Colorado football overcame a rough start to beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 41-27. With the win and an Iowa State loss to Kansas, the Buffs are in control of their own destiny as they sit in sole possession of second place just behind BYU.
Not to mention, Colorado is now the quietest College Football Playoff contender in the country.
How'd they get here? Let's take a look at one of the Buffs' most bizarre wins in recent memory from Lubbock, Texas.
Colorado football overcame rough start to win bizarre game against Texas Tech
Texas Tech started hot out of the pen with a four-play, 54-yard drive resulted on a touchdown just over a minute into the contest.
After a three-and-out by the Buffs offense, the Red Raiders had a four-plus minute drive in their next possession, but ended on a field goal to increase the lead to 10-0. Colorado lacked any offensive cognition in the opening quarter, as they produced seventeen combined yards in three full possessions in the opening quarter.
With ten minutes to go in the half, the Buffs finally got on the scoreboard with a six-play, 58-yard drive before QB Shedeur Sanders connected on a 15-yard touchdown throw to WR LaJohntay Wester.
After forcing Texas Tech to punt, Colorado scored once again on a four-plus minute drive of their own, cultivated with a K Alejandro Mata field goal from 25 yards to cut the deficit to three. The second quarter was a complete reversal of fortune as the Buffs dominated the total offensive yards by a count of 152 to 22 yards of offense by the Red Raiders.
In the third quarter, the Buffs continued their momentum. Sanders capped off a four-minute, 75-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown run, giving the Buffs first lead of the game.
Texas Tech responded with a touchdown drive of their own and retook the lead midway through the quarter. But then, the Buffs began to accelerate and took control of the game.
Before the end of the quarter, Sanders would find WR Will Sheppard for a five-yard score to give the Buffs the lead they would never relinquish.
The Buffs extended their lead to eleven as Sanders connected to Utility star Travis Hunter on a 24-yard score for Hunter’s ninth receiving touchdown of the season.
Then the Buffs defense responded with a valiant, bend-but-not-brake effort as they forced three Red Raiders turnovers and two fourth down stops, including a massive goal-line stand early in the fourth quarter.
Colorado increased their lead early in the fourth quarter on another field goal by Mata.
Texas Tech made things interesting with a touchdown drive with over two minutes left in regulation. After the Buffs offense failed to run down the clock, the defense responded with the game-sealing fumble touchdown by Shilo Sanders.