Ryan Staub steals the show in Buffs’ victory over Delaware

BOULDER, Colo. — All eyes were on the Colorado Buffaloes and true freshman quarterback Julian Lewis on Saturday. Lewis, the highly-touted freshman quarterback, was scheduled to get his first collegiate action against the Delaware Blue Hens after Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders said earlier in the week that he was going to play. When the dust settled and the Buffs had won 31-7, the spotlight was on a different Buffs signal caller, Ryan Staub.

Salter started the game under center, just like he did against Georgia Tech, and marched the ball down the field on Colorado’s first series. He went 6-for-6 with 46 yards and added another 29 yards and a touchdown on the ground on that drive alone. He looked like a quarterback who wasn’t ready to give up his starting spot to anyone. His second drive ended with an Alejandro Mata field goal that pushed the lead to 10-0.

After that, it was the moment everyone had been waiting for. Julian Lewis’ debut. Poor play calling and subpar pass protection didn’t help him, as he wasn’t able to get any thing going outside of an 11-yard completion to freshman Quentin Gibson.

After Lewis came in and wasn’t able to move the football in two drives, Prime and the coaching staff turned to Staub, the third string quarterback, instead of going back to Kaidon Salter, who started Saturday’s contest. The Buffs were up just 10-7 over the Blue Hens with 45 seconds to go in the first half, and Staub pulled out his best Shedeur Sanders impression.

After two incomplete passes to start the drive, a 23-yard scamper from DeKalon Taylor kept the drive going. A 31-yard completion to Joseph Williams was followed by a 21-yard touchdown pass to Taylor, and Folsom Field had life again thanks to Staub. Despite a lackadaisical first half, the Buffs still led the Blue Hens 17-7 at the break.

Too easy for the Buffs 🔥

Ryan Staub enters the game and picks up a TD for @CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/jE8J2x7oCs

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 6, 2025

Staub was back on the field to begin the third quarter for the black and gold, and launched a deep ball on the sideline on the third play of the drive. The pigskin landed right in the bread basket of Sincere Brown, who took it to the house for a 71-yard touchdown.

RYAN STAUB DEEP TO SINCERE BROWN 🎯

The @CUBuffsFootball's third-string QB is on a roll pic.twitter.com/mUmeNvMjbs

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 6, 2025

Folsom was in a frenzy at that point as the Buffs led 24-7. Staub was hitting “The Shedeur” with his wrist and galloping down the field while the other two quarterbacks watched from the sidelines.

On the ensuing Buffs possession, Staub found Brown again for another 36-yard gain. Although that drive ended up flaming out, Buffs fans were happy to finally see one of their three quarterbacks push the ball down the field.

Ryan Staub with another DIME to Sincere Brown 🎯@CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/HkQyHBCFb9

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 6, 2025

Staub’s fourth and final drive ended in another touchdown, a 10-yard touchdown run off the left side by Micah Welch. That score effectively put the game out of reach at 31-7, and was the final action that Staub saw on the afternoon. He finished the game with 157 yards and two touchdowns through the air on 8-for-11 passing.

After the game, Staub said that he was just chasing a dream that he had, and Coach Prime had an interesting nickname for Staub that only he could think of.

"All I needed was that opportunity."

Ryan Staub and @DeionSanders speak after @CUBuffsFootball's win vs Delaware 🦬 pic.twitter.com/KMECkJkD9J

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 6, 2025

Salter finished his second start for the Buffs with 102 yards in the air on 13-for-16 passing, while Lewis totaled just eight yards on 2-for-4 passing. The young freshman played just 16 snaps on the afternoon after returning for the final drive with just minutes left. Three of those 16 snaps were kneel downs.

The victory was the first of the season for Prime and the Buffaloes, who are now 1-1. They hit the road for the first time this week, as they take on the Houston Cougars on Friday night. That game kicks off from the Lone Star State at 5:30 p.m. MDT on ESPN.

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