Buffs Roll Past Arizona For Big Road Win
October 19, 2024 | Football, Neill Woelk
TUCSON, Ariz. — Colorado delivered a dominant performance on both sides of the ball Saturday as the Buffaloes rolled to a 34-7 win over Arizona at Arizona Stadium.
Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders' Buffs improved to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12 while UA dropped to 3-4, 1-3. The five victories match the most by a CU team since the 2016 Buffaloes finished 10-4.
Colorado scored on its first three possessions of the game and took a 28-7 lead into halftime, then added two field goals in the second half to complete the scoring. Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders was 23-for-33 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while the CU rushing attack put up a season-best 148 yards on the ground, led by 53 yards each from Isaiah Augustave and Charlie Offerdahl. Sanders and Augustave each had rushing touchdowns.
CU's defense, meanwhile, throttled Arizona's offense all day. After giving up one scoring drive in the first half, the Buffs pitched a shutout the rest of the game. Colorado recorded a season-high seven sacks and held Arizona to just 3-for-11 on third-down conversion tries while holding UA to just 245 yards total offense. Samuel Okunlola and Keaten Wade each had two sacks and Colton Hood notched his second interception in as many weeks.
LaJohntay Wester led CU in receiving with eight catches for 127 yards while Drelon Miller and Will Sheppard each had touchdown catches. CU two-way star Travis Hunter had two receptions and a tackle in the first half before sitting out the second half as a precaution to give his ailing shoulder a rest.
The victory keeps the Buffaloes just one game behind the Big 12 leaders and leaves them in good position to vie for a berth in the conference championship game.
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Buffs seized control early and never took their foot off the gas for the rest of the half.
CU recovered an Arizona onsides kick attempt to start the game and immediately drove 46 yards for a touchdown. Sanders connected with Wester for a 46-yard gain on third-and-15 and two plays later, Augustave bulled over from 1 yard out to give Colorado a 7-0 lead.
Colorado's defense then delivered a three-and-out, including a sack from Wade, who made his first appearance on defense this year for the Buffs.
The offense quickly rolled to another score. Sanders completed passes of 12 and 11 yards to Wester, the run game added 10 yards on the ground and Sanders finished a 63-yard scoring drive with a 2-yard shovel pass to Drelon Miller for a touchdown.
Alejandro Mata's PAT gave CU a 14-0 lead with 6:16 still to play in the first quarter.
Arizona did manage to find some offense on its next possession. Noah Fifita completed two passes for 26 yards before running for 24 to put the Wildcats on the CU 13-yard line. Three plays later the 'Cats got a 1-yard scoring run from Chris Hunter to cut CU's lead to 14-7.
But the rest of the half proved to be all Colorado.
The Buffs completed a 75-yard scoring drive on their next possession with a beautiful 16-yard Sanders pass to Will Sheppard for a 21-7 lead. Sanders kept the drive alive by finding Hunter for a 14-yard gain on fourth-and-10.
UA then briefly threatened to put more points on the board on its next possession before CU's defense stiffened. The Wildcats settled for a 52-yard field goal attempt that drifted wide left.
Then came a bizarre series of events that saw CU lose the ball twice on turnovers — a fumble and an interception — sandwiched around an Arizona fumble.
But the defense finally forced a UA punt and Colorado drove for its fourth touchdown of the half. After a Jimmy Horn Jr. 16-yard punt return gave CU the ball in Arizona territory, the Buffs used seven plays to march to the end zone. Sanders completed three passes on the march before finishing the drive with a 6-yard scoring run and Mata's fourth PAT of the half gave CU a 28-7 lead at the break.
Colorado dominated virtually every statistical category in the opening 30 minutes. The Buffs outgained the 'Cats 224-143 while converting eight of 11 third-down attempts. CU's defense recorded three quarterback sacks in the half while holding the Arizona passing game to just 87 yards.
Colorado then added two field goals in the second half while the defense blanked the Wildcats to finish the scoring.
TURNING POINT: This one turned early when Arizona attempted an onsides kick to open the game and the Buffs recovered in UA territory. Colorado went 46 yards for a touchdown in five plays and Colorado held the lead the rest of the game.
KEY STATISTIC: The Buffs recorded seven sacks against a team that had yielded just six in the first six games combined … The Buffs ran for a season-high 148 yards … CU was 9-for-18 on third-down conversion tries while the Wildcats were just 3-for-11 … Colorado outgained UA 398-245 while holding UA to just 3.1 yards per rush.
WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs remain squarely in contention for a Big 12 title game berth. With five games remaining, CU trails conference leaders Iowa State and BYU by just one game.
UP NEXT: The Buffs return home next Saturday for an 8:15 p.m. (MT) game against Cincinnati at Folsom Field (ESPN). The Bearcats beat Arizona State on Saturday, 24-14, and are also 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
