Buffaloes’ Bowl Hopes Dwindle After Loss to West Virginia

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The Colorado Buffaloes faced a challenging loss, falling 29-22 to the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday. This defeat dropped their record to 3-7 and eliminated them from bowl contention for the season.

Head coach Deion Sanders expressed his frustration after the game, stating, “This is not who we are. We’re better than this, and [the fans] deserve better than this.” He emphasized the need for the team to improve and acknowledged that the players in the locker room possess more talent than their recent performances indicate.

Despite their record, the Buffaloes displayed resilience on the field. After struggling through a difficult season, they showed fight against West Virginia. Freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, making his first start, completed 22 of 35 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns.

Colorado fell behind early, trailing 9-0 and later 16-3. However, Lewis connected with Joseph Williams for a touchdown, narrowing the gap before halftime. Another touchdown pass to Omarion Miller brought the Buffaloes within three points in the third quarter.

However, the team was plagued by mistakes. They faced critical penalties and allowed seven sacks throughout the game. Sanders noted that mistakes are a part of the learning process for a young team.

Defensive player Tawfiq Byard echoed the team’s need for improvement, urging his teammates to execute better in critical moments. “We’ve got to finish games like this,” he said.

Although the Buffaloes were eliminated from postseason play, Lewis remained optimistic about the team’s future. “Realistically, we’re not going to give up,” he said, looking ahead to their next challenge. “Just recoup, regather, and get ready for the next week.”