Initial observations from the CU Buffs’ 28-16 loss to UCLA in head coach Deion Sanders’ Los Angeles debut as Colorado’s football coach.
1. If Shedeur Sanders had a clean pocket …: In hindsight, we should’ve seen this coming, sure. UCLA came into the evening averaging 3.43 sacks per game, third in the Pac-12. The Buffs entered Saturday giving up five sacks per game, which ranked last in the league. The end result on that front was fairly predictable: Seven Bruins sacks and a whopping minus-20 yards for CU QB Shedeur Sanders, who deserved better. And, no shock, didn’t get it.
2. Travis Hunter just hit the record book, and probably not for the last time: No. 12’s two picks, including another jaw-dropper, against the Bruins has vaulted an already crazy talent into some pretty crazy company. Hunter’s two picks in a game ties the CU record for most by a Buffs sophomore, which had happened only 19 times previously in program history. The last player to pull it off? Future Purdue coach Ryan Walters, who logged two picks against Texas Tech on Oct. 14, 2006.
3. Fewer flags (which helped): After some brain-melting penalties — 17 flags in all for 127 yards in damage — in a soul-crushing home loss to Stanford two weeks ago, we’ll say this for the Buffs: They were cleaner in Pasadena. Through three quarters, CU had been flagged just five times. Although one of those calls, a targeting call levied against safety Shilo Sanders late in the second quarter, proved costly, in hindsight.
4. Prime Effect? Not for L.A. fans at the Rose Bowl: We’ve found at least one Pac-12 stadium immune to the “Prime Effect”: The Rose Bowl. Even with eight tarps up, four along each end zone, the end zones at the venerable old bowl were about 55-60% filled by midway through the first quarter. Given the traveling interest in the Buffs, the bald spots in the crowd were unusually notable. Or we’re spoiled. Or both. Still, an announced crowd of 71,343 almost doubled the Bruins’ previous game-high, set in the opener (43,705) back on Sept. 2 against Coastal Carolina.
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