Tag: Alamo Bowl

Colorado’s loss in Alamo Bowl draws record viewership numbers

Colorado’s matchup with BYU in the Alamo Bowl produced a record-setting audience

It wasn’t a particularly great game between the Colorado Buffaloes and BYU Cougars, but Saturday’s Alamo Bowl did draw an impressive television audience.

According to Nielsen, 8 million viewers tuned in to the ABC broadcast, setting an Alamo Bowl record. That impressive total also marked the most-watched non-College Football Playoff/New Year’s Six bowl game since the 2020 Citrus Bowl between the Michigan Wolverines and Alabama Crimson Tide.

The Alamo Bowl was Colorado’s most-watched game this season and the fourth-most-watched in the head coach Deion Sanders era (h/t BuffZone’s Brian Howell). The announced Alamodome attendance of 64,261 was the 12th-highest in Alamo Bowl history.

With quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter playing in their final college game, Colorado fell to BYU, 36-14.

Among this year’s non-CFP bowls, the Pop-Tarts Bowl between Iowa State and Miami produced the next-largest audience at 6.8 million.

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Day after Shedeur Sanders shows off Giants cleats, New York drops 3 spots in Draft order

Saturday Shedeur Sanders was showing off New York Giants cleats. Sunday the Giants won and dropped from being in line for the top pick.

Shedeur Sanders may be a bit too much online. A few weeks ago — when the Raiders were in line for the top pick — he was teasing everyone on social media with silver and black stuff and talking about how great Allegiant Stadium is.

Then the Raiders beat the Jaguars in week 16 and dropped out of position for the top pick and were replaced by the New York Giants.

Not coincidentally, on Saturday, Sanders was showing off a pair of red, white and blue New York Giants cleats prior to Colorado facing off against BYU in the Alamo Bowl

The Buffalo would get trounced by the Cougars 34-14, by the way.

The next day, on Sunday, the Giants went out and beat the Colts, dropping New York from their catbird seat in line for the first overall pick all the way to fourth overall, behind the Patriots, Titans, and Browns who all have lower Strength of Schedule than the Giants.

I’m not suggesting Sanders’s teasing is the kiss of death for the team in line for the top pick. But perhaps that he should stop with the teasing and just, you know, go about his business. He might look a bit less foolish. Not to mention like he’s more serious about football than social media or just being taken first overall.

Deion Sanders credits coordinators for Colorado’s step forward in 2024

Deion Sanders thanked his coordinators for this season’s success

While the Buffs’ 2024 season ended dismally on Saturday, Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders has plenty to be proud of regarding his team’s 9-4 campaign, specifically offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and defensive coordinator Robert Livingston.

“They did a wonderful job,” Sanders said following CU’s 36-14 loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. “I’m proud of them. I love them for life. They know how to communicate with all our young men. They put them in positions to be extremely successful. I love where we’re headed.”

The Buffs improved from top to bottom this season with more consistency on both sides of the ball. Shurmur guided CU’s offense to an impressive season with electrifying performances against the UCF Knights, Arizona Wildcats and Texas Tech Red Raiders. Livingston helped Colorado’s defense go from a downright liability to a strong, cohesive unit.

Colorado will lose a plethora of key players this offseason, but Shurmur, Livingston and the culture they have created should bring fans optimism for next year.

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Shedeur Sanders displays New York Giants-themed cleats at Alamo Bowl

Shedeur Sanders made giant statement with his cleats before Alamo Bowl

Shedeur Sanders let his feet speak at the Alamo Bowl as Colorado faced BYU on Saturday.

The Buffaloes quarterback displayed custom New York Giants cleats before the game. The reason? Big Blue currently is in position for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft with two games left.

That would be a message delivered.

This was the third bowl game in 50 years between conference opponents. Colorado returned to the Big 12 and BYU was in its first season in the conference.

Colorado WR Omarion Miller may return from injury in Alamo Bowl

One of Colorado’s top young wide receivers may make his return from injury in the Alamo Bowl

The Colorado Buffaloes may see the return of a talented wide receiver in the Alamo Bowl next week.

