The Buffs’ bowl dream, as told by a video game
- Shane Holcombe
- 6 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Colorado Buffaloes football has been anything but predictable this season. So, naturally, a sports fanatic turns to a video game for the answers.
The Buffaloes (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) need to win three of their final five games to go bowling in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004-05. Thanks to EA Sports College Football 26, here’s how the computer pixels see the rest of the season playing out.
This Saturday, CU (86 team rating/overall) travels to Salt Lake City to face Utah (84 overall). The first half of the simulated game went as well as Buffs fans could hope.
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Colorado comes out firing in the first half, highlighted by an impressive 220 passing yard performance by quarterback Kaidon Salter and an early touchdown to wide receiver Omarion Miller through the air. Not to mention the Buffaloes had 20 minutes of possession to the Utes’ 10.
The momentum continued after the intermission, as Salter scampered for 56 yards to set up a rushing touchdown for running back Micah Welch. Just like that, it’s 26-7 Buffs after a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Despite struggles to contain Utah quarterback Devon Dampier’s legs (107 rushing yards, one touchdown), Colorado escapes Rice-Eccles Stadium with a statement 29-21 win. Salter had an impressive day on the ground himself, going for 102 yards on 14 attempts. An additional shoutout goes to the Buffs’ defense, holding Utah to just 5-for-18 on third-down conversions.
That victory improved CU to 4-4, 2-3 Big 12. Next up was a home clash with fellow old Pac-12 companion Arizona (4-3, 1-3 Big 12).
The weather on the first day of November in Boulder? A blizzard with a 100% chance of snow, that is. Ralphie still braved the storm to run her infamous pregame stomp.
The fun stopped there for the CU faithful and head coach Deion Sanders, whose likeness isn’t in the game.
The Wildcats put their foot down on homecoming weekend at Folsom Field, taking a 16-3 lead early. Everything that could've gone wrong for Colorado in the first half did go wrong.
The Buffs didn’t even break the 100-yard mark of total offense and gave up a first-quarter 57-yard touchdown jet sweep to Arizona receiver Kris Hutson. An improbable 52-yard field goal by Arizona kicker Michael Salgado-Medina put more salt in the Buffaloes’ wound.
Colorado showed some fight early in the third quarter, though. Salter found wide receiver Dre’lon Miller for a 45-yard touchdown to make the score 16-10. The Buffs’ defense immediately got off the field on the next possession, only for punt returner Quentin Gibson to muff the ensuing return. Opportunity squandered, and the game got out of hand for CU.
Garbage time points made this contest look closer than it actually was. While Salter finished with a career-high 359 passing yards and five touchdowns, Colorado fell short in the least obvious offensive shootout ever, considering the awful conditions. Final score: Arizona 46, CU 39 (4-5, 2-4 Big 12).
With three games remaining, Colorado now needed to go 2-1, traveling to West Virginia and Kansas State, while hosting Arizona State. The first of those priorities is a business trip to Morgantown.
A Mountaineers team without a conference win figured to be a good bounce-back spot. But for the second week in a row, Colorado started slow. So slow that not every fan had even taken their seat, and the score was already 17-0. Three first-half interceptions from Salter set up West Virginia in plus-territory multiple times, and it took advantage of its redzone opportunities.
It took a punt fumble recovery from cornerback Ivan Yates that was returned for a touchdown to put the Buffs on the board. 17-7 at the half, and the box score wasn’t pretty.
West Virginia grew its lead by six in the third, leaving an uphill fourth-quarter climb for Colorado. A 33-yard touchdown pass from Salter to Dre’lon Miller gave the Buffs some hope, cutting the score to 13-23 after a failed two-point try.
But it wasn’t enough for CU. WVU running back Jaheim White had his way, rushing for 163 yards and two scores. The Mountaineers dominated possession, winning 23-16 and dealing a huge blow to Colorado’s bowl aspirations (4-6, 2-5 Big 12).
CU had a bye week to regroup after this loss, but it was straight back to work. A top-15 team in the country, Arizona State, was coming to town.
The last two games of the season were now must-wins, and an opening-possession Sun Devils touchdown score did little to boost the Colorado faithful’s confidence. The Buffs soon faced another 17-0 deficit, but this time, CU responded with a bang. Welch found the end zone right before halftime to make the score 17-7. Thirty minutes now remained to save the season.
Welch continued to put Colorado on his back, breaking free for a 34-yard touchdown to begin the third quarter. Safety Carter Stoutmire picked off Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt on the next possession, but the Buffs couldn’t get out of their own way, fumbling in prime scoring territory.
CU’s defense stood tall for much of the second half, and Mata delivered again, nailing a game-tying 22-yard field goal.
After a few scoreless drives, Colorado finally took a lead with five minutes remaining. Running back Dallan Hayden registered his first touchdown of the simulation, making it 24-17. But just when the Folsom crowd got on its feet, Leavitt found receiver Malik McClain for six. Tie ball game. Late-game season woes of the past looked to creep in again for CU.
With its back against the wall, Salter put together a methodical two-minute drill to set up a dramatic finish. On his senior day, the ever-reliable Mata drilled a 26-yard last-second field goal for another upset victory for Colorado (5-6, 3-5 Big 12). Students rushed the field, adding another $50,000 fine to the university’s tab. The Buffs couldn’t care less.
That sets up a clash between two 5-6 teams looking to clinch bowl eligibility with a win. On the other side is a Kansas State squad that has momentum after early-season struggles, as Colorado takes a trip to Manhattan.
Coach Sanders is looking to justify this past offseason’s roster overhaul with a win. The storylines write themselves.
Welch continued his hot streak early, punching in a score to give the Buffs an early 10-7 lead. Salter later found Omarion Miller through the air, and Colorado found itself leading at halftime for the first time since Utah.
Salter opened the third quarter by launching a 50-yard touchdown pass to Dre’lon Miller, and Mata made another field goal to make it 29-17 Colorado.
The Wildcats wouldn’t go away, though. Quarterback Avery Johnson connected with receiver Jayce Brown twice in the span of three minutes to make it 36-31 CU in the fourth. Then, disaster struck.
The Buffs’ offense went three-and-out, giving the ball back to Kansas State. Like he did for the majority of the second half, Johnson was flawless on a go-ahead touchdown drive. Six completions, 56 yards passing.
Former Buff Dylan Edwards scampered in with 20 seconds remaining. 38-36, and it was all coming down for Colorado. Not so fast.
A 40-yard Hayden rush set up CU in field goal territory against all odds. One 36-yard field goal was all standing in the way of a thrilling cap to a roller-coaster of a season.
Mata didn’t miss. He never does. Final score, Colorado 39-38. Pandemonium on the Buffs’ sideline.
It didn’t happen the way anyone expected, but CU got to six wins in the end. It's purely fictional, but the story tells something real: a program learning how to finish, how to fight, and how to believe again.
Maybe it’s luck, or maybe the EA servers just know something we don’t. Either way, the Buffs are going bowling, and this time, not even the algorithms can doubt them.
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