Colorado
Shedeur Sanders throws for 290 yards, 3 TDs to lead improved Colorado to 48-21 rout of UCF
ORLANDO, Fla. — Shedeur Sanders threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns Saturday to help Colorado match its victory total for all of last season with a 48-21 rout of UCF.
Two-way star Travis Hunter had a TD catch and interception for the Buffaloes (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), who have won three straight games following a lopsided road loss to Nebraska.
Hunter scored on a 23-yard reception in the first quarter, struck a Heisman pose after his second-half inteception, and finished with nine catches on nine targets for 89 yards.
Sanders. son of coach Deion Sanders, also had TD throws of 47 yards to Will Sheppard and 10 yards to LaJohntay Wester on the way to completing 28 of 35 passes with one interception.
Colorado’s improved defense stood tall, too, slowing down an offense that entered game averaging a nation-leading 375.7 yards per game rushing. The Buffaloes forced four turnovers — intercepting KJ Jefferson twice, once in the end zone — and also denying UCF points on one drive that stalled inside the Colorado 1.
Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig finished off the strong defensive performance by picking up a fumble in the closing minutes and returning it 95 yards for Colorado’s final touchdown.
Both teams were coming off exciting comeback wins in their conference openers, with Colordao beating Baylor after forcing overtime on Sanders’ 43-yard Hail Mary TD to Wester on the last play of regulation and UCF wiping out a 21-point deficit on the road to defeat TCU 35-34.
Welcoming the Buffaloes to Orlando for the first meeting between the teams capped a day in which UCF hosted the FOX Big Noon Kickoff pregame show on campus, giving coach Gus Malzahn’s program the most national exposure the Knights have received since entering the Big 12 last season.
Jefferson completed 20 of 35 passes for 284 yards, including TDs of 75 yards to RJ Harvey and 15 yards to Xavier Townsend. The quarterback also scored on a 7-yard run.
THE TAKEAWAY
Colorado: Shedeur Sanders had another big day passing, but the Buffaloes ran the ball well, too, finishing with 128 yards rushing on 28 attempts.
UCF: The Knights secondary was exposed in their narrow victory over TCU. Sanders was sacked twice, but on far too many occasions when the quarterback escaped pressure he was able to find receivers running wide open.
UP NEXT
Colorado: Bye week before hosting No. 23 Kansas State on Oct. 12
UCF: Plays at Florida next Saturday.
Colorado
Suspect arrested after fatal shooting of 7-year-old boy on Colorado tribal reservation
A 23-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting a 7-year-old boy on a tribal reservation in Colorado earlier this month was captured on Tuesday afternoon in Utah. That’s according to officials from the Navajo Police Department who said Jeremiah Hight is now in federal custody.
Hight is suspected in the Dec. 11 shooting at a home in Towaoc on the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation in the Four Corners region, where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado meet. The boy who died was identified as Zamias Lang, Montezuma County coroner George Deavers said Tuesday. Hight is a member of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe.
The FBI investigates serious crimes on the reservation. The agency announced on Monday that a $10,000 reward was being offered in the search for Hight. It said an arrest warrant was issued for him on Thursday after he was charged with murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. A search for him that started over the weekend ended Tuesday afternoon “on top of a mesa, west of Oljato,” the Navajo Police Department wrote in a news release. They said a law enforcement team that included K-9s captured Hight.
Authorities have not released any details about what led up to the shooting, and Hight’s arrest warrant so far is sealed. The FBI’s wanted poster for Hight said the shooting was “targeted at a residence.”
An online fundraiser to raise money for Lang’s funeral described him as a “bright and loving” child.
In a video message after the shooting, tribal chairman Manuel Heart called the shooting “senseless” and urged people to let authorities investigate the shooting rather than retaliate on their own. Heart also said he was working on a resolution to ask the federal government to hire more police officers for the reservation and another to ban shooting within either of the reservation’s two communities – Towaoc and White Mesa, Utah.
“We are not going to have any more of these type of events where somebody gets shot,” he said.
Colorado
Last-minute Christmas shoppers flood Northern Colorado stores
Last-minute Christmas shoppers made the best of Christmas Eve on Tuesday, as thousands of people flooded Colorado stores to pick up their final gifts before the holiday. Among the many stores filled with customers was the Scheels in Johnstown.
“The last few days here at Scheels have been pretty crazy,” said Michael Petersen, assistant store leader. “You can definitely tell the panic on people’s faces. The last-minute shoppers are definitely out. I am one of them, too. They are out in full force today.”
Petersen said he believed one of the main reasons the store was so busy was due to their wide range of products they offer. The company doesn’t specialize in one specific topic or product, but rather seems to sell a little of everything.
They sell everything from food to guns, clothing, sporting goods, furniture, art, shoes and even homemade baked goods.
“We are kind of like your one stop shop, especially for your Christmas list,” Petersen said. “Anything, top to bottom on your Christmas list, you can find them here.”
Some Northern Coloradans said they took note of the wide range of products and intentionally came to the location to look for their items.
“We are out doing some last minute shopping. And we are enjoying it and spreading the spirit. We are out to do smiles and find those last hidden gems,” said Hahn Ainsworth, a local shopper.
Sporting a Christmas-decorated suit jacket, Ainsworth said he was happy to be helping others enjoy the holiday spirit.
“Yeah, lots of compliments and lots of fun. Just trying to bring the joy where you can,” Ainsworth said.
Taylor, Paula and Blair Johnson brought their puppy with them to shop on the final day before Christmas.
“They have a lot of everything,” Taylor said. “We will find something for sure.”
“I love Scheels, it’s an awesome place to be,” Paula said.
“They have a little bit of everything,” Blair said.
Taylor joked that the last-minute gifts they bought were intentionally saved for last.
“We are doing some last-minute Christmas shopping for some of our loved ones that were bottom of our list,” Taylor said.
Scheels closed down their store at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, meaning they won’t reopen until Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m., when many other local businesses will also reopen.
With her shopping for Christmas 2024 officially complete, Paula Johnson said she was looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the holiday.
“I can’t wait to relax and have a nice little cocktail tonight,” Paula said.
Colorado
No white Christmas in Fort Collins, but here’s when Northern Colorado could get snow
Large elk herd congregates in Loveland in winter
Around 1,000 elk migrate in winter from the Estes Valley to the west side of Loveland, creating a unique wildlife viewing opportunity.
It’s looking to be a warm and dry Christmas in Fort Collins, but there may be a glimpse of winter weather ahead.
Fort Collins is in for a sunny Christmas Eve with an expected high of 54 degrees, with clouds and light wind forecasted heading into the evening and an overnight low of 27, according to the National Weather Service. Christmas Day will likely be much of the same, with some clouds, a high of 50 and low of 24 expected.
After another warmer day Thursday with a high of 50 degrees, we could get a glimpse at some winter weather Thursday night. There is a slight chance of rain after 11 p.m. that could mix with snow after 1 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. The chance of precipitation Thursday is 20%.
After another warmer weekend — with a high near 47 degrees expected Friday, 54 on Saturday and 57 on Sunday — there’s another chance of rain and snow accompanied by wind Monday, according to the National Weather Service, despite the high temperature Monday expected to be near 52 degrees.
Colorado’s mountains have a much better chance of a white Christmas, with 1 to 3 inches of snow expected around the holidays.
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