NCAAF

Colorado Buffaloes at Kansas Jayhawks

· NCAA - Football
8-3, 4-2 Away
Final
21 - 37
5-6, 4-2 Home

Devin Neal scores 4 times, Kansas beats No. 16 Colorado 37-21 as Buffs' Big 12 title hopes take hit

Tempers flare as Shedeur Sanders appears to shove official

Jalon Daniels threw for 189 yards and a touchdown, and the Jayhawks (5-6, 4-4) scored on every offensive possession but their last, keeping Colorado stars Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy candidate Travis Hunter standing on the sideline.

“We controlled our own destiny,” Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders said afterward, “and we fumbled it.”

Now, the Buffaloes (8-3, 6-2 Big 12, No. 16 CFP) need to beat Oklahoma State next week and get some help to play for a title in their return to the Big 12, and ultimately earn the league’s guaranteed spot in the College Football Playoff.

Shedeur Sanders finished with 266 yards passing and three TDs, setting the Colorado single-season record with 30 of them, and Hunter had eight catches for 125 yards and two scores as the two-way standout continued his Heisman campaign.

Problem is Hunter did little on defense, nor did anyone else in an all-white uniform. Kansas controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes, piled up 331 yards rushing and finished with 520 yards of total offense.

“There was a lot of negativity hanging around about what was wrong with this program and what should be done, and all of that,” said Kansas coach Lance Leipold, whose team became the first in FBS history with a losing record to beat three straight teams in the AP Top 25. “They owned it, they kept working, they stuck together and you can see the results of that.”

The Jayhawks, whose back-to-back wins over Iowa State and BYU had given them newfound confidence, suddenly resemble the team expected to challenge for a Big 12 title, before a series of late-game collapses resulted in a 1-5 start.

“We've just played with an extra edge, just in general these last three weeks. We have a different motivation,” said Neal, who also became the first player in Kansas history with three 1,000-yard rushing seasons. “Eventually we were just tired of losing — tired of losing the close ones. We knew what we had to do. It was a matter of doing it.”

The Jayhawks sure did it Saturday, opening the scoring with Neal's 51-yard touchdown catch. They forced a three-and-out and scored again for a 10-0 lead. And when they got the ball back yet again, taking advantage of a misfiring Colorado offense, Kansas churned down field and Neal scampered into the end zone for another score.

It was 17-0 before Hunter, who has emerged as the Heisman front-runner, took a short pass from Sanders and cut up field, deftly slipping between several Kansas defenders and going untouched 51 yards for a touchdown.

The teams traded scores into the break, the Jayhawks holding tight to a 23-14 advantage. The question became whether Leipold and the Jayhawks would rue kicking field goals of 24, 23 and 25 yards rather than going for those first-half touchdowns.

Nope.

After the Buffaloes closed within 23-21 on Hunter's second TD catch, the Jayhawks marched 80 yards with Neal answering the score. Kansas immediately forced a three-and-out, sacking Sanders on third down — he appeared to shove an official in the back after the play — and the Neal scored again to cap an 8-plus minute drive and give the Jayhawks a 37-21 lead.

Colorado's comeback chances ended when Cobee Bryant broke up a pass in the end zone on fourth down late in the game.

“It was fun in the locker room, man,” Bryant said, "just to see the whole team smiling, having fun, jumping around.”

The Takeaway Colorado will lament a defense that was simply incapable of stopping the Jayhawks. Defensive back Shilo Sanders was flagged twice and gave up several big plays, while the Buffaloes were bullied up front by the Kansas offensive line.

Kansas could improbably make a bowl game for a third straight season for the first time in school history. The Jayhawks merely need to beat Baylor in their regular-season finale to earn an invitation.

Up Next Colorado plays Oklahoma State on Friday.

Kansas visits Baylor on Saturday.

How To Watch

How can I watch Colorado Buffaloes vs. Kansas Jayhawks?
  • TV Channel: Buffaloes at Jayhawks 2021 College Football, week 13, is broadcasted on FOX.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Matchup Prediction

Jayhawks: 45.7%
Buffaloes: 54.3%
*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Scoring Summary

KU TD 1st Period 11:44 Devin Neal 51 Yd pass from Jalon Daniels (Tabor Allen Kick)
KU FG 1st Period 2:39 Tabor Allen 24 Yd Field Goal
KU TD 2nd Period 9:02 Devin Neal 9 Yd Run (Tabor Allen Kick)
COLO TD 2nd Period 7:18 Travis Hunter 51 Yd pass from Shedeur Sanders (Alejandro Mata Kick)
KU FG 2nd Period 3:47 Tabor Allen 23 Yd Field Goal
COLO TD 2nd Period 1:51 Drelon Miller 19 Yd pass from Shedeur Sanders (Alejandro Mata Kick)
KU FG 2nd Period 0:07 Tabor Allen 25 Yd Field Goal
COLO TD 3rd Period 11:59 Travis Hunter 26 Yd pass from Shedeur Sanders (Alejandro Mata Kick)
KU TD 3rd Period 7:18 Devin Neal 1 Yd Run (Tabor Allen Kick)
KU TD 4th Period 11:47 Devin Neal 2 Yd Run (Tabor Allen Kick)

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/38.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originCOLO https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2305.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originKU
15 1st Downs 29
3-7 3rd down efficiency 9-14
0-2 4th down efficiency 2-2
308 Total Yards 520
266 Passing 189
23/29 Comp/Att 14/21
9.2 Yards per pass 9.0
42 Rushing 331
13 Rushing Attempts 57
3.2 Yards per rush 5.8
8-65 Penalties 5-35
0 Turnovers 0
0 Fumbles lost 0
0 Interceptions thrown 0
19:49 Possession 40:11

Game Information

GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium

Location: Kansas City, MO
Attendance: 56,470 · Capacity:
Full Standings

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