Colorado Takes One To The House After Pregame Fireworks, But Colorado State Responds

The Colorado Buffaloes are suddenly the center of the college football universe, thanks to head coach Deion Sanders.

Both College Gameday and Big Noon Kickoff descended on Boulder Saturday morning ahead of the Buffaloes’ rivalry game with the Colorado State Rams.

The stakes got even higher after CSU head coach Jay Norvell threw some shade at Sanders for his habit of wearing shades.

READ: COLORADO STATE COACH TELLS DEION SANDERS TO ACT RIGHT WHEN SPEAKING TO ADULTS

Tensions ran high before the game, with both sides getting into a bit of a pregame altercation at midfield. Supposedly set off by a Rams player knocking away a warm up pass intended for Travis Hunter.

The fireworks and intensity continued almost immediately once the game actually kicked off. Shilo Sanders returned an interception for 80 yards to give Colorado an early 7-0 lead.

The Rams fired right back though, using a trick play to tie the score 7-7.

The game took another crazy turn as Travis Hunter fumbled fighting for extra yards, leading to a 14-7 Colorado State lead.

Colorado fought back though, helped along by a big penalty on an excessively late hit on Hunter, knocking him out of the game temporarily.

All before the end of the first quarter!

BOULDER, CO - SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes walks on the field as players warm up before a game against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field on September 16, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Colorado Facing Some Adversity

The Buffaloes entered Saturday as significant favorites to easily run over the Rams. But rivalry games are seldom as easy as expected.

Especially one where there’s been this much back and forth between the coaches before the game even starts.

Sure enough, it’s been a wild, back and forth battle with huge momentum swings, big plays, and a severely late hit on a star player.

It’s already the most exciting game of Week 3, and we haven’t even gotten to the handshake yet.