Colorado's Shedeur Sanders goes up against stingy UCLA defense: Week 9 Preview
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.
With a UCLA defense that gives up only 14 points a game, it's a make or break for CU to compete and have their best performance of the season. The Bruins bolster one of the best defensive units in the FBS but have yet to face an explosive offense like Colorado. The Bruins give up only 214 pass yards a game, a stat that could be in danger with Sanders at the helm.
This will be the top ranked defense versus the top ranked offense in the Pac-12. The real question is, can this stifling defense handle such an explosive offense? Can Sanders continue his impressive season? What will Colorado look like after being rested? All these questions will be answered on Saturday evening.
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.
