Football: CU Buffs playing well, but not satisfied
By Brian Howell,
7 hours ago
TUCSON, Ariz. – For months, Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders has made it clear that his goal for the Buffaloes in 2024 is to get to a bowl game for super fan Peggy Coppom, who is a month away from her 100th birthday.
With five games to play, the Buffs are one win away and Coach Prime altered that goal just a bit on Saturday following a 34-7 beat down of Arizona.
“We still ain’t got Peggy straight yet,” Coach Prime said after his Buffs (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) secured a better record than last year’s 4-8. “Yeah, we gotta get Peggy straight. Now, we don’t just wanna get Peggy to a bowl. Peggy’s got great taste. Peggy’s sophisticated. She’s a lady, so we want to make sure we get her to a nice bowl; not just any bowl.”
The way the Buffs are playing lately, they’re on track for a nice bowl game.
In the last five games, the Buffs are 4-1, coming up just a play or two short against then-No. 18 Kansas State in a 31-28 loss at home on Oct. 12. (The Wildcats moved up to No. 16 in Sunday’s Associated Press poll.)
This is arguably the best CU team since 2016, when the Mike MacIntyre-coached Buffs went 10-2 in the regular season and won the Pac-12 South division. There are a lot of differences in how the 2016 and 2024 Buffs play, but one similarity in the two teams is that there was belief from the start, yet a tangible growth in confidence with each result.
“I think everybody’s been bought in since I got here in the summer,” said senior receiver Will Sheppard, a transfer from Vanderbilt. “There’s never really been any doubt in what we have. We know what we have as a team. We know where we can go and where we’re trying to go. I think it’s just these wins are just instilling more confidence every week.”
CU will aim to keep the momentum going when it hosts Cincinnati (5-2, 3-1) at Folsom Field on Saturday (8:15 p.m., ESPN). The Buffs and Bearcats are in a four-way tie for third place in the Big 12 and the winner will achieve bowl eligibility.
“As a team, I feel like we just need to keep going, keep the momentum rolling,” said defensive end Keaten Wade, who had two sacks at Arizona. “Head into practice like we did our winning weeks and just practice good, practice like it’s a game and we’ll be fine.”
Offensively, the Buffs were clicking early against Arizona. They fell off the pace in the second half with the game in hand, but in the early going, it was an offense that showed some rhythm, scoring on its first three possessions and taking a 28-7 lead into halftime.
“I would say each task is different,” said quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns. “You go through different things with just the same group of guys. So it’s more work, more like task on hand. You know, more chemistry with everybody in real life situations, so I feel like that’s all it is.”
Shedeur’s two most familiar targets – Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn – were banged up and combined for just four catches for 26 yards. But, first-year Buffs such as Sheppard, LaJohntay Wester and Drelon Miller all had big games. That trio combined for 15 catches for 199 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think we’re really getting that chemistry,” Sheppard said. “You know, we brought a bunch of new guys in, so there’s going to be growing pains early. And I think we’re really starting to get a flow and I think you can see that, especially in that first half.”
Defensively, the Buffs continue to look locked in.
After a tough game against Kansas State, the Buffs held Arizona to just one early touchdown and 245 yards in total offense. That’s the lowest yardage total for a CU opponent since San Diego State had 155 on Nov. 28, 2020, and the lowest allowed by the Buffs in a road game since California had 211 on Nov. 24, 2018, in Berkeley, Calif.
“It just shows y’all, we could go out and accomplish anything,” safety Shilo Sanders said. “It’s not just on one guy, it’s the whole team. When we do our thing, we can whoop anybody.”
That’s the goal every week, and if the Buffs keep doing it, they’ll get Ms. Peggy to a nice bowl game.
“We want to win. We want to win at all costs, but I value winning differently,” Coach Prime said. “I don’t want to just win on the field. I want to win off the field. I want to win in the classroom. I want to win in the communities.
“I want to win in all facets of life with these young men, and that’s something I think we’re on our way to do.”
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