Shader Sanders had 445 yards and four touchdowns, three of which came to Travis Hunter, and Colorado opened its second year under Deion Sanders by beating FCS powerhouse North Dakota State 31-26 on Thursday night.
Buffalo, who most sportsbooks favor by 10.5 points, had an interesting game when they failed to defeat a troubled Bison team with 2:19 left in the game.
Shader Sanders appeared to have sealed the season-opening win when he swung the ball downfield on third-and-8, but a pass interference call was called. The Buffaloes had a first down with 1:41 left and North Dakota State had just one timeout left. But Colorado chose to pass on first down, and Colorado ended up punting with time left on the clock.
North Dakota State got the ball back with 31 seconds left. Cam Miller threw a pass from his own 47-yard line as time expired, and Tyler Terhark caught it four yards from the end zone.
The Bison’s methodical play in the first half helped keep Sanders and the Colorado offense on the sidelines as they looked to win the Heisman Trophy. But as soon as Sanders left, he got to work.
Jimmy Horn Jr. had seven catches for 198 yards and a score, and Hunter caught seven passes for 132 yards. His acrobatic 3-yard TD run, with a defensive back running over him, gave Colorado a 31-20 lead with 7:57 left. He turned the ball over and celebrated by dancing. Hunter still had that much energy despite playing cornerback all night.
Like Sanders, Hunter is often mentioned in conversations about the Heisman.
Sanders completed 26 of 34 passes with four touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 219.4.
This version of the Buffalo offense looked very similar to last season, with a scary passing game but virtually no rushing attack. The revamped offensive line allowed just one sack, but Sanders spent a lot of time scrambling.
Colorado’s defense remains a work in progress under new defensive coordinator Robert Livingston. Miller scored a touchdown on a 20-yard scramble to make it 31-26. His pass on the two-point conversion was incomplete.
New North Dakota State University head coach Tim Polasek had his team on the verge of an upset. The Bison jumped out to a 20-17 lead at halftime thanks to Miller’s performance. He rushed for two scores and threw for another. The Bison showed viewers around the country exactly why they were ranked No. 2 in the FCS preseason poll.
Associated Press reports.
Colorado Buffaloes
Sheder Sanders
Travis Hunter
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