CU's near-comeback vs. USC shows Buffs' present still all about the future

BOULDER — Even with so much hype around the present, it’s still all about the future for this Colorado football team.

The arrival of Deion Sanders has sparked “Coach Prime” mania, bringing pregame shows, celebrities, national broadcasts and celebrity culture to Boulder.

It was on full display again at Folsom Field on Saturday.

A crowd of 54,032 (the most since Oct. 2003) packed the stadium for yet another big-name opponent, this time reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams and USC.

The on-field product still matters, though. And the first half? That was a story of the Buffs’ present.

Lackluster. Erratic. Error-prone. Flashes of potential, but still defensively undermanned.

Williams shredded a Buffs defense that was missing star defensive back Travis Hunter plus Shilo Sanders and Carter Stoutmire in the secondary — Deion was quick to point that fact out.

The USC QB threw for 403 yards, including six touchdowns in the first three quarters of the Trojans' 48-41 win.

That’s why USC was up 34-7 (then 41-14, then 48-21…) and threatening to embarrass CU like Oregon did in last week’s 42-6 thrashing.

3 takeaways: Caleb Williams, USC football survive late Colorado comeback

A funny thing happened along the way.

The second half was about CU’s future, even if you take junior quarterback Shedeur Sanders at his word.

“It means nothing,” he said of the comeback that fell short. “Because we just lost.”

Zero moral victories here, of course. You expect that blunt message from the parties involved.

This can absolutely be a building block, though. Scoring 20 straight points against a top-10 team is proof enough.

“Today we got a glimpse of what our identity can be,” Shedeur said. “We got our mindset in the second half.”

More: How it happened: Caleb Williams, USC football hold off Colorado comeback effort

Just start with freshman wideout Omarion Miller, who came into the game without a catch this season. All he did was grab seven passes for 196 yards and a touchdown

He sparked a stagnant offense that was lacking the big plays from season-opening wins vs. TCU and Nebraska.

There was the 65-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter to set up a score. Miller nearly hauled in an acrobatic 2-point conversion off the next TD. And he made a spectacular sliding catch to cut the deficit to 14 points.

“Last night, I dreamed about playing like this,” Miller said.

“His confidence is going to soar through the roof now,” Deion Sanders said, even acknowledging that Miller’s practice performance hadn’t yet matched his breakout game.

Miller wasn’t alone.

Touted 5-star freshman Cormani McClain made several big-time pass breakups in his first full-game action of the season. Anthony Hankerson ran for a touchdown.

That green CU defense also found its footing as the offense did. The Buffaloes did not allow points on six of USC’s final eight possessions and picked Williams off for the first time this year.

Colorado nearly pulled off the comeback, only needing an onside-kick recovery after Jimmy Horn Jr.’s second late touchdown, for a chance to win or tie.

And even with another sellout crowd full of Hall of Fame athletes and famous rappers backed by a student section egging CU on late in the loss, the atmosphere itself was another win for an ascendant program.

Deion was recruiting even in the postgame press conference, telling recruits he needed them.

After the game, the questions led an obvious direction.

“Was this a moral victory?” or “Can you take momentum from this game?” was the refrain.

Sanders wasn’t exactly exasperated by them, but he understood it was another opportunity to use the Buffs’ present to sell their future.

As many college football observers declared CU a fraud before halftime, the second half showed the party in Boulder isn't just still raging.

It's just getting started.

"I’m truly proud of the way we represented Boulder today,” Sanders said.

“If you can’t see what’s coming with CU football, you’ve lost your mind. You’re a flat-out hater.”

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado football: Buffs' close loss to USC shows CU's present still all about the future