For the first time since 2016, No. 18 Colorado defeated Utah in a convincing 49-24 win Saturday in Boulder.
Head coach Deion Sanders and his Buffs are emulating that 2016 team because the last time Colorado was 8-2 was that same year. Also, those 2016 Buffs were ranked No. 17 in Week 12 in another parallel to this team.
This year Sanders and his team reached their highest College Football Playoff ranking since CU landed at No. 10 in the final rankings on Dec. 4, 2016. That 2016 team ended its November undefeated, and it’s beginning to look likely that Sanders and his 2024 squad will do the same with the way Colorado has been playing in recent games.
Saturday, Colorado delivered one of now 10 25-plus point losses in head coach Kyle Whittingham’s 20 seasons at Utah through explosive plays and quality adjustments that provided the Buffs’ a significant edge during their matchup against the Utes.
Shedeur Sanders once again had an incredibly productive performance completing 30-of-41 passes for 340 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He surpassed Sefo Liufau’s record (2013-2014) for the most consecutive games with a touchdown pass as Sanders now has 21 in all of his games at Colorado.
Colorado is currently playing its best football in seven years with the Buffs’ efficient offense (57th in FBS in total offense) and disruptive defense (68th in FBS in total defense). It's a sign of exciting times in Boulder when a longtime coach like Kyle Whittingham offers up the kind of praise that he did for the Buffs on Saturday.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that’s the best team we played this year,” Whittingham said after the game.
Here are five takeaways from CU’s eighth win of the season.
CU offense produces plenty of explosive plays
Against the best defense in the Big 12, Colorado recorded its highest point total in the Sanders era with 49. Shedeur Sanders was intercepted in the first play of the game, which was uncharacteristic, as he threw an easy pass for Utah’s defender to pluck out of the air. On the following drive, Sanders quickly snapped back into form with the first of many explosive plays for the Buffs, dropping a perfect 40-yard pass into the hands of Will Sheppard in the end zone.
In the first half, the Buffs’ offense worked through some choppiness as it would collect a handful of short gains then breakout with a 20-yard play. Travis Hunter recorded a 28-yard gain after 12 plays to put the Buffs in scoring position, and Sanders connected with Sheppard again in the end zone on the next play.
