Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes came crashing back to earth in their second game of the season, falling 28-10 to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. After the high of their season-opening victory against North Dakota State, the Buffaloes found themselves struggling against a relentless Nebraska defense.
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Shedeur, who had been riding a wave of hype, faced a harsh reality check. Completing only 17 of 30 passes for 185 yards, he managed just a solitary touchdown while throwing an interception that was returned for a score. The Nebraska defense kept him under constant pressure, racking up five sacks and numerous hits that threw Colorado’s offense into disarray.
The disappointing performance quickly became fodder for social media trolls. X (formerly Twitter) lit up with fans taking shots at Sanders and the Buffaloes. One user quipped, “Safe to say, Shedeur Sanders won’t be flashing his watch again,” referencing to his much famous Rolex celebration.
Safe to say, Shedeur Sanders won’t be flashing his watch again #coloradovsnevraska #CUBuffs
— NFL World, What’s Up?? (@Whats_Up_NFL) September 8, 2024
Word is, he got sacked two more times from the tunnel to the locker room .
— Vincent B (@imkiddingrelax1) September 8, 2024
Did he show his watch? I didn’t see it
— CALIFORNEB (@HuskerFanDT) September 8, 2024
Another pointed out the quarterback’s struggles, noting, “Shedeur Sanders has been sacked as many times as he has completions. The hate watch is generational.”
Colorado is overrated and overhyped
— Barkley Super Bowl LIX MVP (0-0) (@BarkleysBurner_) September 8, 2024
Shedeur sanders has been sacked the same amount of times as he has completions . The hate watch is generational pic.twitter.com/ycfbmvpelK
— John (@iam_johnw) September 8, 2024
Shedeur Sanders as soon as he snaps the ball
— Overtime (@overtime) September 8, 2024
Fans were quick to label Colorado as “overrated and overhyped,” with many taking aim at the offensive line’s inability to protect their quarterback.
Adding to the controversy, Shedeur left the game with two minutes remaining, sparking further criticism about his leadership and attitude. While the broadcast didn’t confirm any injury, his early exit only fueled the fire of detractors.
Nothing is better than watching the Sanders family fail after being insanely arrogant
— Gridiron Gage (@gridirongage) September 8, 2024
Selfish prima donna
— Ricky Spanish (@rickysppanish) September 8, 2024
However, the Buffaloes did show signs of life in the second half, with Sanders finally connecting with LaJohntay Wester for a seven-yard touchdown late in the game. But by then, the damage was done. The late-game score felt more like a consolation prize than a real comeback attempt.
This loss was a tough pill to swallow for Colorado. Still, there’s a lot of football left to play this season but the game against Nebraska has made serious issues visible. The offensive line’s struggle to protect Sanders and the team’s overall poor performance in the first half were the red flags that can’t be ignored.
Now, the focus would be on their next Saturday’s matchup against Colorado State. The game would offer Deion Sanders’ side a chance to bounce back and prove that the Nebraska loss was just a bump in the road, not a sign of things to come.