BOULDER, Colo. -- Shedeur Sanders threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns, three of which were caught by Travis Hunter, as Colorado narrowly defeated FCS powerhouse North Dakota State 31-26 on Thursday night, marking the beginning of Year 2 under Deion Sanders. The Buffaloes faced a resilient Bison team that kept the game close, scoring with 2:19 remaining to keep the pressure on.
It seemed like Shedeur Sanders had secured the victory when he scrambled on a third-and-8 and drew a pass interference call, giving Colorado a first down with 1:41 left on the clock. With North Dakota State down to just one timeout, the Buffaloes opted to pass on first down, which allowed the Bison to stop the clock and force a punt. North Dakota State regained possession with 31 seconds remaining. Cam Miller threw a deep pass from his own 47-yard line as time expired, which was caught by Tyler Terhark just 4 yards short of the end zone.
The Bison’s methodical play in the first half kept Heisman hopeful Sanders and the Colorado offense on the sidelines. But when Sanders did take the field, he made it count. Jimmy Horn Jr. recorded seven catches for 198 yards and a touchdown, while Hunter caught seven passes for 132 yards, including a spectacular 3-yard touchdown catch that gave Colorado a 31-20 lead with 7:57 left. Hunter celebrated the play with a spin of the ball and a dance, despite playing the entire game on both offense and defense as a cornerback. Sanders completed 26 of 34 passes, throwing one interception and finishing with a passer rating of 219.4. The Colorado offense, similar to last season, showcased a potent passing attack but struggled in the running game. The revamped offensive line allowed just one sack, but Sanders still had to scramble frequently.Colorado’s defense, under new coordinator Robert Livingston, is still a work in progress. Miller’s 20-yard scramble for a touchdown made it 31-26, but his attempt at a 2-point conversion was incomplete. New North Dakota State coach Tim Polasek had his team on the brink of an upset. The Bison led 20-17 at halftime thanks to Miller’s performance, which included two rushing touchdowns and a passing score. North Dakota State, ranked No. 2 in the FCS preseason polls, proved why they are a formidable opponent. With the loss, the Bison fell to 9-5 against FBS teams, including 3-2 against teams from the Big Ten.
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