University of Colorado Athletics

BOULDER — In the end, the Colorado Buffaloes’ speed proved to be too much for North Dakota State.

Granted, not by much. Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders’ team had to work a full 60 minutes Thursday night to come away with a 31-26 win at Folsom Field.

But the Buffs speed at the skill positions — specifically wide receiver — made the biggest difference.

“We knew we had a tremendous amount of athletes and it was going to be tough covering them on the back end,” Coach Prime told the media after the game. “With the Shedeur (Sanders) and his accuracy, we knew that was going to be tough on them. We just had to hold them and get stops so we could get the ball.”

That last part proved to be a bit difficult for the Buffs in the first half. NDSU scored on its first four possessions to take a 20-17 lead into the break.

But after some halftime adjustments, Colorado’s defense stiffened and gave the offense a chance — and the Bison had no answer.

The Buffs almost scored on their opening possession of the second half before a freak interception in the end zone halted the drive. But CU delivered on its next two possessions, chalking up a quick-strike touchdown — five plays and 72 yards in just 2:04 — to take a 24-20 lead, then hammering out a decisive 17-play, 80-yard drive for what proved to be the winning touchdown.

Colorado’s receivers were outstanding all night. QB Sanders threw for 445 yards while Jimmy Horn Jr. and Travis Hunter each caught nine passes. Hunter finished with 132 yards and three touchdowns while Horn had a career-high 198 yards and one score. 

Sanders had nine completions of at least 16 yards, including a 41-yard scoring pass to Hunter and a 69-yard TD to Horn.

But Hunter’s best catch of the night might have been a 3-yard touchdown that capped CU’s 80-yard scoring drive. Despite being corralled in the end zone by an NDSU defender, he somehow contorted his body around the defender to make the catch.

“He (Sanders) got on me for not catching one (earlier),” Hunter said. “I told him to throw me the ball no matter what. So he got mad at me. He was like, ‘I don’t care, catch the ball.’ So that one, I just knew I had to catch the ball. I had no other choice, no other option.”

Hunter and Sanders have been working together since their days together at Jackson State and it’s clear they have developed a special chemistry.

“Years and years and years of connections, years of talking about different things,” Sanders said. “He plays defensive back. So he understands body position, he understands a lot of things a lot of receivers don’t understand. So that’s like the pro of having him out there. He gets out there and he handles his business. We’re just locked in mentally.”

NOT DISAPPOINTED IN RUN GAME: One of the Buffs’ offseason goals was to improve a run game that was among the worst in the nation last year.

Thursday, CU finished with just 59 yards on the ground — but Coach Prime said he wasn’t disappointed in the effort.

“Our running backs are good,” Sanders said. “We got to do a better job of using them a lot more, getting more yardage, but we got to take what they gave us.”

Sanders said NDSU stacked the box on occasion to stop the run, leaving the passing game open.

“You got to take what people give you,” he said. “What did we throw for,  445 yards? You think we’re upset? Running game? The passing game looked pretty darn good today so let’s be appreciative and thankful that \ we got one of the premier guys in college football spinning it. We’re going to run the ball. We’re going to do that. We’re going to have a lot more balance. Today was just that type of day. You got to take what they give you.”

BUFFS BITS: CU had two quarterback sacks, one from nose tackle Chidozie Nwankwo and one from linebacker LaVonta Bentley … CU gave up just one quarterback sack, the fewest in a game in the Coach Prime era … CU’s red zone defense held the Bison to field goals twice, a critical outcome on the final score … Press box statistics had linebacker Trevor Woods as CU’s leading tackler with 10, followed by safeties Shilo Sanders with nine and Savion Riley with seven. Riley came in for injured Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig early in the game and had a solid effort … The Buffs did not come up with a defensive takeaway … CU finished with just three penalties.