When you sit down to watch a Colorado game you expect to experience some excitement, some Hollywood, lots of emotion, and some incredible plays—all overtop a sense of tension and nervousness from never knowing how it’s actually going to turn out until it ends. There was almost all of that this past Saturday, minus the undercurrent of tension, as the 13.5 point underdog Buffaloes took on UCF in FBC Mortgage Stadium, AKA “The Bounce House,” on the main campus of the University of Central Florida and left their fans and probably everyone watching stunned as they dominated in a complete game 48-21 butt kicking of the Knights. As Coach Prime said afterwards amid his excitement for his players; “Football-wise, this was one of the first times that we came out and played a collective game, offensively, defensively and special teams. Shedeur . . . I think he got touched a couple of times, but other than that he ran the ball effectively. That’s what we want. We want that kind of balance. I know these guys can do it. I believe in them wholeheartedly.” We always knew that Deion believed, but their win against UCF might have converted quite a few others.
As pointed out in the Buffaloes Wire for USA Today Sports, “The 27-point margin of victory is the largest for Colorado in a conference road game since a 34-0 win at Oklahoma State in 2005.” And as far as Shedeur only getting sacked twice, give credit to their offensive line who only gave up two sacks while setting up Sanders for success by opening up holes for their best rushing performance to date, 128 yards on 29 attempts and two rushing TD’s to go along with an 80% completion percentage in their passing game for 290 yards and 3 TD’s. Add to that a defensive performance that held the Knights to 198 less yards on the ground than they were averaging as well as five sacks, 13 tackles for loss, multiple pass disruptions, and you’ve got a prescription for success not only in this game but going forward.
But when it started out it looked like it was going to be another roller coaster edge-of-your-seat hang-onto-your-hats kinda of game. UCF won the toss and deferred. The Buffaloes first two plays of the game lost 10 yards and on 3rd and 20 at their own 15 yard line Shedeur’s pass was intercepted by Deshawn Pace at the 29. Coming in as an almost 14 point underdog you thought to yourself here we go—it’s going to be ugly. But four minutes later sitting 3rd and goal at the Colorado 5 yard line UCF Senior QB KJ Jefferson would be intercepted himself by Buffalo Senior Cornerback Preston Hodge. Eleven plays later Sanders would connect with Colorado’s leading receiver, Travis Hunter, to go ahead 7-0 with less than four minutes left in the 1st Qtr. You’re thinking, whew, we really dodged one there. But then on their very first play after Colorado’s kick-off UCF’s Jefferson would connect with RJ Harvey for a 75 yard TD to tie it up—unbelievable! Why is every Colorado game like this!?
But after that things changed. It was kind of like watching Katie Ledecky swim the 800m freestyle. There’s always someone trying to catch her, but every lap she gets further and further ahead until it becomes clear that she’s going to win and nobody in the world can stop her. Both teams would continue to put points up on the board but by the half Colorado was up 27-14 and after UCF missed their field goal to start the 3rd Qtr the Buffaloes would go up 34-14, then 41-21, and then 48-21 on a back-breaking fumble returned for TD by Senior Safety Cam’Ron Salmon-Craig. So, five games into the season Colorado, now 4-1, has already matched their winning total from last year with seven games left, three against Top-25 ranked opponents, to win at least two more to become bowl eligible—the next logical goal for this program to achieve. After watching this game I have to believe it will happen. Up next, No. 23 Kansas State back home to a sold out stadium in Boulder. Hang onto your hats!