FORT COLLINS — There was plenty of discourse over the past week about Colorado’s offensive line and comments their quarterback made that were perceived as a slight to the guys tasked with protecting him.
But it was a unified front for the Buffs after a decisive 28-9 win Saturday against rival Colorado State at Canvas Stadium. The offensive line had its best performance of the season, and all five members of the starting unit joined Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter for their post-game news conference.
“It was very personal,” Colorado lineman Tyler Brown said. “It meant everything to us to go out there and prove the world wrong and so prove each other right. We didn’t listen to the naysayers. We banded together and it made us closer. We practiced harder. We’re just going to keep the ball rolling because we’re not satisfied.”
The Buffaloes entered this game with 75 yards rushing on 45 carries. Even removing the pass protection issues, Colorado’s top two running backs had combined for 71 yards on 23 carries, barely more than 3 yards per attempt.
Bu Colorado’s front pushed around the rival Rams. Sanders had time to throw all evening. He was sacked one time — on a slide when the outcome was no longer in doubt
Despite not having leading rusher Dallan Hayden and not using Charlie Offerdahl until late in the game, Colorado finished with 109 yards on 19 carries, or 5.7 yards per attempt.
“Great darn victory. Offensive line was phenomenal,” coach Deion Sanders said. “Did a great job, not only run blocking but pass blocking as well.
“They came to play from the first play on. I’m so dern proud of them.”
Freshman running back Micah Welch went for 25 yards on his second career carry. He led the rushing attack with 65 yards on nine attempts.
The elder Sanders said there was more of a focus on running inside leading up to the game. And his offensive line met the challenge put in front of them.
No one would mistake this for a balanced offensive attack — the younger Sanders still threw the ball 49 times. But it was a little more balanced, enough to keep the Rams defense from keying solely on the pass.
“Just the intensity and the understanding of our team that we need this to happen,” Deion Sanders said. “(Offensive coordinator) Pat (Schurmur) is a pro. He wants to call runs. That’s the life he comes from, with a lot more value on balance at the professional level.
“But these men in the front, they’ve got to make up their mind that this is what we’re going to do.”
Colorado shuffled the alignment up front before the game. Brown, who started the first two games at right tackle, shifted to left guard next to freshman Jordan Seaton. Phillip Houston, who had been backing up Seaton, moved across to start at right tackle.
The end result was a clean pocket for Sanders to work from on more snaps than he’d seen in the first two games. It was only six tackles for loss, and three of those came on completed passes.
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And it was a newfound ability to churn out long, consistent scoring drives. Colorado trailed this game 3-0 into the second quarter before the Buffs grabbed control with a pair of touchdown drives.
The first was 12 plays for 85 yards. The next was nine plays for 84 yards. Colorado did not look back after that, and the younger Sanders wanted to reset the narrative about his relationship with the offensive line afterwards.
“It was great. It was a change in everything,” he said. “We all got together and understood like, we gotta go do it. That’s when the family and all the real friendships got together.
“We all stayed as a family. That’s just a good example of the media, regardless of what they try to paint or anything, you can’t put us against each other.”
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