Senior Shedeur Sanders, Head Coach Deion Sanders, and Junior Travis Hunter walk down the field before the Valero Alamo Bowl against Brigham Young University on Dec. 28th, 2024. (Rachel Glazer/CU Independent)
The Colorado Buffaloes had an opportunity to win their first bowl game in twenty years on Saturday. The promising Coach Prime-led team met Brigham Young University in San Antonio for the 2024 Valero Alamo Bowl but wished they had another shot.
The Cougars dominated on every side of the gridiron, controlling the Buffaloes 36-14. The defense appeared unprepared, as Offensive Coordinator Aaron Roderick’s play calls consistently exposed weaknesses in the Buffs’ secondary.
BYU came in with an excellent strategy, finding an answer to CU Boulder’s passing game. They held Shedeur Sanders to 208 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his final collegiate game. In one last effort to mount a comeback, about half his yards and one touchdown came in the Buffs’ final drive.
Junior athlete Travis Hunter stiff arms a defender during the Valero Alamo Bowl game against Brigham Young University on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Clementine Miller/CU Independent)
Travis Hunter did all he could in his final game, ending with 106 yards and the score that put the Buffaloes on the board. Outside of the Heisman, other receivers tallied yards, including 51 from LaJohntay Wester and one catch for 38 yards from Dallan Hayden.
“We didn’t do anything great tonight,” said Shedeur Sanders postgame when asked about the offensive struggles.
The biggest piece to limiting the aerial attack was BYU’s ability to get to Sanders in a split second. It constantly forced him to make uncomfortable moves to evade the blitzes that would lead to rushed throws. The Cougars recorded four sacks for 51 total yards.
BYU’s offensive game plan kept catching Colorado’s defense off guard. Head Coach Kalani Sitake incorporated a handful of trick plays, including a successful surprise onside kick, and putting in two quarterbacks for various schemes.
Senior quarterback Shedeur Sanders kneels on the field before the Valero Alamo Bowl game against Brigham Young University on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Clementine Miller/CU Independent)
One trick play, an attempted alternate pitch to running back LJ Martin resulted in an interception by defensive lineman Anquin Barnes Jr. Showing how helpless the offense was all night, BYU threw a combined three interceptions and still held control from the opening kickoff.
The moment the stadium knew it was BYU’s game to lose was when Colorado’s special teams problems came flooding back. A punt return touchdown from Parker Kingston to go up 17-0 late in the first half pushed the Buff’s downfall over the edge.
In CU’s postgame press conference, Coach Prime, Shedeur Sanders and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig were waved by sentimental questions about the senior class playing their last game as Buffaloes.
“Patience, they taught me patience,” Coach Prime responded to what this 2024 team has taught him as a coach. “They taught me forgiveness … you never know what transpires, you’ll never see the little ‘I love you’s’ that go on between us.”
Senior quarterback Shedeur Sanders runs the ball during the Valero Alamo Bowl game against Brigham Young University on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Clementine Miller/CU Independent)
Although they’ll end with a sour taste in their mouths, the 2024 campaign of Colorado Buffaloes football will be a season to remember. They end with their first true bowl game appearance since 2016 and the program’s best record in eight years.
The future for the Buffs is bright. A five-star quarterback and a young team for 2025 will be a story to begin tomorrow. While Coach Prime’s Buffs will return to Folsom Field next fall, this game brings the end of an era in Colorado football.
Contact CU Independent sports editor Baylan Wysuph at Baylan.Wysuph@Colorado.edu
