Colorado seeks to end 18-month losing streak on the road at Arizona State

The Colorado Buffaloes travel to Tempe on Saturday to attempt to break a 17-month losing streak in away Big 12 conference play. The team has lost eight straight league games on the road since a 41-27 victory over Texas Tech on Nov. 9, 2024. That last road win came in Lubbock, Texas, where the Buffaloes overcame a 13-point deficit. Since that game, players Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders have moved to the NFL, and Texas Tech has banned the traditional tortilla toss.

Colorado enters the matchup against Arizona State with a 3-5 overall record and a 1-4 conference mark. The Sun Devils sit at 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big 12. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. MT at Mountain America Stadium. The game will air on ESPN2 and be broadcast on KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM. Arizona State leads the all-time series against Colorado, 11-4.

A pattern of late-game collapses has defined the Buffaloes' season. Colorado has taken the lead in every Big 12 game played this fall but has won only one. The team outscored opponents 31-17 in first quarters but has been outscored 61-21 in fourth quarters. The steepest drop came in a 57-24 loss to Oklahoma State, where Colorado led 24-23 at halftime. Similar scripts played out in losses to Texas Tech, Utah, and Baylor, where the Buffaloes surrendered the final 23, 14, and 10 points respectively.

Head coach Deion Sanders identified a clear statistical correlation between running the ball and winning. In the four games where Colorado ran at least 35 times, the team went 3-1 and did not throw an interception. In the other four games, the Buffaloes threw at least two interceptions and lost all of them. Sanders noted that opponents are focused on forcing quarterback Isaac Wilson into mistakes. He stated that the team must run the ball to stay within a target range of 15 to 24 passes per game.

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham acknowledged that Colorado leads most games early. He said the Sun Devils aim to stop the run and force the Buffaloes to throw the football. Defensive coordinator Brian Ward described this as the weekly game plan. Ward said that if Wilson is forced to hold the ball, the defense can get home. Dillingham also pointed to the Sun Devils' tendency to rally in the third quarter.

Colorado's defense has struggled to contain the run. When opponents have rushed for 180 or more yards, the Buffaloes have lost by 34, 22, and 33 points. When opponents are held under 130 rushing yards, Colorado is 3-1. Arizona State leads the ground game with running back Cardae Mack. Dillingham called Colorado's defense the most talented unit his team has faced this year. However, the Sun Devils have their own issues, having intercepted only four passes all season.

Turnovers could decide the outcome. Colorado's defense has not forced a turnover in three of its last four games. Sanders admitted on the Colorado Football Coaches Show that the team is not provoking turnovers. The Buffaloes are 3.5-point underdogs. It is family weekend in Tempe, and members of Arizona State's 1996 team will visit the locker room before the game. Offensive lineman Chauncey Gooden said the team's mentality is to win back-to-back games.

The last time Colorado won a Big 12 road game was against Texas Tech. The goal in Tempe is to extend that streak to two wins in a row. If Colorado loses Saturday, its road losing streak will pass two years before the next road conference game at Cincinnati on Nov. 21. The Buffaloes have not won the turnover battle in any of their five losses this season.