Deion Sanders holds back anger after Buffs sneak past FCS school

BOULDER—Deion Sanders led the Colorado Buffaloes to their first win since October and while the second-year coach let out a few smiles after beating North Dakota State on Thursday, Coach Prime was ticked off.

The Buffs ended up on top 31-26, beating lower-tier FCS powerhouse North Dakota State. The Bison led the game at the half and wound up just a few yards short of a buzzer-beater hail marry for the win. And the first half was full of many of the same errors that led Colorado down the losing seven-of-their-final-eight games path last fall.

“You ever felt like it was you, you won, but you didn’t win? It’s almost like we had more points than they did; giving up the last touchdown on the run – that bothered me, because we pride ourselves on going to get the quarterback, and we have a multitude of young men that can go get the quarterback, and we didn’t get that done,” Sanders said on Thursday night. “But I’m thankful. I’m happy we got the W. Ms. Peggy’s one step closer to the dream and the vision that we have for her (a bowl game,) as well as I think 31 NFL scouts are on hand tonight, and I think they saw what they came to see. So let’s move on from there. Imma try my best to hold back my anger, but we got the W so I’m happy.”

Unlike many nights last year, Colorado was able to make some really effective halftime adjustments. It got the Buffaloes defense off the field all the while the offense was able to bleed the clock. In the first half the attack had eight-plus minutes of possession, Shedeur Sanders led the Buffaloes final touchdown drive where they ate eight minutes of the clock.

“I don’t think the operation was dirty, I just think we did some things,” Sanders said of the first half. “I know you guys couldn’t wait to get on me if we hadn’t won that game about going for it on fourth down, we didn’t get it. We gotta get that. We gotta convert that.”

Prime is referencing a four-and-short on Colorado’s own side of the field that the team didn’t pick up in the first half. The defense at that point couldn’t stop the Bison so it made some sense, but they were able to hold them to a field goal after so it wasn’t a real back-breaker despite it giving the visitors a six-point lead.

“That’s kind of putting your stamp on like, guys, we gotta be physical,” Sanders said. “We’re going to have to go for it on third or fourth in one. We gotta get that. I believe in you, it’s what I told the line, I believe in you guys. So I’m not upset that I did that, because I believe in you guys that much.”

The Buffaloes put together an 89-yard 56-second field goal drive to cut the NDSU lead to three at the half. And maybe that’s what sparked the Buffaloes, who wound up scoring two touchdowns in the next three drives to start the second half—with the only non-score being a wild Sanders interception that took a bad-luck-bounce off a fallen defender’s foot and into the arms of another.

“We knew we were gonna get it together soon,” Coach Prime said of halftime. “They were calling that every darn play that they ran. I mean, the defensive coaches are doing a wonderful job. We have got to do a better job of executing the scheme and being where we’re supposed to be. I don’t think the ball went outside the numbers, maybe a couple of times even in the first half, but the kid (NDSU’s QB) was lighting it up. He did a great job of getting the ball to the necessary receivers. We got a lot of picks, a lot of rub routes, a lot of blocks, a lot of yo-yo. I mean, they did a lot of things that were effective for them. They played a heck of a game. I’m proud of their staff, their head coach, their history and what they bring to the table. You can’t discount them. I think they had knocked off several Power Five teams in the last several matchups. I’m glad we’re able to come out of there with the W, although it wasn’t pretty.”

Wild enough, Colorado was just the third FBS team in 14 years to actually beat the Bison. Aside from the last-minute scrambling drive the Buffaloes allowed yet another QB scramble to go for a big gain, the team would’ve covered and nobody would have batted an eye. But the team didn’t finish like that, they nearly gave in, and that’s what ticked off Prime.

“We knew they weren’t going to lay down. We wanted to win decisively and if we wouldn’t have given up that last touchdown it would have looked better,” Sanders said. “But we’re not for looks man. The W or the L, that’s what you remember. You guys could pick it apart. But you’re here for the W or the L. Some of you get upset that we got a W and are really mad we didn’t get the L. So god bless you all. You have to wait again till next week.

Aside from Sanders’ worries about playing around with the Bison, the fans had a right to be worried too—after all CU has dropped two games to FCS schools in Boulder during these dark years. Now the tide turns from a near-worst nightmare start to trying to beat back-to-back rivals on the road in the Cornhuskers and Rams.