Colorado football manhandles Utah behind stingy defense; 5 takeaways

Deion Sanders and the Colorado football team earned their fourth straight win on Saturday in dominant fashion.

A banged up Utah team was no match for the No. 17-ranked Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 Big 12), who won 49-24 in front of a sold-out Folsom Field crowd (54,646 in attendance).

Here are five takeaways from Colorado’s win in Boulder:

Special teams were special

Special teams have been an issue for the Buffs at times this season. Not on Saturday.

Colton Hood assumed kickoff return duties with Jimmy Horn Jr. sidelined and returned a kick 38 yards to set up Colorado’s first touchdown of the day.

Later in the first quarter, LaJohntay Wester returned a punt 76 yards for a TD to give the Buffs a 14-3 lead. It was the first punt return TD for a Colorado football player since 2022.

Jaylen Wester also partially blocked a punt in the first half that gave the Buffs nice field position.

If Colorado can continue to get contributions from Hood and LaJohntay Wester in the return game, this team becomes even more dangerous.

Colorado’s defense continues to dominate

The Buffs came into Week 12 with the best red-zone defense in the Big 12. They showed why on Saturday.

After Shedeur Sanders threw an interception of the first play from scrimmage, the Colorado defense forced a Utah field goal despite being put in a tough situation. The Buffs did it again later in the first half after Shedeur Sanders fumbled a snap and gave the Utes another short field.

At halftime, Utah had just nine points, 83 total yards of offense and averaged just 2.5 yards per play.

Travis Hunter, Nikhai Hill-Green and D.J. McKinney (first career INT) intercepted Utah QB Isaac Wilson, who struggled for most of the day. The freshman completed just 56% of his passes (21-of-40) for 236 yards and two touchdowns.

Colorado’s defense also continued its second-half dominance. The Buffs entered Saturday’s game allowing just 7.3 points in the second half games (10th in FBS).

Utah mustered just 15 points in the second half on Saturday.

Shedeur Sanders, offense have sloppy day

Utah’s No. 1 scoring defense in the Big 12 entering Week 12 gave the Colorado offense some issues on Saturday.

Shedeur Sanders (340 passing yards, three touchdowns) turned the ball over twice and was sacked three times. The Buffs weren’t efficient on third down (3-for-11) and picked up just 17 first downs all game (22 last week vs. Texas Tech).

Travis Hunter came alive in the second half offensively, finishing with five catches for 83 yards (plus a rushing TD). The Heisman Trophy hopeful also made one of the best leaping catches of the season.

LaJohntay Wester had 77 receiving yards on 10 receptions and has caught 34 of his last 37 targets from Shedeur Sanders.

True freshman Drelon Miller had the best game of his young college football career (108 yards on six receptions), including a 47-yard TD catch.

Isaiah Augustave led Colorado in rushing (59 yards on seven carries) and his 37-yard TD run was the Buffs’ longest rushing TD since 2018.

Will Sheppard makes pair of highlight catches

Colorado football fans weren’t too happy with Will Sheppard early on in the season due to a couple drops.

The Vanderbilt transfer has made up for those, and then some.

On 4th and 5, Shedeur Sanders connected with Sheppard on a 40-yard TD to get the Buffs on the scoreboard.

Sheppard found paydirt again just before halftime, catching a six-yard TD with less than a minute left in the second quarter.

It was Sheppard’s first multiple-touchdown game as a Buff as he finished with 71 yards on five catches. He’s now found the end zone in five of the last six games.

With the emergence of Miller and Sheppard, Colorado has the best WR room in college football.

Colorado football is two wins away from Big 12 title game

The Colorado football team controls its own destiny and is now just two wins away from appearing in the Big 12 championship game.

Next up for the Buffs is Kansas. Kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium is at 1:30 p.m. MT on FOX.

Follow Colorado Buffaloes beat reporter Scott Procter on X.