Colorado’s offense digs itself a hole in a loss to Arizona State
TEMPE, Ariz. — It’s hard to drown in a desert. But Colorado football did just that.
After a lackluster first half in which CU (3-6, 1-5 Big 12) couldn't move the ball, the Buffs fell 20-10 to the Arizona State Sun Devils (5-4, 3-3) at Mountain America Stadium.
The loss continued Colorado’s streak without having back-to-back conference wins since 2024 and marked its ninth straight road conference loss.
“You ain’t going to get to next year the way we getting our butt kicked,” Sanders said when asked about his job.
Colorado mustered only 41 yards of offense in the first half, not counting garbage yards on a late second-quarter drive. The Buffs struggled to run the ball all night, with just 64 rushing yards on 34 attempts. Richard Young led the team with 45 rushing yards on 3 yards per carry.
CU quarterback Isaac Wilson found receiver Ernest Campbell for a 74-yard touchdown, but a flag for an ineligible man downfield cut the celebration short. The Buffs did not pick up a first down or run any plays in ASU territory in the opening quarter.
Wilson finished with 248 passing yards, one touchdown pass and one interception.
Receiver Omarion Miller, a former Buff turned Sun Devil, reminded his old team of how much they miss him. He caught five passes for 64 yards, including two clutch third-and-long receptions that led to scores.
Miller’s partner in crime, Reed Harris, piled on to the Buffs’ first-half misery and hauled in a 34-yard touchdown from ASU quarterback Jake Fette on a third-and-14 to make the score 17-0.
“We got to do better in the secondary,” Sanders said. “I have to do a better job of coaching those guys.”
Reed put a dagger in Colorado fans’ hearts with a 58-yard gain in the fourth quarter, setting up a 21-yard Carson Smith field goal to make it 20-3. Reed, the Big 12’s leading receiver, had 103 receiving yards.
“It's really easy throwing to Reed Harris and Omarion Miller and those guys,” Fette said after the game. “You really just gotta put it downfield, and they'll go up and grab it."
Fette was making his second career start, but wasn’t asked to do much. Fette also caught a touchdown pass from running back Cardae Mack on a fourth-and-goal.
He became the first ASU quarterback to catch and throw a touchdown in the same game since Jake Plummer in 1996.
“ASU scripted Fette going out wide really well,” Sanders said about ASU’s wildcat formations. “The kid (Fette) made some plays.”
But more importantly, Fette took care of the football. Wilson can’t say the same.
Wilson’s interception came on CU’s first drive of the second half after the Buffs forced a Sun Devil three-and-out. It was his eighth interception of the season.
The Buffs had a chance to get back into the game late in the third quarter with their first trip to the red zone but settled for a 39-yard field goal from Elliott Arnold, cutting the lead to 17-3.
The Buffs marched 75 yards on 10 plays on the ensuing drive and scored a touchdown when Wilson found Joseph Williams on an 8-yard pass to make it 20-10 after CU got help on a roughing-the-kicker penalty on the Sun Devils, as Sanders originally decided to kick. Williams led Colorado with 121 receiving yards on seven catches.
CU got the ball back with 5:24 remaining, but turned it over on downs to seal the loss.
“We have to drop our nuts at some point if we want to make a bowl game,” Williams said.
One bright spot was Colorado’s rush defense. They limited ASU to 2.6 yards per rush and 64 total yards. Gideon ESPN Lampron led the team in tackles for the fifth straight game with 18, including three for a loss, and had two and a half sacks.
“We don’t have time to throw a pity party,” Lampron said. “My numbers don’t matter if we aren’t winning games.”
The Buffs return home on Friday, Nov. 13, to face the No. 17 Houston Cougars. Kickoff from Folsom Field is scheduled for 8:15 MT (ESPN).
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