Colorado Falls 42–17 to No. 25 Arizona State: Missed Chances, Costly Mistakes, and One Bright Spot…
Colorado Wastes Key Opportunities in Critical Moments
The Colorado Buffaloes entered Saturday night looking to build pride and momentum heading into the offseason, but instead suffered a frustrating 42–17 home loss to No. 25 Arizona State. Despite four forced turnovers and multiple chances to seize control, Colorado repeatedly failed to capitalize.
Early in the game, a perfect deep ball from Julian “JuJu” Lewis slipped through the hands of Omarion Miller, stalling what could have been an early scoring drive. Turnover inefficiency became the defining theme of the night. Colorado forced four turnovers but produced only three points from them.
Keaton Wade’s fumble recovery at the ASU 22 led to a four-and-out. A second recovery at the ASU 9 resulted in just a field goal. Then came the turning point: after a forced fumble and a 34-yard gain to energize the stadium, Colorado fumbled on the next play. ASU immediately responded with an 88-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 28–17 and silencing the home crowd.
Costly Mistakes and Coaching Decisions Shifted the Game
Discipline and execution — not effort — ultimately defined the loss. The Buffs made several avoidable errors that directly contributed to Arizona State scores.
After the game, Coach Deion Sanders reflected on the pivotal fumble that flipped momentum.
“Two plays changed the whole course of the game,” Sanders said. “A fumble and an explosion right after the fumble… The gentleman who fumbled — that’s on me. I put him in the game… He hit it, and he fumbled.”
Defensive miscommunication also proved damaging. With the game still within reach, Colorado gave up a 68-yard touchdown caused by misalignment and personnel shuffling. Linebacker Reggie Hughes noted that injuries forced players into new roles:
“We had some new things going on tonight due to the unfortunate injuries… So we had to move some guys around… just trying to get guys lined up.”
Arizona State exploited every miscue, turning Colorado’s errors into decisive scores.
Freshman QB Julian Lewis Remains the Program’s Biggest Positive
Despite the loss, Colorado continues to find hope in freshman quarterback Julian Lewis. His numbers — 19-of-38 for 161 yards — were modest, but once again he showed poise, leadership, and maturity beyond his age behind a struggling offensive line.
Lewis reaffirmed his commitment to Colorado after the game, easing concerns about roster turnover.
“Oh yeah, I’m a Buff through and through,” Lewis said. “I don’t got no reason to go.”
He also showed awareness of his leadership role as the program navigates another offseason affected by the transfer portal.
“The portal is the portal… Guys are gonna hit it. I’m just trying to keep the guys I can here for next year so we can do what we need to do.”
What Comes Next
Colorado now prepares for its final game of the season — a road matchup against Kansas State. With the Wildcats fighting for bowl eligibility, Colorado will need to match their urgency and avoid another costly setback to finish the season on a positive note.
