Colorado’s upset of No. 14 Houston had a brief moment of real tension when Isaac Wilson limped off the field in the third quarter Friday night at Folsom Field.
Wilson headed to the locker room after the scare, and true freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne was handed the keys with Colorado protecting a 28-20 lead. The concern didn’t linger for long. Wilson returned under center early in the fourth quarter, after the Buffaloes had already stretched the margin to 35-20 on the way to a 42-32 win.
The result was a major one for Colorado, which entered the night with just a 17 percent chance to win, according to ESPN Analytics.
“These kids are resilient. They have not stopped.
They have not quit, they have not given up, as well as our coaching staff. I’m really a proud guy right now,” Sanders said during his postgame interview with ESPN on the field.
Colorado’s comeback started with a frantic finish to the first half. Down 20-7, the Buffaloes struck twice in the final two minutes before the break. DeKalon Taylor ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run, then JaQuail Smith followed with a 32-yard score to send Colorado into halftime up 21-20.
Wilson kept the momentum going to open the third quarter, finding Joseph Williams on a 53-yard touchdown that pushed the lead to eight. By the 12:10 mark of the fourth quarter, Williams had five catches for 80 yards, while Wilson was 14-of-22 for 167 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The offense was humming in a way Colorado hasn’t often seen this fall. The Buffaloes piled up 392 yards at 8.0 yards per play, including 225 on the ground, and converted seven of 11 third downs.
Then came Sweetwyne’s moment.
With Wilson sidelined, the 6-3, 195-pound freshman from Lehi, Utah, needed just one carry to make his presence felt. His first rush of the night went 14 yards for a touchdown with 5:34 left in the third quarter, giving Colorado its most points against an FBS opponent this season.
Sweetwyne arrived as a three-star prospect out of Skyridge High School after backing off an early commitment to BYU. Before Friday, his college line included 11 completions on 17 attempts for 105 yards, plus a rushing touchdown against Weber State. His lone career start came at slot receiver against Texas Tech.
Colorado’s defense helped keep the night moving in the right direction, too. After three straight games without a takeaway, the Buffaloes had forced two turnovers by early in the fourth quarter. Boo Carter picked off Houston quarterback Conner Weigman, and Randon Fontenette added a sack.
Sanders also made the call to go with Sweetwyne ahead of redshirt freshman Julian Lewis, who started the first four games of the season, a choice that says plenty about where the true freshman sits in the quarterback order.
Wilson’s return eased the biggest concern for Colorado, which came into the game at 3-6 and needing to win out to become bowl eligible, with Cincinnati next on the schedule. His first series back ended on a fourth-down run at the Houston 38, so his mobility is still worth monitoring.
For a short stretch, though, Sweetwyne kept the offense steady when Colorado needed it most.
In Other News...
Houston Fans Wont Like What Deion Sanders Emphasized After This Loss
Houstons unbeaten momentum took a hit when Colorado stormed back from a 20-7 deficit to beat the No. 14 Cougars 42-26, a result that left plenty of frustration behind for a team that had been in control early. The loss stings on its own, but it also came against a Buffaloes group that has spent much of the season trying to find its footing and still managed to turn the game around with a composed second half.
Deion Sanders made sure to spotlight exactly that afterward, praising Colorados resilience and the balance it showed in the win. For Houston fans, that kind of postgame emphasis only adds to the annoyance, because it frames the Cougars not just as a team that got upset, but as one that let a winnable game slip away to a squad still chasing the two victories it needs to stay bowl-eligible. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Playoff Hopes Crashed In A Loss Cougars Fans Must Process
Houstons playoff path came to a hard stop in Boulder, where the No. 14 Cougars fell 42-32 to Colorado in a game that swung sharply after halftime. Houston had the kind of lead that can travel well in November, but Colorado kept landing explosive plays and turned the afternoon into a track meet the Cougars could not control.
The loss ended Houstons playoff hopes and left the Cougars to absorb a result built on momentum shifts and long touchdowns. Colorado, meanwhile, celebrated its first double-digit victory of the season with a field storm from the home crowd, a fitting finish to a game that kept changing shape until the final minutes. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Just Gave Deion Sanders A Chance To Build Real Momentum
Colorados win over No. 14 Houston arrived with the kind of urgency that can change a season, and it came after the Buffaloes had already put themselves in a hole. Trailing by 13 late in the second quarter, Colorado ripped off a 28-point run and pulled away for a 42-32 victory, its first over an AP top-15 team since 2007. For a program trying to regain relevance, it was the sort of result that can reshape the conversation in a hurry.
For Houston, the loss landed with real consequences beyond a single blemish in the standings. The Cougars entered with Big 12 title and playoff hopes still in view, but this setback made both paths much steeper. It was the kind of game that leaves a team wondering how much margin is left, especially when a lead slips away and a chance to strengthen its case disappears with it. [Read more 🡒]