TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Both of Colorado’s losses came after sluggish starts, so coach Deion Sanders naturally emphasized a better beginning in the desert.
With the help of Arizona’s failed opening gamble, the Buffaloes charged out of the gates and ran away with one of their best all-around games of the season.
Shedeur Sanders threw for 250 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, and Colorado’s defense shut down Arizona in a 34-7 win on Saturday.
“We’re in good shape and we always play well in the second half, but it was imperative to get off to a tremendous start in the first half,” Sanders said. “That’s what we focused on.”
They did just that.
The Buffaloes (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) scored two early touchdowns — one after Arizona’s failed opening onside kick — and swarmed the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3) all afternoon to bounce back from last week’s 31-28 loss to Kansas State.
Sanders threw for two touchdowns with two interceptions on 23-of-33 passing and ran for another score. Colorado converted 8 of 11 third downs while building a 21-point halftime lead and its defense held the Wildcats to 245 total yards.
“Everybody is capable and we have a team capable of winning every game, and that’s what we did today,” Colorado safety Shilo Sanders said. “Everybody played like themselves.”
Arizona spent most of the afternoon chasing the Buffaloes.
The Wildcats had trouble protecting quarterback Noah Fifita, giving up seven sacks after allowing six combined the first six games. Scrambling most of the day, Fifita threw an interception, lost a fumble and couldn’t find preseason All-American Tetairoa McMillan, who had five catches for 38 yards.
“There were some opportunities there, some bright moments, but not nearly enough to sustain drives and move the ball against a really active defense,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said.
The Wildcats’ problems started from the opening kick.
Trying to surprise the Buffaloes, Arizona tried an onside kick that failed and spent most of the first half defending a short field.
Colorado started its opening drive at Arizona’s 46-yard and converted with Isaiah Augustave’s 1-yard touchdown run. Drelon Miller scored on a 1-yard shovel pass from Sanders on the next drive, then Will Sheppard hauled in a 16-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone — initially ruled incomplete before being overturned on review.
Sanders’ 6-yard touchdown run put Colorado up 28-7 at halftime.
Arizona had one sustained drive in the first half, capped by Fifita’s 1-yard shovel pass to Chris Hunter, and lost a fumble deep in its own end — two plays after recovering a fumble.
“We have a standard and we’re not living up to it,” said Fifita, who threw for 138 yards on 16-of-28 passing. “Obviously, losing makes it even worse.”
Colorado’s offense stalled in the second half, but it didn’t matter the way its defense played.
A week after a close loss to Kansas State, Colorado appears to be back on track with one of its best all-around games. Arizona is searching for answers on both sides of the ball following its third straight loss.
