Arizona State was a beatable opponent.
That was the consensus until about five minutes into Saturday evening’s tilt when it became clear that the Sun Devils’ size advantage was an obstacle too large for Colorado in its 42-34 loss.
Poor tackling was the most glaring issue and one that ultimately allowed ASU’s offense 557 total yards, including 10 plays for over 20 yards. And while JT Shrout’s offense had its moments, the Buffs’ rough defensive night has Colorado staring at a 1-7 record (1-2 under interim head coach Mike Sanford).
From the moment Xazavian Valladay scored on ASU’s opening drive, Colorado played from behind, trailing by as few as four points in the second quarter to as many as 22 in the fourth.
The Buffs did, however, have a respectable comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. Deion Smith, who rushed for a career-high 111 yards, punched in a late touchdown, and Jordyn Tyson returned a punt 88 yards into the endzone. But all of that was for naught as the Buffs couldn’t get another stop on D.
In his second consecutive start, JT Shrout threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, although his 38% passing embodied a continued issue. His most impressive moment came late in the second quarter when he hit Jordyn Tyson for a 58-yard touchdown on the run.
Colorado now looks ahead to a brutal month of November, starting with Oregon next Saturday.
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