Sometimes, it’s best to let the result of a game marinate, allowing a proper amount of time to pass to gain whatever degree of perspective and insight may come from it.

In the case of Colorado’s 41-10 loss to Air Force Saturday in Colorado Springs, time only heals so many wounds. Under any interpretation, it was a rough afternoon for the Buffs.

Here are some of the big takeaways from Saturday’s blowout.

1. Symbolically, that was disheartening

Among other things, Saturday’s result provided confirmation of a widely-held belief: Air Force has a better team than Colorado. The Falcons entered the matchup as a 17.5-point favorite, about as large of a spread as you’ll see for a Group of Five program facing a Power Five opponent.

The reality was even more lopsided than the expectation. Air Force beat the Buffs by 31, the same margin by which it defeated Northern Iowa, a Football Championship Subdivision program (albeit a good one), the previous week. Comparing scores can be a dangerous exercise, but it at least provides a glimpse at how programs stack up against one another.

It was understood heading into the season that Air Force is currently the top college football program in the state, but Saturday showed just how wide that gap is. The Falcons dominated on the scoreboard and the box score, nearly tripling Colorado in total yardage. They asserted their will and controlled the game, even when they weren’t at their best.

Until 2019, the two schools separated by just 85 miles hadn’t played since 1974. When the two-game series between them was announced in July 2015, Colorado athletic director Rick George said that he had “often heard from fans that they’d like to see them back on our schedule.” It makes sense to play Air Force in an era when regional rivalries are disappearing in college football, but after what unfolded Saturday – and with no future meetings set – it might be a while before the Buffs want to play their neighbors to the south again.

2. There’s not an easy fix for the offense

One of the few silver linings to emerge from Colorado’s 38-13 season-opening loss to TCU were the flashes of promise shown by backup quarterback J.T. Shrout. As dreadful as the Buffs’ offense was against the Horned Frogs, what could it be if Shrout played most of a game – and, if you want to get wild, the whole game – instead of a couple of isolated possessions?

This week, the move many hoped for was made, with Shrout stepping in as the starter, but the desired result didn’t follow. Shrout took every offensive snap and yet Colorado was even more impotent than it was the previous week. The Tennessee transfer completed just 5 of his 21 pass attempts for 51 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. With Shrout under center, the Buffs racked up just 162 total yards and averaged 3.1 yards per play. Two games into the season, there’s still not a solidified starter at the position.