Earlier in the week, Minnesota opened as a 27.5-point favorite against Colorado, an uncommonly large spread for a Power Five program not among college football’s elite facing another major-conference opponent.

For the Buffs, the reality turned out to be even worse than the gloomy expectations.

Colorado was routed by the Gophers, 49-7, Saturday at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. With the most recent (and lopsided) setback, the Buffs head into Pac-12 play with an 0-3 record, a stretch of three games in which they were outscored by a combined 128-30 margin.

With the most recent setback, Colorado has lost its first three games of a season by at least 25 points for the first time in program history. Additionally, it was the Buffs' largest margin of defeat in a game under third-year head coach Karl Dorrell.

Unlike previous losses to TCU and Air Force, Colorado fell behind big early, trailing 35-0 at halftime and giving up the game’s first 49 points before finally scoring itself.

The Buffs were dominated in virtually every aspect of the game.

They were outgained, 500-227, including by a 349-39 margin in the decisive first half. As a team, Minnesota rushed for 334 yards at 6.4 yards per carry, highlighted by 202 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries from standout running back Mohamed Ibrahim. The Gophers scored touchdowns on seven of their first nine drives.

Dorrell shuffled between J.T. Shrout and Brendon Lewis at quarterback, neither of whom was able to generate much traction for a flailing unit. Shrout went 4 for 11 for 24 yards and a touchdown while Lewis went 2 for 6 for 14 yards.

Colorado offensive player of the game

For the second-consecutive game, Deion Smith provided some glimmer of hope for the Buffs’ offense. With fellow tailback Alex Fontenot sidelined with an injury, the junior running back had 70 yards on 10 carries one week after going for 59 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries against Air Force.

Running back Charlie Offerdahl also looked good, rushing eight times for 55 yards.

Colorado defensive player of the game

On a day in which the Buffs surrendered 49 points, and even when he had his own noticeable miscues, Isaiah Lewis at least made some positive contributions, with a team-high eight tackles. A second-quarter interception ended what was shaping up to be another Minnesota scoring drive.

Though its offense didn’t make the most of the opportunity, it momentarily stopped the bleeding for Colorado and gave them some hope, momentary as it ultimately was, for a turnaround.

Scoring summary

1st Q, 9:32: Mohamed Ibrahim 5-yard rush (Matthew Trickett PAT)

1st Q, 8:44: Ibrahim 2-yard rush (Trickett PAT)

Second quarter

2nd Q, 9:08: Ibrahim 18-yard rush (Trickett PAT)

2nd Q, 1:37: Tanner Morgan 39-yard pass to Chris Autman-Bell (Trickett PAT)

2nd Q, 0:08: Morgan 16-yard pass to Dylan Wright (Trickett PAT)

Third quarter

3rd Q, 3:46: Morgan 8-yard pass to Clay Geary (Trickett PAT)

Fourth quarter

4th Q, 14:14: Bryce Williams 22-yard rush (Trickett PAT)

4th Q, 8:55: J.T. Shrout 4-yard pass to Austin Smith (Cole Becker PAT)

Turning point of the game

On Colorado’s first offensive play of the game, right after it gave up a touchdown to Minnesota on the opening possession of the afternoon, Shrout was sacked for a loss of 14 yards and lost the ball in the process, with the Gophers pouncing on it to give them possession at the Colorado 11.

They capitalized two plays later, with Ibrahim plunging in from two yards out to give his team its second touchdown in a stretch of just 48 seconds. Not even seven minutes into the game, a Buffs squad that averaged just 11.5 points per game in its first two contests was already down 14-0. It wouldn’t get any better from there.

Buffs’ play of the game

Colorado’s lone scoring play of the game was at least a memorable one. After Minnesota’s Lucas Finnessy chased Shrout out of the pocket, the Buffs’ quarterback side-armed a pass to avoid Finnessy’s reach to tight end Austin Smith. The pass was thrown behind Smith, who reached his right arm out to haul in an impressive one-handed catch before extending the ball out to the pylon through contact for a four-yard touchdown to avoid the shutout.

Why Colorado lost….

It’s a question that’s akin to asking why the sky is blue or why water is wet. This is a Colorado program in a truly unenviable position that’s almost certainly going to be at a disadvantage for every remaining game on its schedule. Against a bigger, more experienced Minnesota team that’s perhaps the favorite in the Big Ten’s western division, that disparity was that much more obvious.