US LBM Coaches Poll: Georgia Remains Firm Leader in Nation
Paul Myerberg discusses the latest LBM USA Coaches Poll and how Georgia continues to be the best in college football.
BOULDER, Colo. – Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has never seen anything like this.
His Buffaloes lost 46-43 to Stanford in double overtime on Friday night. But the manner of their defeat shocked him far more than the end result. After building a 29-0 halftime lead, they collapsed, allowing Stanford to score on every single possession they had after halftime in front of a sellout crowd at Folsom Field (53,154).
That’s eight Stanford scores in eight Stanford possessions, starting with five consecutive touchdown drives to open the second half and then a 31-yard field goal to win the game in the second overtime.
“This is a little difficult for me and I’m doing my best and thank you all for your patience,” he said afterwards. “And thank you all for your hearts because this is really hard for me.”
What else did Deion Sanders say?
He said he was “really upset” and “really disturbed” by what he saw, but also saw it coming. After scoring touchdowns on each of his first four possessions to start the game, he sensed his team had become complacent. He was right.
And now the Buffaloes (4-3) begin a bye week with five games remaining in the regular season. They need two more wins to qualify for a postseason bowl game, and getting there could be difficult after starting the season at 3-0 with much national fanfare.
“I’m going to do my best to stay composed and do my best to get through this press conference because you deserve my best,” Sanders told reporters. “And I’ll do my best to give it to you. We started the game wonderfully and finally got it done the way I wanted in the first half.”
Sanders then asked a question:
“Twenty-nine (to) nothing, I think that was the result,” he said. “Am I right?”
Deion Sanders questions players’ commitment
That first-half result seemed like ancient history after what came next. It’s also part of a new trivia question: What is the greatest comeback win in Stanford history and the largest blown lead in Colorado history?
The answer was what happened Friday on a cool fall night in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Stanford (2-5) continued to fight and Colorado kept blowing mistakes. The Buffs finished the game with 17 penalties for 127 yards, including recurring substitution issues on defense.
Even Sanders’ quarterback son Shedeur ended up making a mistake when he threw an interception to end Colorado’s second overtime drive on third-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Stanford then ran three plays before kicker Joshua Karty kicked the game-winner.
“It was just a stupid game,” Shedeur Sanders said. “I just threw it up.”
“From my youth, I can’t remember being 29 years old and having a clean sheet and losing a football game. I really don’t. That’s a little hard for me.”
Deion Sanders speaks out after Colorado’s double OT loss to Stanford ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/d0bww87jNP
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 14, 2023
Deion Sanders agreed to a point. He said “something else happened on this play,” but didn’t elaborate. Without that interception, Colorado could have at least kicked a field goal. Instead, they got nothing, which made it much easier for Stanford to win straight after.
“He never should have thrown the ball,” Deion Sanders said.
Regarding the mistakes, Deion Sanders said: “If you want to point the finger, point it at me.” But he also sees a bigger problem and shared it with his team in the locker room after the game – a lack of commitment and passion.
“You have to think: Are they in love with this game or do they like it,” Deion Sanders said. “Because when you love something, you give it unconditionally. You do everything you can, but if you like it, that’s just the button you press. You like something…that’s what they do on social media. So we have to figure out: Do they love it? Or do they like it? And it’s hard for me because I love this. I love it. Without a shadow of a doubt, I’m truly 100% in love with this thing and just want people to match me. Just fits my passion, just fits my heart, just fits my love, just fits my consistency, just fits my ways, just fits everything I bring to this game.”
Why did his team fail so miserably?
The Buffs’ 29-0 lead apparently made them believe the game was over. That was the score with 2:57 left in the second quarter after receiver Xavier Weaver scored the last of his three first-half touchdowns. Colorado’s star receiver-cornerback Travis Hunter scored the Buffs’ second touchdown before halftime and even looked like he was on the verge of a breakout game after missing the last three games with a liver injury.
But Hunter had his own problems in the second half. His name was Elic Ayomanor, a sophomore receiver for Stanford who had 13 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns after halftime.
“There were some plays he made, some plays he didn’t make,” Deion Sanders said of Hunter. “It just so happens that the plays he didn’t make at the end are magnified. But the plays he made kept us in the game.”
The big catch and the big comeback
The biggest play he didn’t make was a fantastic catch by Ayomanor in the first overtime. Colorado scored first in overtime – a 4-yard touchdown pass from Shedeur Sanders to receiver Javon Antonio took the lead 43:36.
Stanford then took over at the 25-yard line with the game on the line. Anything less than a touchdown would mean a loss.
On the Cardinal’s first snap, Stanford was penalized for a false start and pushed the ball back to the 30.
In her next snap, more magic came from Ayomanor, at the expense of Hunter. Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels took the shotgun snap and threw it to the left side of the field to Ayomanor, who appeared to grab the ball off the back of Hunter’s helmet as he drifted back into the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown the ball tied the score 43-43 after the extra point.
“We didn’t play well, not just Travis,” Sanders said. “I think it all started when we gave up the 97-yard touchdown, which was completely ridiculous. That’s where it all started. That’s where all the stupidity, all the complacency, all the chaos began.”
This play also went from Daniels to Ayomanor. It was Stanford’s second touchdown of the third quarter and helped cut Colorado’s lead to 29-12.
“He had a truly epic performance,” Stanford coach Troy Taylor said of Ayomanor.
Daniels also had quite a night, completing 27 of 45 passes for 396 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
“Not built at the moment”
Shedeur Sanders didn’t want to talk about what his father said about certain players not loving the game.
“I’m not going to point fingers,” he said.
With that one interception, he completed 33 of 48 yards for 400 yards and five touchdowns for Colorado. Hunter had 13 catches for 140 yards and two touchdowns. Despite their own mistakes, both were once again bright spots for the Buffs.
The Buffs’ defense was another matter.
“Some of our players are not built for that moment when they have to make a play, or they have to hold back, or they have to make a block, or they have to get another yard,” Deion Sanders said. “We’re not prepared for the moment right now.”
Stanford, on the other hand, was made for it, at least on Friday. The Cardinal outgained the Buffs 408-208 yards in the second half after being outrebounded 324-115 yards in the first half. Stanford also outscored the Buffs 36-7 in the second half and forced overtime with a 46-yard field goal from Karty at the end of regulation.
“We’re going to make light of this because we deserve it,” Deion Sanders said. “Twenty-nine (points). I’ve never been to one of these…I don’t remember. From when I was young, I can’t remember being up 29-0 and losing a football game.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: [email protected]