Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders goes up against stingy UCLA defense: Week 9 Preview

Buffs looking to reset in the final five games of 2023

Colorado's Shedeur Sanders on the field pregame at Oregon

With a week of rest and a team looking for redemption, the Colorado Buffaloes (4-3) head on the road to take on the UCLA Bruins (5-2). The Buffs look to return to their winning ways against UCLA after suffering a heartbreaking 46-43 double overtime loss before the bye against a lackluster Stanford team.

In a tale of two halves, Colorado played phenomenally in the first half, taking a 29-0 lead into halftime and a complete meltdown in the second. With that game in the rearview, they now look ahead to their conference rivals, who are a perfect 3-0 at the Rose Bowl. The Buffs will have their hands full against a Bruins team that leads the conference in total defense.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders must be protected if they have any chance of winning this game. Colorado is the third-highest for sacks allowed with a total of 35. Sanders has made the most of his opportunities, putting up phenomenal numbers while giving his team a chance to win, averaging 34.4 points per game.

CU’s “Grown” QB led the nation in passing yards before the bye week. Sanders is currently fifth among all QBs with 2,420 yards, which is 156 yards behind Michael Penix Jr., who took the lead. Shedeur has two fewer interceptions and one more touchdown pass compared to Washington’s Heisman front-runner.

It’s the other side of the ball to keep an eye on, with the Buffs defense ranked dead last in FBS for yards allowed. They’ve been an undisciplined group that has looked better in practice over the past two week. Colorado coach Deion Sanders said the team’s session on Friday morning was the “best” during his time in Boulder. That’s a good sign with CU, who’ll need to cut down the over 300 passing yards allowed per game. The run game has fared no better, allowing 157 yards rushing.

It’s the first trip for Sanders’ Buffs to the Rose Bowl. An iconic venue that has been friendly to Colorado in the past. This marks CU’s last scheduled trip to California as a member of the Pac-12.

A game that could be a deciding factor for postseason play and will be nationally televised on ABC at 7:30pm ET.

UCLA Football: How To Watch Primetime Bruins Showdown Vs Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes

UCLA Football: How To Watch Primetime Bruins Showdown Vs Deion Sanders' Buffaloes - Sports Illustrated UCLA Bruins News, Analysis and More

Can Chip Kelly and co. handle Coach Prime?

Your 5-2 UCLA Bruins, the 23rd-ranked NCAA football program in the nation, are looking to keep letting the good times roll this Saturday, when they host Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders’ 4-3 Colorado Buffaloes.

The game tips off at 4:30 p.m. PT on ABC.

Coach Prime and co. head to the Rose Bowl hoping to be revitalized thanks to a bye week interlude. Their most recent bout was a surprise 46-43 loss to yet another Pac-12 rival, the lowly Stanford Cardinal. The Bruins, conversely, annihilated the Cardinal last week, to the tune of a 42-7 decimation. By the transitive property, at least, one might be a bit concerned for the Buffs’ chances.

Buffaloes star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the reigning SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, will have his work cut out for him against UCLA’s intimidating defense, the highest-rated in the Pac-12 conference.

The Bruins are currently 16.5-point favorites to win their second straight bout, per FanDuel.

It’s fascinating that UCLA is so heavily favored against Colorado, given that as of yet we don’t know the actual identity of Chip Kelly’s pick for starting quarterback heading into this weekend. True freshman Dante Moore seemed to have the inside track for most of the season, but back-to-back shaky performances against the Oregon State Beavers and the Washington State Cougars inspired Kelly to make a change last week, inserting junior Ethan Garbers back into the starting gig.

Garbers responded with a 240-yard (completing 20-of-28 pass attempts), two-touchdown performance and a 90.8 quarterback rating against Stanford. He certainly seems to have the inside track, at least. One wonders how FanDuel’s projected spread would be impacted if, for some reason, Moore got the nod.