Colorado’s historic defeat. Ven Deion Coach Prime Sanders’ biggest critics probably never imagined the Colorado Buffaloes’ predicament. A humiliating 53-7 loss to Utah not only sent the team to the bottom of the Big 12 conference but also raised serious questions about coach Sanders’ strategy
Why such a sudden decline after defeating Louisiana State
The hopes that Colorado had built after defeating No. 22-ranked Iowa State just two weeks ago were completely shattered against Utah after a week’s rest. The team traveled to Utah on Saturday and performed completely statistically. The final score was 53-7, and to be honest, the game was even more lopsided than that score suggests
Team statistics tell the whole story
- Colorado’s overall record is 3-5
- The team’s record in the Big 12 conference is 1-4
- Utah outgained Colorado 587-140 yards
- Utah’s 422 offensive yards came on the ground
- Utah quarterback Bird Ficklin alone had 151 rushing yards
The first half proved to be a complete massacre for Colorado. Utah had a massive 40-0 lead at halftime, which is being considered one of the most impressive halves in college football this season. Such a one-sided half is rare even in recent history
The situation worsened when a Colorado punt was blocked, allowing Utah to score another field goal, making the score 43-0
Structural Problems Now Emerging
Colorado has been facing deep problems since the departures of Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. The Initial influx of talent that arrived in Boulder upon Coach Prim’s arrival masked fundamental roster problems, particularly at the line of scrimmage. Now, these problems are surfacing and defining the program
Colorado’s situation in the Big 12 conference is worrisome
The offense ranks fifth-worst in yards per game
The defense ranks second-worst in yards allowed per game
Future Challenges and Solutions
Sanders’ system seems to work only when the team has a Heisman Trophy winner or an all-conference quarterback. The question now is whether Sanders will be able to make the necessary adjustments this season or next
The team will have a chance to return to the game at home against Arizona next week, but this season has proven that Colorado still has a long way to go. It’s time for Coach Prime to introspect and change, or the team will continue to struggle
This defeat has not only shattered Colorado’s playoff dreams but also raised questions about whether Deion Sanders can truly run a powerhouse program successfully It remains to be seen how he overcomes this crisis and leads the team back to success
