Buffs fall flat as Deion calls O-line play ‘a problem’

LINCOLN, Neb. — After his team’s first loss of the season and second-lowest scoring output of his tenure, Colorado coach Deion Sanders was left wondering how to get his offense back on track.

The Buffaloes were shut out in the first half, struggled to protect quarterback Shedeur Sanders and finished with 16 total rushing yards in their 28-10 road loss to Nebraska on Saturday night.

Colorado (1-1) fell behind quickly against a foe it beat 36-14 last season and trailed 14-0 when Shedeur Sanders threw an interception from his own end zone that Nebraska cornerback Tommi Hill returned for a 7-yard touchdown, a turnover he called a “rookie mistake.” Colorado ran 11 plays in the first quarter for a net gain of minus-2 yards.

“The way we started is just not indicative of who we are,” Deion Sanders said, “and we just never got it together.”

Facing frequent pressure, Shedeur Sanders threw for 244 yards and one score on 23-of-38 passing. He was sacked five times, and the Buffs went 4-of-14 on third-down conversions. He did not finish the game, exiting for the final four minutes of the fourth quarter as a precaution after a helmet-to-helmet hit.

Shedeur Sanders told reporters afterward he was “a little banged up” but OK and praised Nebraska’s defensive line for its performance.

“Protections were a problem,” Deion Sanders said. “You know, I’m trying to be polite and say it, because you know I can say the same thing you’re thinking, but if I say it, you’d say I’m throwing my guys up under the bus. I’m not doing that whatsoever. Protections were a problem. We gotta figure out a way to prevent that and do a better job with that.”

Colorado couldn’t get much done in the run game to take pressure of its passer. Its running backs combined for five carries for 16 yards through three quarters and failed to convert two fourth-and-1 rushing attempts on the night.

The Buffaloes finished last in FBS in rushing yards in 2023 with 827 through 12 games. They threw for 445 yards and rushed for 59 in their 31-26 win against North Dakota State to open the season. After rebuilding the offensive line primarily with transfer portal additions, Deion Sanders acknowledged his team needs to figure out how to execute a consistent run game.

When asked why it was so difficult for Colorado’s offense to respond to Nebraska’s defense, he replied, “I have no idea. If we would’ve known that answer, I think we would’ve responded quicker. It’s like we just never got it going until it was too late.”

The Buffaloes trailed 28-0 entering halftime after Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola fired a pass over the middle to running back Rahmir Johnson that Colorado linebacker LaVonta Bentley nearly intercepted. Instead, the ball popped up in the air and fell to Johnson, who ran off for an 18-yard score.

“When stuff like that happens, you just gotta take your hat off and say, ‘Oh Lord, it’s not our day, baby,’” Deion Sanders said. “Because that stuff just don’t normally happen. That was crazy. Heck of a play.”

Colorado’s defense didn’t give up another score the rest of the way and forced five consecutive punts in the second half. Deion Sanders was pleased that his team kept competing, but there were far too many mistakes throughout, including nine penalties for 104 yards and a blocked field goal attempt, to put together a rally.

Shedeur Sanders said his team will go back to the drawing board and work to get it right. The Buffaloes are back on the road next Saturday against in-state rival Colorado State, which took the Buffaloes to overtime in 2023, before their first run through Big 12 conference play begins Sept. 21 against Baylor. Against one of the toughest schedules in the conference, they’re going to need a lot more offensive balance — and a lot more points.

“We have a tremendous offense,” Deion Sanders said. “We should be able to move the ball on anyone. We should be able to protect with the experience that we have offensively. We just couldn’t get it going today.”