Why Deion Sanders identifies difference between Saturday’s loss to Nebraska and 2023 win

“They didn’t turn the ball over. That was it,” Sanders said. “They made the plays, they didn’t turn the ball. That was it. They made the plays when they needed them. They got me that (play) that should have been an interception. It ended up popping up and they caught it. Not our day, baby, that stuff don’t normally happen. That was crazy. That was a heck of a play.”

That play, an 18-yard pass from Dylan Raiola to Rahmir Johnson with 40 seconds left in the first half put Nebraska up 28-0 at intermission. The Huskers didn’t score again as Colorado’s defense stiffened in the second half, giving the Buffaloes something positive to take out of Memorial Stadium.

“I’m definitely upset with how we started the game off, not ideal for what we want to do,” said safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig. “We have some positives. Last year, when we went down 20-0, we shut it all down. I’m definitely upset when we said how we started the game off, not ideal for what we want to do… Coming out of halftime we shut them down. So we’ve got something to build off.”

Silmon-Craig didn’t have a precise explanation as to why Nebraska put up 21 points on the Colorado defense in the first staff, beginning with a 49-yard touchdown drive on the Huskers first possession of the game.

“I don’t think we got overwhelmed,” Silmon-Craig said. “I feel like they just came out and played better. They came out and played better. We fought back at the end, but they just came out and balled out. Those guys flew around. They have a great coaching staff over there that put them in great position. They just came out and made plays.”

That was something Colorado didn’t do in the first half. The Buffs ended the first quarter with minus-2 yards in total offense and had 114 at halftime as Nebraska’s defense finished the game with six sacks of CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

That Sanders said was the most frustrating thing about the game for him: “Knowing that we have a tremendous offense, knowing that we can move the ball. We should be able to move the ball on anyone. We just couldn’t get it going today. We had some spurts and some great moments. We had some timing routes that we timed right up. But the way we started is just not indicative of who we are, and we just never got it together. Sometimes you have those games. Sometimes you have those days. It was just one of those games and dates simultaneously. No excuses.”

Sanders refused to criticize the offensive line, saying he prefers to find the positives in any game. But he was critical of his team for racking up 9 penalties for 104 yards.

“Everything got truly sloppy at the end,” Sanders said. “It was just flag and flag and flag, They had 12 for 105. Normally with that type of output, you usually come out victorious. But both of us were horrible.”

In the end, Nebraska simply outplayed Colorado, especially in the first half and, Sanders implied, deserved to win the game.

“Hats off to Coach Rhule and his staff, they coached a heck of a game,” Sanders said. “Great guy, like I said, we came in the class together as coaches, so I’m always rooting for them, unless they play us. But I’m happy — if we’re gonna get our butts kicked, might as well be him, a God-fearing man.”