BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado had its first victory over an AP top-15 team since 2007 in beating No. 14 Houston 42-32 on Friday night to slightly cool down the hot seat for Deion Sanders.
The last time the Buffaloes beat a team ranked that high was No. 3 Oklahoma on Sept. 29, 2007. The fans poured out of the stands to celebrate.
The Buffaloes (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) need to win out to become bowl eligible — and avoid a third losing campaign in Sanders’ four seasons at Colorado. Sanders is 20-27 since taking over the program.
“These kids are resilient,” Sanders said. “They have not stopped. They have not quit. They have not given up as well as the coaching staff. I’m really a proud guy right now.”
Trailing 20-7 late in the first half, Colorado scored 28 straight points to seize control. The offense amassed 466 yards. That included 249 yards on the ground, the most in the Sanders era at Colorado.
Sanders brought in coordinator Brennan Marion to implement the “Go-Go” offense, a fast-paced scheme designed to score points in bunches. But the Buffaloes averaged a league-low 19.8 points entering Friday. Against a stout Houston defense, Colorado finally turned explosive with four touchdowns of 32 or more yards.
Isaac Wilson had the Buffaloes rolling before limping off with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter. He was replaced by Kaneal Sweetwyne, who scored on his first play, a 14-yard keeper to make it 35-20. Wilson returned on what appeared to be a banged-up ankle. That made for a perplexing call in the fourth quarter when Colorado had him try to pick up a fourth-and-3 in Houston territory. He was stopped.
The Cougars scored on the ensuing drive but were stopped on the two-point attempt to make it 35-26.
Colorado had five rushing TDs for the first time since Nov. 7, 2020, against UCLA. Among the TD runs, DeKalon Taylor broke off a 67-yard scamper, while Richard Young added a 38-yard score and JaQuail Smith a 32-yard burst.
“I still expect a lot more from us,” Sanders said. “We’ve been capable of this all season long, but we just hadn’t put it together.”
Conner Weigman threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns for the Cougars (7-3, 4-3, No. 14 CFP). He also threw an interception.
“It’s a tough one. It’s a hard one. Very difficult,” Cougars coach Willie Fritz said. “I told them all they can point the finger at me if they want, because we can point the finger all over the place.”
Leading into the game, a hashtag of “PlayForPrime” was created on social media. Sanders was all over, too, running out on the field to pick up a helmet that went flying and earlier escorting a hurt player into the locker room.
Sanders paced the sideline in a stocking cap and a puffy vest on a cool night. He insisted over the last week he wasn’t bothered by the speculation over his future and reiterated that on the ESPN broadcast.
“I’ve been around noise all my life,” Sanders said. “This isn’t new.”
His players rallied for him.
“Just playing for him, I would say, that fueled me to go hard,” said defensive back Randon Fontenette, who had a sack that led to a key turnover. “I bet on myself to come here for him, and I feel like I owed it to him to give all I had. Game 10, fighting for a bowl game, so I just feel like I had to leave it all out there. Everybody did.”
The takeaway
Houston: The Cougars were 7-0 when scoring 27 or more points this season.
Colorado: The Buffaloes had home games on Halloween and Friday the 13th — winning both. They beat Kansas State 27-24 in overtime on Oct. 31.
Up next
Houston: At West Virginia on Nov. 21.
Colorado: At Cincinnati on Nov. 21.
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