No. 16 Buffs Fall To Kansas As Title Game March Takes Detour

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Colorado's march to the Big 12 championship game took a big detour Saturday as the No. 16 Buffaloes dropped a 37-21 decision to Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium.

Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders' Buffs saw their four-game win streak come to an end as Colorado dropped to 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the Big 12. Now, instead of being able to definitely clinch a title game berth with a win over Oklahoma State next week, the Buffs will have to see how the tiebreakers shake out before they know whether they can still earn a berth by beating OSU while also needing help from other teams.

Kansas won its third straight game over a ranked team to improve to 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the Big 12.

Colorado's defense had no answer for the KU rushing attack, which finished with 331 yards on the ground, led by a 207-yard, three touchdown effort from Devin Neal.

Overall, the Jayhawks outgained the Buffs 520-308 as KU ran 78 offensive plays to CU's 42, with the Buffs uncharacteristically missing tackles on seemingly every Kansas possession. It was the most points and most total yards given up by Colorado this season as KU did not punt once in the game.

Kansas held the ball for 40 minutes compared to just 20 for CU, which resulted in the Buffs having just eight offensive possessions, their fewest in any game this season.

The Buffs fell behind early 17-0 but closed the gap to 23-14 at halftime, then pulled to within 23-21 on their first possession of the second half.

But the Jayhawks put the clamps on CU's offense after that while their run game hammered out two more touchdowns to collect the win.

CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders was 23-for-29 for 266 yards and three touchdowns, with Travis Hunter catching eight passes for 125 yards and two scores.

But the Buffs finished with just 42 yards on the ground and CU was also flagged for eight penalties for 65 yards.

"You can't win when a team rushes for 331 yards on you," Coach Prime said. "That's not indicative of who we've been and who we are. That is certainly not who we are and we could not stop the bleeding. Hats off to them. They were physical. They out-physicalled us, they outplayed us. They wanted it a lot more than we did."

CU's head coach also hinted that despite the best efforts of the coaching staff, some Buffs might have gotten caught up in all the positive publicity and attention in recent weeks.

"Some folks, you can't put behind microphones and you can't give them podcasts," he said. "You can't do that because they get intoxicated with the success. And you know who that is. So you try your best to eliminate that, but they can't stop reading the stuff about who we are … So you try to humble everything around you and including yourself. You try your best."

But Sanders also stressed that it will be up to the coaching staff to address the issues in time for next Friday's regular season finale against Oklahoma State. CU is still in the picture for a title game berth but Friday's game becomes a must-win.

"We got to do better," Coach Prime said. "We got to do a better job as coaches. We got to do a better job as players. We just got to do a better job."

HOW IT HAPPENED: For the seventh time this season, the Buffs gave up the first score of the game. KU needed just six plays to go 73 yards on its opening possession with Neal rumbling 51 yards with a screen pass for a touchdown to put Colorado in a 7-0 hole.

"The first screen pass that went for a touchdown, I was like, 'Oh Lord, here we go,'" Coach Prime said. "Here we go with the dumb stuff. That's not who we are when that happens."

Colorado then absorbed a three-and-out and the Jayhawks threatened to take a two-touchdown lead, driving to the CU 10-yard line.

But the Buffs red zone defense stiffened, holding Kansas to a field goal and Colorado trailed 10-0.

CU then drove inside KU territory only to come up short on fourth-and-3. Eight plays later, the Jayhawks took a 17-0 lead on a 9-yard Neal touchdown run. Colorado's missed tackle total at that point had reached 11 on just three KU possessions.

But the Buffs' offense finally found its footing. Shedeur Sanders threw a short pass to Hunter in the flat and CU's two-way star took care of the rest, racing 51 yards for a touchdown to cut Kansas' lead to 17-7.

Colorado's defense then gave up another big play — a 47-yard run — but Shilo Sanders made a touchdown-saving tackle, shoving Neal out of bounds at the CU 8-yard line.

That set the stage for another Buffs red zone stand. Colorado held again and limited the Jayhawks to a field goal and 20-7 lead with 3:47 left in the half.

The Buffs offense then needed just 1:56 to find the end zone again. After Sanders took a vicious hit, he stayed in the game and completed three passes for 60 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown pass to Drelon Miller to pull CU to within 20-14.

But Kansas once again quickly drove deep into Colorado territory — and the Buffs' red zone defense answered again. KU managed just 1 yard on a rush, then inexplicably threw two passes from the Colorado 2-yard line. Both fell incomplete and the Jayhawks had to settle for their third field goal of the game to take a 23-14 lead into the break.

Colorado ran just 21 offensive plays in the first half compared to 44 for the Jayhawks, but the Buffs still trailed by just nine at the break.

The Buffs then cut the KU lead to just two on their opening possession of the second half. Colorado marched 51 yards on six plays, getting a 26-yard Sanders pass to Hunter for the score to pull the Buffs to within 23-21.

But the Jayhawks had an answer. KU marched 80 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown, deciding to run in the red zone instead of pass. Neal scored on third down from 1 yard out to take a 30-21 lead midway through the third quarter.

Colorado's next possession ended in a three-and-out when the Buffs gave up their first sack of the game.

Kansas then put together another long drive, using up eight minutes off the clock to drive 70 yards. Neal scored again from 2 yards out on third down and the PAT gave Kansas a 37-21 lead with 11:47 to go in the fourth quarter.

Colorado threatened to close the gap to one score on its next possession, driving to a first-and-10 on the KU 17. But the Buffs then managed just a 3-yard rush before two penalties and three straight incompletions handed the ball back to KU with 6:22 to play.

The Jayhawks then took over and registered four first downs to run out the clock and clinch the win.

TURNING POINT: The Buffs looked ready to turn momentum in their favor when they opened the third quarter with a touchdown drive to pull within 23-21. But the Jayhawks responded with an 80-yard scoring drive, then added an eight-minute touchdown drive on their next possession to put the game away.

KEY STATISTICS: Kansas had 40 minutes of possession time to CU's 20 … The Buffs gave up 331 yards rushing and managed just 42 on the ground … KU ran 78 offensive plays to Colorado's 42.

WHAT IT MEANS: The Buffs are by no means out of the Big 12 championship game hunt, but the picture is not nearly as clear as it was before the game. Depending upon tiebreakers, CU could need some help from other teams next week even if the Buffs do beat Oklahoma State.

NEXT UP: The Buffs wrap up their regular season next Friday with a 10 a.m. home game against Oklahoma State at Folsom Field (ABC).

No. 16 Buffs Fall To Kansas As Title Game March Takes Detour

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Team Stats

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Travis Hunter

Dre'Lon Miller

Shedeur Sanders

Shilo Sanders

Players Mentioned

Travis Hunter

Dre'Lon Miller

Shedeur Sanders

Shilo Sanders

No. 16 Buffs Fall To Kansas As Title Game March Takes Detour

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