Most Frustrating Penalties From Colorado vs. Northwestern

The Colorado Buffaloes' 41-7 loss to Northwestern on Saturday night was decided by much more than officiating, but several referee calls stood out during a frustrating night for Colorado. The Buffaloes struggled to move the football, committed four turnovers and were unable to slow down Northwestern's offense as the Wildcats pulled away.

Still, a number of penalties and officiating decisions had an impact on individual drives and generated attention throughout the game. Colorado was called for offensive holding multiple times, including penalties that erased plays, while a defensive unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty also extended a Northwestern drive.

Colorado Buffaloes Football Northwestern Wildcats Referee Officiating Deion Sanders Martin Stadium Offense Defense — Sep 19, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) runs for a touchdown against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado's Offensive Holding Calls

One of the more noticeable officiating storylines came from Colorado's offensive holding penalties.

During the second quarter, Colorado had a completion to Danny Taylor that moved the ball to the Northwestern 49-yard line, but an offensive holding penalty on Colorado's Chayse Gooden erased the play and pushed the Buffaloes back 10 yards. Just moments later, another Colorado offensive holding penalty was called on Felix Clements, again resulting in a 10-yard penalty and a replay of the down.

The back-to-back holding calls were particularly costly because they came during a drive when Colorado was attempting to generate some offensive momentum. Instead of putting the Buffaloes in a favorable position, the penalties forced Colorado to overcome additional yardage.

The officials also called a holding penalty earlier in the game on Colorado during a pass play involving Dylan Edwards. The penalty erased the play and contributed to another difficult offensive sequence for the Buffaloes.

None of those calls alone determined the game, but they became part of a larger problem for Colorado. The Buffaloes struggled to sustain drives throughout the night, and penalties made it even more difficult to overcome Northwestern's defense.

Defensive Penalty and Northwestern's Flag

Another call that stood out came late in the first half when Colorado's defense was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The penalty was assessed against Colorado's B.J. Carter and resulted in a 15-yard penalty.

The penalty came during a Northwestern drive that eventually resulted in a touchdown. Instead of forcing Northwestern to face a more difficult situation, Colorado's penalty gave the Wildcats additional yardage and helped keep the drive moving.

There was also an important penalty on Northwestern that affected a potential touchdown. Running back Joseph Himon II appeared to score on an 18-yard touchdown run, but an offensive holding penalty on Northwestern's R.J. Ahumaraeze erased the touchdown and moved the Wildcats back 10 yards. Northwestern ultimately continued the drive and scored anyway, with Aidan Chiles rushing for a touchdown shortly afterward.

That sequence was an example of how penalties affected both teams. Northwestern had several flags of its own, including false starts and the holding penalty that erased Himon's touchdown. However, the Wildcats were generally able to overcome those mistakes because of their overall control of the game.

The Impact of the Officiating

The officiating will likely be discussed by Colorado fans after the loss, but the overall statistics make it difficult to point to the referees as the primary reason for the 41-7 final score.

Colorado committed four turnovers, including three during the first half, while Northwestern consistently converted those opportunities into points. The Wildcats also controlled possession and produced 429 total yards compared with Colorado's 348.

The Buffaloes' offensive holding penalties and defensive unsportsmanlike-conduct call certainly hurt individual drives, but Colorado had opportunities to overcome them. Instead, the offense struggled to consistently produce, while Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles and the Wildcats' offense continued to find the end zone.

For Colorado, the more pressing issue is correcting the mistakes that were within the team's control. Penalties, turnovers and missed opportunities all contributed to a difficult night, and the Buffaloes will have to clean those areas up quickly with Big 12 play beginning next week.

The 41-7 loss was a significant setback for Colorado after its 2-0 start, but the Buffaloes now have an opportunity to respond against Baylor. The officiating calls will be part of the postgame discussion, but Colorado's biggest focus will likely be on eliminating the self-inflicted mistakes that made it difficult to compete with Northwestern.

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