Nearing the season midpoint, clock-management concerns still plague CU

Coach Prime has continued to defend the clock management of him and his staff through the first five weeks of the season. (Photo by Tyler Phillips/Sko Buffs Sports)

In his third year with the Colorado Buffaloes, head coach Deion Sanders has received significant criticism over his late-game clock management. He’s left timeouts on the board several times and called others in questionable moments, effectively putting the Buffs at a disadvantage at crucial points. 

Coach Prime has left spectators hanging and announcers perplexed in what is often considered one of the most important areas of successful coaching: strategy in close games. This, while leading his team to a 2-3 (0-2 Big 12) record through Week 5 of the 2025 season. 

These issues started in the first game of the season: a 20-27 loss against Georgia Tech. Despite having two timeouts remaining with 1:07 left in the fourth quarter, the Buffs were unable to manage the clock effectively and advanced the ball just 25 yards in crunch time.

They ran two plays in agonizing 43 seconds for a grand total of nine yards and squandered a promising opportunity for a two-minute drill. CU resorted to a Hail Mary with three seconds left on the clock, and its hopes of starting the season on a high note were dashed as the ball was knocked down.

"Do you call a timeout there? No, you're right there. You don't call a timeout there. You've got to go," Sanders said postgame. "You're running tempo." 

Sanders backed his offensive plan effusively, even though it led to his first 0-1 start as head coach. 

A month later, in CU’s most recent matchup, the Buffs were in position to upset No. 25-ranked BYU Cougars at home after jumping out to a 14-0 lead early in the first half. CU was able to regain some momentum despite allowing the Cougars to score 17 unanswered points.

The Buffs were energized by a rowdy Folsom Field crowd and the potential to turn their season around. Sanders called a timeout down three with six minutes to play in the fourth quarter on fourth-and-six in the Buffs’ own territory. It was a gutsy call, but it gave potential for a big play under the direction of quarterback Kaidon Salter. 

Instead, CU punted and gave BYU a chance to stretch the lead. While there was plenty of time left on the clock to get a stop on defense and get the ball back for another possession, the use of a timeout at all was the point of contention.

Why use one that can help you significantly more later if you are going to punt anyway? A five-yard penalty on the kick would have been preferable in this scenario.

However, CU was able to secure a stop on defense and got the ball back, still down three with 1:34 to play. This was plenty of time to put a drive together, but a third timeout would’ve certainly eased some of the pressure.

With 50 seconds left at his own 24-yard line, Salter threw an ill-timed interception. With only two timeouts remaining to stop the clock, Buffs fans painfully watched time drip. Yet another home victory slipped out of their hands.

While these two games featured entirely different game-planning and play-design, it is undeniable that utilizing timeouts in a less sporadic way would have benefited the Buffs greatly on more than one occasion. 

Game-management issues have cost CU two achievable wins this season, the difference between a 0-2 and 2-0 conference start. One of the only controllable parts of an unpredictable game, it is essential for teams to use the clock to their advantage. 

With equally, if not more challenging opponents remaining on the schedule, Sanders and the Buffs’ offense must figure out how to succeed in late-game environments. 

TCU, Iowa State and Utah lie waiting on the Buffs’ upcoming schedule, all competitive conference programs that leave no room for error on the field or the sidelines.