Deion Sanders believes refs blew call on Colorado's final play vs. Kansas State

Coach Prime believes Will Sheppard was hit early to end the Buffs drive

Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

In a heart-stopping finish at Folsom Field, the Colorado Buffaloes came up short against Kansas State in a 31-28 defeat. With just 81 seconds left, the Buffaloes, down by three, faced a crucial fourth-and-five on their own 30-yard line. In a surprising move, CU opted for a deep pass, despite losing four key receivers, including top targets Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr. Shedeur Sanders dropped back and launched a pass down the right sideline toward Will Sheppard. However, the ball was broken up by K-State’s Keenan Garber amid significant contact.

Much to the dismay of the Colorado faithful, no flag was thrown for pass interference. The crowd, along with many watching on ESPN, expected a penalty that would have given the Buffaloes another chance to push for a win. Deion Sanders, Colorado’s head coach, expressed his frustration after the game, stating, “Looked like pass interference to me, but it was tough. I didn’t want it to end that way.” Despite his disappointment, Shedeur Sanders, who had orchestrated the play, took a more measured approach, saying, “Whatever the ref calls he calls. The call wasn’t pass interference, so it’s okay. We just gotta move forward.”

Ball was catchable. The defender pushing Sheppard away. This was a PI. pic.twitter.com/hY2rYer1zc

— Sully (@ICSully) October 13, 2024

Though the game ended in controversy, the Buffaloes' focus shifted to their defense, which had allowed an 84-yard Kansas State touchdown drive in just 51 seconds earlier. That drive proved to be the turning point, putting Colorado in a position where a comeback was necessary.

Shedeur Sanders delivered an impressive performance, throwing for 388 yards and three touchdowns while completing 34-of-40 passes, including a school-record 16 consecutive completions. However, an ill-timed interception in the second half and the inability to convert on that crucial fourth down sealed Colorado’s fate. Despite the loss, Sanders’ efforts kept CU in the game, even amidst injuries and K-State’s dominant ground game.

Colorado shake off the loss and moves on to a battle in the desert with Arizona on Saturday (4 p.m. ET on FOX).