Omarion Miller, who has missed the last two months of action with a leg injury, claimed he would be back healthy for the Buffs’ Dec. 28 matchup against BYU, as revealed in Deion Sanders Jr.’s latest Well Off Media YouTube video.

“I’ll be back practicing tomorrow,” Miller said Wednesday. “Taking it slow, but y’all will see me in that bowl game, for sure.”

Miller suffered the injury on a hip-drop tackle early in the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats on Oct. 12. The sophomore had shined up to that point in the game, hauling in eight catches for 145 yards.

For the season, however, Miller logged a catch in just one other game. He finished with two receptions, including a 58-yard touchdown, against Baylor on Sept. 21. In his two seasons at Colorado, Miller has 21 catches for 450 yards and two touchdowns.

With Miller seen as a key piece of the Buffs’ future, CU’s coaching staff will have a decision to make on whether the newly-recovered young wideout will be allowed to play in San Antonio next weekend.

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Robert Livingston looking to send Colorado’s seniors off right in Alamo Bowl

Robert Livingston wants to send CU’s seniors off right

Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston has done a remarkable job since he was hired by head coach Deion Sanders last winter. CU’s defense improved in most statistical categories, translating to overall team success. However, Livingston has another challenge to close his first year in Boulder.

On Tuesday, the former Cincinnati Bengals secondary coach spoke to the media to discuss the BYU Cougars, who will challenge Colorado in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28.

“They do a great job,” Livingston noted of BYU. “The quarterback’s (Jake Retzlaff) a great player. It’s a phenomenal challenge.”

With the Big 12 heavyweight showdown around the corner, Livingston shared high praise for the Cougars and encouragement for the Buffs’ graduating class.

“I’m excited for these guys,” Livingston said. “It’s just all about the seniors. I’ll do everything in my power to send them off the right way.”

Livingston also mentioned that players who redshirted during the 2024 season, such as linebacker Jeremiah Brown, may be used situationally in the Alamo Bowl.

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Colorado-BYU tabbed as one of top non-College Football Playoff bowl games

Colorado-BYU was tabbed as one of the best non-CFP bowl games

Though Colorado would’ve preferred a spot in the College Football Playoff, its season will resume on Dec. 28 with an intriguing matchup with BYU in the Alamo Bowl.

The excitement surrounding this game varies greatly among CU fans. Some are simply pleased the Buffs are headed to a postseason game while others aren’t thrilled about Colorado facing an in-conference opponent in a bowl it has played twice since 2016. Regardless, all will tune in to watch quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman frontrunner Travis Hunter play in their final game as Buffs.

For that reason and others, USA TODAY Sports ranked Colorado-BYU as this year’s second-best non-College Football Playoff bowl game. Here’s what USA TODAY Sports writer Eddie Timanus wrote on the Alamo Bowl:

Had a few tiebreakers lined up differently this could have been the Big 12 championship game. As it is, it’s a high-profile pairing that should have nearly full participation from both teams. That means both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter playing their final game for the Buffaloes.

The Pop-Tarts Bowl matchup between Miami and Iowa State took the top spot in USA TODAY Sports’ ranking. There, Heisman finalist Cam Ward will face a 10-win Cyclones team that lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game.

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Paul Finebaum thinks Texas will be better than Oklahoma in 2024

ESPN’s Paul Finebaum thinks the Longhorns will have a better season than the Sooners.

The Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns are both officially joining the [autotag]Southeastern Conference[/autotag] in on July 1. Both football programs are looking to make a great first impression in the SEC, but who will be able to put their best foot forward?

Well, according to one ESPN college football analyst, the Longhorns will have the better season.

Paul Finebaum made an appearance on “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” and said that Texas would be better than Oklahoma in 2024.

Here’s what Finebaum told Greg McElroy and Cole Cubelic when asked who would win more in year one in the SEC:

“Texas. They’re better prepared for it, and I think their roster is probably inherently better. I’ll defer to you guys, but I think it’s pretty obvious [with] what they have across the board. I think there’s some unknowns at Oklahoma,” Finebaum said. “The schedules could be the equalizer because Texas’ schedule is challenging. Oklahoma’s is tricky.”

