Even in defeat, Deion Sanders is unbeaten. Following Colorado’s epic 29-0 collapse towards a Stanford group that had one win coming into Friday, the Buffs coach questioned whether or not his group was “in love” with soccer or simply “in like” with it. Following the 46-43 double OT loss, Sanders made an impassioned plea for his group to match his devotion to the sport, but what was his focus Thursday?
I’ll inform you what it wasn’t, it wasn’t soccer. The day earlier than internet hosting one of many Pac-12’s cellar dwellers — and every week after virtually dropping to the opposite squad on the backside of the standings — Coach Prime was complaining in regards to the late begin time.
“Who makes these 8 o’clock video games? Dumbest factor ever. Stupidest factor ever invented in life. Who desires to remain up till 8 o’clock for a darn sport?” Sanders mentioned. “What in regards to the East Coast — do they even care about scores? Is anybody watching it? What are we speculated to do with the children all day till 8 o’clock? What are we speculated to do within the lodge?”
Whereas I’m properly conscious that complaining a couple of man nicknamed Prime Time lamenting about not having a first-rate time slot is like complaining in regards to the Cookie Monster getting pissed that there aren’t any cookies, it nonetheless doesn’t negate the truth that Sanders was extra preoccupied with the unconventional begin time than getting ready the Buffs. Additionally, how dare he besmirch Pac-12 After Darkish in possibly its final 12 months.
“Thank god we’re not going to be on this convention,” Sanders mentioned on his radio present, referring to CU’s upcoming return to the Large 12.
Actual stylish, coach. Colorado’s resolution may’ve prompted the dissolution of a 108-year-old convention, however certain, take an inexpensive shot.
Talking of dissolving (and low cost photographs), how about that 29-0 halftime lead?
Scenes from a meltdown
Credit score to the Cardinal for not packing it in and never accepting a 1-5 begin. Stanford QB-wide receiver combo of Ashton Daniels and Elik Ayomanor went on an absolute heater within the second half and first additional time.
The receiver tallied 13 grabs for 294 yards and three touchdowns — all after the break. He torched Travis Hunter on a lot of these routes, with scores from 97, 60, and 30 yards out. It culminated within the first additional time when he trapped the ball behind Hunter’s head, and dragged the CU nook into the endzone by his helmet.
After lacking the previous few video games with a lacerated inner organ, Hunter returned to the sphere, and had himself an evening on offense. He additionally had 13 catches, ending with 140 yards, and two scores, however was completely gassed late within the sport. Each Sanders — Shedeur and Deion — had been very depending on the two-way star’s expertise Friday, and it’s truthful to say possibly slightly too dependent.
Colorado’s second-half drive chart was a picture-perfect technique to blow a lead. Two of the primary 4 possessions of the second half ended on downs in CU territory regardless of the fourth down beginning on the Cardinal’s facet of the sphere. (The opposite two had been punts.)
Sanders was sacked for 12 yards on the primary fourth-down strive, giving Daniels a brief discipline for the group’s opening rating, and the subsequent fourth-down strive was an entire debacle. With 2:06 left within the third, and Stanford trailing 29-19, the CU QB was known as for intentional grounding 21 yards behind the road of scrimmage, ceding the ball to Stanford on the CU 33. (They scored eight performs later.)
That grounding name was one of many 17 penalties CU racked up for 127 yards, and miscues, as a lot as an overreliance on the passing sport, stored Stanford alive. Colorado’s working backs solely had 21 carries mixed on an evening when the Buffs ought to’ve leaned on them to salt away a straightforward W. As a substitute, Shedeur — who had 37 yards on 13 runs, with a protracted of 38 yards — threw the ball 47 occasions. His final try, on third and objective from the 2, resulted in Cardinal fingers.
I hope for Coach Prime’s sake that as few individuals watched his group’s unattainable choke job as he thought.
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