Colorado Bowl Chances and Report Card After the 20–10 Loss at Arizona State

Colorado needs to win its final three regular-season games to reach six wins after a 20–10 loss at Arizona State on Saturday. The Buffaloes fell to 3–6 and have Houston, Cincinnati and UCF left on the schedule.

The first half decided how much work Colorado had to do. Arizona State led 17–0 at the break. Colorado finished the half with 103 yards, 62 of them in the final 45 seconds, according to the Associated Press recap. An apparent 74-yard touchdown from Isaac Wilson to Ernest Campbell was erased by an ineligible receiver downfield.

“We just couldn’t get anything going through the offense,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said. Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham pointed to field position: “I feel like the field position was a huge part of the game with us having them backed up.” Two Sun Devils punts were downed inside the Colorado 5.

Colorado report card

Quarterback, C. Wilson completed 20 of 31 passes for 248 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He found Joseph Williams for a 7-yard touchdown in the fourth and gave Colorado a chance to make it a one-score game. His 24-yard sack on fourth-and-6 from the Arizona State 34 ended Colorado’s first sustained drive. The protection shares responsibility for the pressure, but Wilson’s grade reflects that lost opportunity as well as the late production.

Offense, D. Colorado gained 52 net rushing yards and averaged 1.5 per carry. Williams caught seven passes for 121 yards, but the Buffaloes had to lean on the passing game to move the ball. The Arizona State box score shows just four yards separating the teams in total offense, 304–300. That margin hides the difference in when the yards came.

Defense, B-minus. Colorado allowed three points after halftime and gave its offense enough time to get within 10. Linebacker Gideon ESPN Lampron had 18 tackles, 3.5 for loss and two sacks. The grade comes down for two second-quarter touchdown drives, including a scoring play on which Arizona State quarterback Jake Fette caught a pass. Fette also threw a touchdown.

Special teams, C-minus. Colorado converted its third-quarter field goal, but Arizona State repeatedly won the field-position battle. The two punts downed inside the 5 made an already slow start harder to recover from.

Colorado’s remaining schedule

The Colorado schedule gives the Buffaloes two of their final three at home. To take the standard six-win route to bowl eligibility, they need all three. The first test is whether the offense can sustain drives before halftime against Houston.

Cover photograph by Dough4872 under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for publication.