21 hours ago3 min read

Prime Time Showdown: Colorado Battles BYU in Alamo Bowl

Shedeur Sanders (2) and Travis Hunter (12) | Colorado Buffaloes — © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The No. 23 Colorado Buffaloes (9-3) will face the No. 17 BYU Cougars (10-2) in the 32nd version of the Valero Alamo Bowl at 7:30 p.m. EST on Dec. 28 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The Buffaloes enter the game with momentum, having won five of their last six games, with the lone loss coming to Kansas (5-7) on Nov. 23. BYU, after a strong 9-0 start, struggled down the stretch, losing two of their last three games.

The Stakes

Both teams are looking to solidify their seasons with a marquee bowl victory as each missed out on the Big 12 Conference Championship game due to tiebreakers. Colorado is seeking its first bowl win since the 2004 Houston Bowl, while BYU aims to add to an already impressive season with their 11th victory. The Cougars have only won 11 games once in the past 14 seasons when they went 11-1 in 2020.

Jake Retzlaff | BYU QB #12 — © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Colorado’s dynamic playmakers, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, will play in this game despite most players in a similar situation sitting out the game due to injury concerns. Colorado has taken out the largest insurance policies on both players in college football history and coach Deion Sanders said, "We happen to have two players that are probably going to be the first two picks of the NFL Draft. I think we all know who those two are, and they have received, I think, the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered in college football."

Deion Sanders | Colorado Buffaloes Coach — © Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Key Players: Colorado Buffaloes

Shedeur Sanders, QB

Sanders, the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, put up impressive numbers during the regular season as he finished third in the FBS in passing yards (3,926), third in TDs (35) and second in completions (337). He ended the season playing some of his best ball as Sanders threw 14 TDs and only 2 INTs over the last four games.

Pro Football Focus scored Sanders with an elite 91.1 score for the year, ranking him fifth overall for all FBS QBs. Despite those impressive stats and accolades, Sanders can struggle under pressure as PFF rated him 63.3 with a completion percentage of 54.5 and three of his 8 INTs occurred when under duress.

Travis Hunter, Wide Receiver and Cornerback

The Heisman Trophy winner, and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, is the marquee player in this game. Hunter was on the field for an incredible 1,340 snaps this season with his Iron Man style of football by playing 688 snaps on defense and 672 snaps on offense. He was named to the All-Big 12 first-team at the WR and CB positions as a testament to his versatility. Fans will enjoy one last opportunity to see a rare and talented athlete like Hunter compete at the college football level.

Key Players: BYU Cougars

Jake Retzlaff, QB

Retzlaff received All-Big 12 honorable mention for his play this season for the Cougars. He finished with 2,796 passing yards, 20 TDs, 10 INTs and a 57.9 percent completion percentage. Retzlaff also tacked on 388 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs showing off his dual-threat abilities. According to PFF, the Buffaloes must be aware of the play-action pass as Retzlaff has an elite grade of 91.2 and has thrown 13 of his 20 TDs off of play-action.

Tyler Batty, Defensive Lineman

Batty, named to the All-Big 12 first-team defense, finished the season with 55 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2 INTs. Given the explosiveness of the Colorado offense, BYU will depend heavily on Batty and the other defensive lineman to generate consistent pressure on Sanders. While Batty only finished with 1.5 sacks, he led the team with 24 hurries according to PFF.

Trends to Watch

Both teams excel at generating turnovers as BYU is the top team in FBS averaging 2.4 takeaways per game but Colorado is close behind at 2.2 takeaways per game putting them fifth overall. BYU has been one of the more disciplined teams only averaging 4.9 penalties per game (tied for 18th in FBS) while Colorado has struggled by averaging 8.1 penalties per game (125th in FBS).

Game Prediction

If BYU can win the turnover battle and let Colorado beat itself with penalties, coach Kalani Sitake's Cougars have a chance to pull off the upset. In a refreshing change of pace, coach Sanders's focus on all of his players playing in the game bodes well for a focused and top performance by Colorado to win the Alamo Bowl. Look for Shedeur and Hunter to wrap up their college careers with elite performances for a Buffaloes victory.

Prediction: Colorado 37, BYU 28.