alejandro Mata on the next play to pull within 13-10 with 20 seconds left. to play in the half.
It ended up being as close in Colorado as it was on a cold, overcast afternoon in the final Pac-12 Conference game for both teams before joining the Big 12 in 2024.
Utah kicker Cole Becker finished with three field goals of 34 yards or less after transferring from Colorado following Sanders’ hiring last December.
Staub said afterward that he was “nervous and excited” about his first career start, but completed 17 of 24 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown – an 18-yard pass to Hunter with 7: 31 to go to account for the final score.
“It’s a long journey,” Staub said of the team’s progress. “We started the season hot, and it didn’t go the way we wanted. But I just think… there have been glimmers of hope throughout this season. And I think the foundation that Coach Prime has built here, I mean, it’s an upward trajectory. We’re going to be awesome.
What’s next for Deion Sanders?
The Buffs are expected to lose only 11 scholarship players who were in their final years of eligibility this season, including two graduate transfers who were key contributors: wide receiver Xavier Weaver and safety Rodrick Ward. By the way, Weaver also didn’t play Saturday due to flu-like symptoms, but he finished with a team-high 68 catches for 908 yards this year.
Other Colorado players could leave via the transfer portal, giving Deion Sanders more leeway to once again tap the transfer portal for his own recruiting within the 85 scholarship cap. In addition to the at least 11 scholarship spots opened up by starting players, Sanders has only used about 77 scholarships this season, meaning he has about eight more to give away and stay under the 85 limit.
A “good foundation has been built,” Colorado defensive lineman Shane Cokes said Saturday.
He noted how Sanders transformed the team after he was hired a year ago with dozens of players transferring in and fewer than 10 scholarship players returning from last year’s team.
“I think we sometimes forget how different the situation is in college football and will probably never happen again,” Cokes said. “What we’ve done this season, you know the things we’ve accomplished and how we’ve played and how we’ve come together as a group in such a short amount of time…I think it’s just about lay a good foundation and build on that foundation to make us something even better.”
What went wrong for Deion Sanders?
Much of Colorado’s slide could still be blamed on Sanders in terms of overall team discipline and game management. Colorado entered the game ranked second nationally in penalties committed with 100, then added more seven more Saturday against Utah. The Utes also managed to run out the clock at the end, in part because the Buffs had burned two of their three timeouts in the third quarter.
Sanders said afterward that he used one of those timeouts early in the second half because of a player substitution issue and didn’t want to lose five yards on a penalty.
But the biggest problem for Sanders on Saturday was the absence of his quarterback son Shedeur, who watched the game from the sidelines after being eliminated following last week’s defeat in Washington State. It was the first time without Shedeur at quarterback since he started coaching before high school. Shedeur Sanders started every other game for Colorado before Saturday and set a school record with 3,230 passing yards this season.
“It was the first time I played without him,” Deion Sanders said. “It was not easy.”
He is now ready to turn the page.
“You will be satisfied with what is to come; I promise you that,” Sanders said. “But anything you see where we have a gap, a deficit, we’re going to fill that need.”
Follow journalist Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: [email protected]
