The Colorado football team pulled up to Arizona State half asleep.
Deion Sanders was coaching for his job on Saturday night but his Buffs didn’t get the memo, losing to a true freshman QB (Jake Fette) making just his second career start. There were already buyout rumors circulating around Coach Prime and another embarrassing loss doesn’t help his case.
The Buffs (3-6) are now 3-16 in their last 19 games against Power 4 teams under Deion Sanders. Saturday night was the 17th loss by two scores or more during the Coach Prime era (five this year).
Here are three takeaways from the Colorado football team’s 20-10 loss to Arizona State (5-4).
Colorado’s offense abysmal
The Buffs needed a fast start on the road and they got the exact opposite of that.
Each of the Colorado football team’s first four offensive drives on Saturday night ended with three-and-outs. The next two drives ended in turnover on downs, including a 24-yard sack taken by QB Isaac Wilson and a failed 4th and 1 attempt that left Coach Prime incensed.
Colorado went into halftime with just 102 total yards of offense, going 0-for-8 on third and fourth down. A long TD pass from Wilson to Ernest Campbell in the first quarter was negated by an ineligible man downfield penalty. It was the perfect encapsulation of a nightmare season.
After running for a season-high 222 yards (most since 2021) last week vs. Kansas State, Colorado’s running game disappeared again. The Buffs rushed for just 64 yards and Isaac Wilson threw his sixth INT in the last three games. No Big 12 QB has more INTs than Wilson’s eight this season.
The worst part of it all is that the Colorado football team came out flat in a must-win game. There was a noticeable lack of energy from the opening kickoff that shouldn’t be present with bowl eligibility still in reach and your coach fighting for his job.
It will be difficult for Deion Sanders to survive this.
Buffs make true freshman QB look like veteran
Arizona State QB Jake Fette made his second career start look easy on Saturday night.
The true freshman caught a TD on a trick play and then threw a beautiful, 34-yard TD to Reed Harris in the second quarter. The latter was another example of a head-scratching coaching decision as Colorado cornerback Jason Stokes Jr. was left in 1-on-1 coverage with the Big 12’s leading receiver on 3rd and 14.
Fette struggled under pressure last week vs. BYU but the Colorado football team was unable to make him uncomfortable. He completed 68% of his passes for 187 yards.
Former Buff Omarion Miller caught a 33-yard pass to set up Arizona State’s first TD of the night. He finished the game with 56 yards on four catches while Reed Harris caught all four of his targets for 103 yards.
The Colorado football team has allowed at least 20 points in every Big 12 game this season.
Gideon ESPN Lampron continues strong season
Colorado LB Gideon ESPN Lampron is playing at an all-conference level.
He entered Week 10 as the Big 12’s leading tackler and only widened the gap between him and his competition on Saturday night. Lampron racked up 18 total tackles (10 solo), 3.5 TFLs and two sacks vs. Arizona State.
It was his fifth game in a row with at least 11 tackles and he has 5.5 sacks in his last four games. Lampron has arguably been the Colorado football team’s most consistent player this season and he could very well be the Buffs’ next NFL draftee.
Colorado is back in action next week at home vs. top-25 Houston (Friday night). The Buffs lost to the Cougars last season, 36-20.
Follow Colorado Buffaloes beat reporter Scott Procter on X.