Finebaum’s opinion isn’t an unpopular one. Most analysts nationally have Texas a step or two ahead of Oklahoma heading into the SEC. After all, Texas won the [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] and went to the [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] last year. OU had to settle for a trip to the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag], even after beating Texas in the [autotag]Red River Shootout[/autotag]. Losses to Kansas and Oklahoma State took the Sooners out of the College Football Playoff and the conference title game races.

[autotag]Steve Sarkisian[/autotag] has also been at Texas one year longer than [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] has been at Oklahoma. Sark has had more time to build his roster.

On the other hand, Texas’ 2023 season was the first true sign of life in a half-decade for the Longhorns. It was also the first time they were truly contenders since 2009.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, continued to run the Big 12 while UT floundered. This was before a coaching change in Norman shifted the momentum of the conference. Now, the Sooners are trying to build back better than before. However, none of Texas’ perceived advantages mattered last year in OU’s 34-30 instant classic of a win in the Cotton Bowl.

Both teams lost talent and production from 2023. Both coaching staffs have done well to replenish their depth charts in recruiting and the transfer portal.

October 12 will be a huge day for both programs, the SEC, and for the landscape of college football. But looking even further, the entire 2024 season will do a lot to shape the national perception of OU and Texas as they embark on their respective journeys in a new conference.

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Nic Anderson named a freshman All-American by FWAA

The accolades keep on coming as Nic Anderson was named a freshman All-American by FWAA.

We are nearly a month since the 2023 college football season for the Oklahoma Sooners came to a close. Still, the accolades keep on coming for the Sooners.

This time, it’s for wide receiver [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag]. Anderson was named to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team, the FWAA announced Tuesday. Anderson joins [autotag]Marvin Mims Jr.[/autotag] as the only Sooners to be recognized by the FWAA as freshman All-Americans.

Anderson finished the year with 798 yards and 10 touchdowns on 38 receptions. His 10 touchdowns were a school freshman record, and his 798 receiving yards are the second most ever by an OU freshman, falling nine yards short of [autotag]CeeDee Lamb[/autotag]’s record.

He ranked fifth nationally with his 21.0 yards per reception and he registered at least 100 receiving yards three times on the year and 90 or more receiving yards in five games.

Anderson was a touchdown machine. He scored multiple touchdowns twice this season. His coming out party was when he snagged three touchdowns on three receptions with a season-high 120 yards at [autotag]Tulsa[/autotag].

He also scored twice while gaining 105 yards on five catches against [autotag]UCF[/autotag]. His most memorable play was when he caught the game-winning touchdown against the Texas Longhorns with 15 seconds remaining.

He had 119 yards on four catches against [autotag]West Virginia[/autotag]. He made his record-setting 10th touchdown on a great catch in the [autotag]Alamo Bowl[/autotag] against [autotag]Arizona[/autotag] on a great throw by [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag].

Anderson was also named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and was a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

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Jackson Arnold could be more prolific than Gabriel says 247Sports

It wasn’t perfect nor was it all bad. Jackson Arnold’s first start gives Sooner fans some optimism for the future.

The [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] era had a rocky start for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners lost, 38-24, in the Alamo Bowl, and Arnold turned the ball over four times.

While you want to win every game you play, the most important thing about that bowl game was Arnold getting some experience as the starter against a good team. You would much rather him have a game like this in a meaningless game than when the Tennessee Volunteers come to Norman next season.

While there was obviously some bad, there was also abundant good.

He showed off his incredible arm talent and his ability to run. The throw he made to [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] for a touchdown is a prime example of that talent. There aren’t many people on earth, let alone a true freshman, who can make that throw.

He also had a great ball to [autotag]Drake Stoops[/autotag] on third and long, which might have been his best throw of the day. He showed great mobility in the pocket. He was under pressure at times and found ways to escape and still make plays.

247Sports broke down the new wave of college football quarterbacks and how they think each new quarterback fared in their debuts.

Much development still needs to take place but Arnold can be even more prolific than Dillon Gabriel with his elite arm and mobility. — Clint Brewster, 247Sports

Brewster is exactly right. Arnold has work to do. Understandably so. He’s a true freshman, but his ceiling is very high. The talent is there to be the next great quarterback at Oklahoma. Now it’s about putting it all together.

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