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.
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. It was the most points and most total yards given up by Colorado this season.
CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders was 23-for-29 for 266 yards and three touchdowns, with Travis Huntercatching eight passes for 125 yards and two scores.
But the Buffs finished with just 42 yards on the ground as Kansas had the ball for 40 minutes compared to CU’s 20. CU was also flagged for eight penalties for 65 yards.
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 Devin Neal rumbling 51 yards for a touchdown to put Colorado in a 7-0 hole.
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.
But the Buffs’ offense finally found its footing. Shedeur Sanders threw a short pass to Travis 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 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.
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 four first downs to run out the clock and clinch the win.
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).
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Story by Neill Woelk, Contributing Editor for CUBuffs.com. Content courtesy of the University of Colorado at Boulder.