FILE PHOTO: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders walks to the locker room with the Colorado football team at halftime during the football game at Folsom Field on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (Linus Loughry/CU Independent)
The Northwestern Wildcats’ temporary football stadium only holds 12,000 fans. By the fourth quarter, the stadium was nearly empty.
The Colorado Buffaloes (2-1, 0-0 Big 12) got routed by Northwestern (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) 41-7 Saturday night. Although the box score shows similar numbers, four CU turnovers gave the Buffaloes no chance of staying undefeated.
“They played a heck of a game,” head coach Deion Sanders said. “[Northwestern] forced us to turn the ball over, forced us into bad decisions [and] forced us into doing things that is not truly who we are.”
Freshman quarterback Julian Lewis threw his first two interceptions, ending his program record of most attempts to start a career without one. Running backs Micah Welch and Damian Henderson II had fumbles in the first half, and various penalties kept shooting the Buffs in the foot.
Already down 14-0, CU elected to go for it on a fourth-and-2 on the Wildcats’ 27-yard line, where Henderson II was met for a loss. Every time Colorado’s offense gave the ball to Northwestern, the defense wasn’t able to return the favor.
Colorado had nearly 200 yards in the first half, more than the Wildcats, but stared down a 21-0 deficit at halftime. Northwestern converted two touchdowns off the first-half fumble and interception, and its third off a turnover on downs.
CU got its lone touchdown in the third quarter off a 50-yard strike to junior wide receiver Joseph Williams. It was good for Lewis’ sixth and Williams’ third touchdowns on the year.
The second half was a mundane version of the first. The Wildcats totaled 85 more passing yards and 37 more rushing yards than the Buffs, able to close out the game comfortably.
“I don’t really feel like we played indicative of what we’re capable of doing,” Sanders said. “You could have never told me that this was going to be [this] during the week. The way we prepared, the way we were ready … turnovers and penalties, there’s no way you can win like that.”
Northwestern’s senior quarterback Aidan Chiles ended 17-for-22 with 241 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite target through the night was senior wideout Griffin Wilde, who ended with five catches and 85 yards.
Colorado’s run prevention struggled like it hasn’t all year, surrendering 182 yards on the turf. Northwestern fed junior Caleb Komolafe and senior Gavin Sawchuk 23 carries for a combined 97 yards. Seven other rushers completed the Wildcats’ 182 yards on the ground, the most CU’s given up all year.
This loss severely changes the attitude around Colorado football headed into conference play. Losing by 34 points to a team projected to finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten makes fans reflect on the fortunate win over Georgia Tech and sloppy tune-up against Weber State.
The Buffs have a lot to work on around mistakes they can’t make in a conference game. Colorado leads the Big 12 in penalties, allowing 82.3 penalty yards per game. CU has the least amount of red zone touchdowns and the third-most yards allowed per game in the conference as well.
“We got to flush it and let’s go,” Sanders said. “We’re into the Big 12 next week … You got to take the good with the bad, dress it up, put a suit on it and kiss it.”
The Buffs have a week before embarking on conference play, Baylor (2-1, 0-0 Big 12) in Waco, Texas. The game is set to kick off at 10 a.m. MT and stream on ESPN2.
Contact CU Independent Sports Editor and Writer Baylan Wyusph at bawy9173@colorado.edu
