michael coen
College football and college basketball writer
It was still relatively early in Saturday’s game when Colorado head coach Deion Sanders ran onto the field to celebrate with his offensive line. Sanders bounced off the rain-soaked turf at FBC Mortgage Stadium and into the chest of left tackle Jordan Seaton, a five-star freshman and the jewel of the Buffaloes’ recent recruiting class. They celebrated together as the shoddy offensive line that was the main culprit in Colorado’s debacle the past two seasons finally hurt them in the trenches. And because of that, the Buffaloes were finally able to run the football.
A combination of run-pass balance and toughness in the trenches that Colorado has rarely had since Sanders took over two years ago led the Buffaloes to a 48-1 win over previously undefeated UCF on a weather-delayed afternoon. They have 21 impressive wins and will shake up the Big 12 hierarchy. . With four wins through the end of September, Colorado has already matched last season’s win total and is within striking distance of reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2020, second time since 2016 and third time since 2007. .
Deion Sanders talks about Shedur Sanders of Colorado’s Travis Hunter – ‘I’m very proud’ after win over UCF
Quarterback Shedur Sanders overcame an early interception and completed 28 of 35 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns. Cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter led the Buffaloes in receptions with nine catches for 89 yards and a score. He also recorded his second interception of the season as the Buffaloes improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12.
Here are some quick takeaways from the game:
early differences
One of the reasons UCF enters this weekend as a multi-score favorite to win over Colorado is that it averaged 375.7 yards per game, best in the nation, and has more than 85 yards per game for the next Power 4 program. It was an elite rush attack. Tailback RJ Harvey, a passionate Heisman Trophy candidate among UCF fans, ranked 11th nationally in rushing with 448 yards and eight touchdowns. Three other Knights had more yards this season than running back Penny Boone (159 yards, 2 TDs). Running back Myles Montgomery (141 yards, 2 TDs) and quarterback KJ Jefferson (135 yards, 1 TD) are high-profile transfers from the University of Arkansas and add more firepower to head coach Gus Malzahn’s offense. .
But by midway through Saturday’s game, the run was over with UCF’s best rushing offense in the nation competing against Colorado’s fifth-worst rushing offense, which averaged just 68.8 yards per game through the season’s opening month. . -Deprived of the Buffaloes, who had more success on the ground. Behind a maligned and often criticized offensive line, Colorado gained 70 rushing yards on 15 attempts (4.7 yards per carry), while the Knights gained just 43 yards on 18 attempts (2.4 yards per carry). ) could only be obtained. The one-two punch of tailbacks Micah Welch and Darran Hayden, who both ended up in the end zone before the end of the game, was more than enough ammunition for an already exquisite passing attack centered around Sanders. Ta.
That means Colorado converted more third-down conversions than the Knights through the first two quarters. Colorado held an advantage in time of possession of more than five minutes. Colorado then scored on five of the final six possessions of the first half to take a 27-14 lead.
game play
Already leading by 13 points at halftime, after UCF missed a field goal on the first drive of the third quarter, Colorado closed the gap with a short plunge and a four-play, 63-yard touchdown march. I wasted little time spreading it out. From Welch. A 32-yard completion from Sanders to wideout Will Shepard slipped between two defenders along the left sideline, facilitating a score that gave the Buffaloes a 34-14 lead.
And that’s when Hunter, who continued to log snaps at both cornerback and wide receiver despite extreme humidity in Orlando on Saturday, made a play that we might see again in New York in December. Hunter was in zone coverage on the right side of Colorado’s defense when he dipped far beyond the line of scrimmage and lured Jefferson into the flat for a short throw. As Jefferson entered his pitching motion, Hunter exploded forward, closing the distance between him and tight end Evan Morris, who appeared unaware of the defender’s presence. He knifed right in front of Morris and made a diving interception, giving Colorado the ball at the UCF 38-yard line.
Rising to celebrate, Hunter sprinted toward the end zone, then stopped on a dime to pose for the Heisman Trophy. And after directly impacting the outcome of Saturday’s game on both sides of the ball (the only American player who can make such a case every week this season), Hunter is at the forefront of the Heisman discussion. It is no exaggeration to say that I am qualified.
Main status
Six minutes into the fourth quarter, Colorado had already outscored the Knights by 41 points and built a 20-point lead that would never be surpassed, but the rushing statistics from Saturday’s game showed that both offenses went all the way. When you think about it, it was an incredible limit. the first few weeks of the season.
The Buffaloes finished with the nation’s worst rushing offense in 2023, averaging 4.5 yards per carry on 26 attempts. Hayden (31 yards on 11 carries), Welch (26 yards on 5 carries), and fellow tailback Isaiah Augustave (39 yards on 4 carries) all contributed runs of 14 yards or more, and Colorado’s offensive line He made a steady push on the final line. scrimmage. Even Sanders, who was only sacked twice, chipped in 15 yards with his legs.
That Colorado outperformed UCF’s onslaught, which featured one of the most dominant ground attacks in the country, was a real mystery in a game that was largely expected to pit the Buffaloes’ passing offense against the Knights’ solid runners. It was. In the end, UCF outscored them 177-128 overall, but by the time the result was decided, Malzahn’s team averaged only four yards per carry. Harvey was held to 77 yards on 16 attempts. Jefferson was held to 76 yards on 20 grueling carries. And no player on the Knights’ roster had more than 11 rushing yards.
What’s next for Colorado?
After opening the season with five consecutive games, Colorado State will play its first opener next weekend, taking on No. 23 Kansas State on Oct. 12. The next matchup against the Wildcats begins a four-game series in the Big 12. The most winnable game on the Buffaloes’ schedule, Kansas State at Arizona vs. Cincinnati at Arizona vs. Cincinnati at Texas Tech, comes before a game that looks like a very difficult finish. Colorado closes out the regular season with games against Utah (home), Kansas State (away) and Oklahoma State (home), with games against the Utes and Cowboys, respectively, one of the more physically imposing outfits the league has to offer. are likely to appear, with the latter likely coming against the Cowboys. They lost two games in a row against ranked opponents. With two open dates mixed in over the next six weeks, Deion Sanders and his team will have enough to advance toward a bowl berth on a relatively soft date in the Big 12 schedule. You need to find time to rest and practice. By the time Colorado finishes its game against Texas Tech on Nov. 9, the trajectory of the season and the program should be clear.
What’s next for UCF?
After back-to-back conference games against TCU and Colorado, the Knights will receive a short reprieve from Big 12 play in preparation for next weekend’s non-conference showdown with Florida. While it may have initially been seen as a measuring stick moment for UCF, a program desperately trying to earn the respect of historic powerhouses Florida State, Miami and Florida, Billy Napier… Now it’s in a different light considering the Gators’ immense struggles under their head coach. He is right in the spotlight after losing five straight games to end the 2023 season and dropping two of his first four games so far this season. The Knights are in the middle of a seven-game series until their next opener on Nov. 16, by which point they will have faced tough Big 12 foes in No. 18 Iowa State (road) and No. 22 BYU (home). The final regular season game against No. 10 Utah could have a big impact on the postseason.
Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball with an emphasis on the Big Ten for FOX Sports. please follow him @Michael_Cohen13.
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