Advertisement

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

chris abshire, fort collins coloradoan
·12 min read

It's another big game in Boulder.

Deion Sanders and Colorado football host top-10 USC with reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams and head coach Lincoln Riley in front of a sold-out Folsom Field crowd.

Sanders has brought "Coach Prime" fever to Colorado, with CU off to a 3-1 start but fresh off a lopsided road loss at Oregon. USC enters as a top-10 team with a 4-0 record, including a pair of Pac-12 wins.

Saturday's game is yet another big stage for the Buffaloes, featuring a 10 a.m. local kickoff for FOX's Big Noon broadcast.

How it happened

A look at USC's win over Colorado despite the Buffs' late comeback effort.

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

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

FINAL: USC 48, Colorado 41

The Buffs made it a game late, scoring the game's final 20 points after trailing by 27 late in the third quarter.

Caleb Williams was spectacular again, throwing for 403 yards, including six touchdowns in the first three quarters.

Shedeur Sanders finished with 421 total yards and five touchdowns, four of them passing.

Colorado makes it a one-score game late

After USC missed a 39-yard field goal that would have sealed the game, CU marched 78 yards in 10 plays, capped by Shedeur Sanders' 16-yard TD pass to Jimmy Horn Jr. with 1:43 left, the receiver's second score of the game.

Still, the Buffaloes have no timeouts left and need an onside kick recovery now to have a chance trailing 48-41.

CU cuts into lead with 4th-down TD

For all intents and purposes, this was the game.

CU had 4th and 4 from the USC 9 and Shedeur Sanders was under pressure. He rolled out to his right and found a sliding Omarion Miller in the endzone for a huge touchdown that keeps Colorado squarely in this game.

USC has a 48-34 lead with 11:55 left here. Buckle up, folks.

End 3rd quarter: USC 48, CU 27

The Buffs got another boost of momentum right before the quarter ended, as they finally forced a Caleb Williams mistake.

Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig picked off a deep shot from Williams on the first play of the drive, giving CU the ball near midfield. Colorado has the ball at the USC 40 to open the final period.

CU responds again

At the very least, Colorado is finding some offensive rhythm here after a slow start today and scoring just six points against Oregon last week.

Shedeur Sanders found tight end Michael Harrison on a screen pass for a 21-yard touchdown strike to again trim the lead. CU went for 2 even after a delay of game penalty and a near-catch was erased by video review.

USC still leads 48-27 with 1:03 left in the third quarter.

Caleb Williams gets sixth TD

This CU defense simply has no answer for Caleb Williams.

Williams found Jude Wolfe off a play-action fake for a 2-yard score, the quarterback's sixth TD pass of the game and tied for his career high.

USC is cruising now and leads 48-21 late in the third quarter.

Buffs bounce back

It's a long shot, but Colorado still has a pulse in this game.

The Buffaloes get a 2-yard touchdown run from Anthony Hankerson after a huge 65-yard catch-and-run by Omarion Miller.

USC still leads 41-21 with six minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

USC takes full control

The Trojans were already leading by 20, but the teams had merely traded punts to open the second half.

But USC broke things open even more with a 6-yard TD pass from Caleb Williams to Brenden Rice. That gives Williams 5 touchdown passes to go along with 23 of 27 passing for 320 yards.

It's USC 41-14 midway through the third quarter.

Nuggets in the house

There are a ton of current and former sports stars in Boulder this weekend, and several members of the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets are in the house.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Aaron Gordon, DeAndre Jordan and the Nuggets' trio of 2023 NBA Draft picks are all here in Folsom Field for this star-studded game.

HALFTIME: USC 34, Colorado 14

In a choppy, exciting first half, USC was far more buttoned up and capitalized after CSU mistakes.

The Buffs also can't meaningfully stop Caleb Williams right now, allowing five touchdown drives in seven drives as the reigning Heisman winner has completed 12 straight passes.

There is still potential for CU to get back in this game, as they will receive the opening kickoff of the second half.

Shedeur Sanders does it himself

Colorado gets a much-needed touchdown before the half, as Shedeur Sanders scrambles up an empty middle of the field for a 25-yard score.

He's been effective with his legs so far, running for 56 yards and a TD on seven carries.

Another Caleb Williams TD pass

This one is starting to get out of hand already, because CU cannot stop Caleb Williams and this Trojans offense.

The Heisman winner found Brenden Rice down the left sideline and Rice broke a tackle then dived into the endzone for another score. Williams is 16 of 19 for 248 yards plus four touchdowns and has completed 11 straight passes.

USC leads 34-7 with 2:55 left in the first half.

USC extends lead again

The Trojans take advantage of another Colorado mishap, blocking a punt after a dropped 3rd-down pass and scoring two plays later on Caleb Williams' 24-yard TD pass to Mario Williams.

It's USC 27, CU 7 exactly midway through the second quarter.

Colorado gets on the board

After five dormant quarters, the Buffs' big-play offense finally returned.

Shedeur Sanders backed away from pressure and lofted a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Horn Jr., who was breaking free near the goal line.

CU is at least back in it for now, but USC still leads 21-7 with 12:59 left in the second quarter.

USC strikes again

The Trojans extended their lead on the first play of the second quarter, as Caleb Williams found Dorian Singer on a crossing route over the middle for an 8-yard TD pass.

Williams is now 9 of 12 passing for 155 yards and two scores.

End 1st quarter: USC 14, CU 0

It wasn't quite as lopsided as the score may appear, but USC is already in total control here.

The Trojans picked off Shedeur Sanders and are already back inside the Colorado 10 to open the second quarter.

Trojans get big-play TD

CU forced 3rd-and-6 for USC, but Caleb Williams just had too much time in the pocket.

Williams moved left and, after nearly more than 7 seconds, finally found a wide-open Tahj Washington downfield for a 71-yard touchdown.

USC makes CU pay for the missed field goal and leads 14-0 with 2:30 left in the first quarter.

Colorado can't capitalize

CU couldn't find the endzone but still had a chance for points before kicker Jace Feeley missed a 41-yard field goal wide left.

The Buffs could have used points after forcing a USC punt and twice extending their own drive thanks to Trojans penalties.

USC takes over up 7-0 with 3:18 left in the opening quarter.

USC strikes quick

That didn't take long for the visitors.

MarShawn Lloyd somehow escaped several Buffs defenders behind the line and reversed field for a nifty 27-yard touchdown barely two minutes into the game. The Trojans have scored on their first drive in every game this season.

It's 7-0 USC with 12:33 left in the first quarter.

Colorado wins coin toss and defers

The Buffaloes won the coin toss and decided to defer until the second half. That means we'll see Caleb Williams and the high-powered USC offense first.

Run Ralphie, Run

Ralphie's run is one of the most unique entrances in sports, and it had CU fans fired up before the teams took the field.

More red in Folsom Field

It's not exactly a Nebraska-level takeover but there is plenty of cardinal and gold on the west side and sprinkled throughout Folsom Field before kickoff.

Zachariah Branch out for USC vs. Colorado?

Another star player may be absent from this CU-USC battle. Trojans' freshman wide receiver/kick returner Zachariah Branch was not dressed out during warmups and is unlikely to play today.

Branch has over 500 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns through four games, including a kickoff and punt return touchdown.

Shilo Sanders out for CU vs. USC

The Buffs are already missing star two-way player Travis Hunter for a second straight week and now will be without another key secondary player.

Shilo Sanders (son of Deion) did not warm up and he is officially out after suffering a kidney injury vs. Oregon.

Fellow CU defensive back Carter Stoutmire is also out, though safety Myles Slusher will reportedly be back after missing the last three games

Can Buffs snap top-10 losing streak?

Colorado hasn't beaten a top-10 team in its last 19 tries, a streak that dates back just over 16 years.

The Buffs' last win over a top-10 foe came on Sept. 29, 2007, as CU beat No. 3 Oklahoma on a walk-off field goal at Folsom Field.

What channel is USC vs. Colorado on?

More: How to watch USC at Colorado football

Busy Saturday morning before USC-Colorado

The 10 a.m. kickoff means a second early morning on campus in three CU home games this fall.

Here's a look at the schedule:

  • 5 a.m.: Big Noon fan pit opens at Farrand Field

  • 6 a.m.: Parking lots open

  • 7 a.m.: Pregame tailgate at Big Noon site begins

  • 8 a.m.: Big Noon Kickoff goes live

  • 8 a.m.: Folsom Field gates opens. Fans are encouraged to enter by an hour before the game.

  • 10 a.m.: Kickoff

Buffs fall out of top-25

After three straight weeks in the rankings, Colorado (previously No. 19) fell out of the polls after the 42-6 loss at top-10 Oregon last Saturday.

Celebrities in Boulder for Colorado-USC?

Coach Prime has quickly made Colorado football into a central part of sports and college football culture.

The Rocky Mountain Showdown against rival CSU was one of the most watched ESPN college football games ever and featured celebs in attendance like The Rock, Lil Wayne, rapper Offset and more.

Who will show up this Saturday?

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Live updates: Colorado vs. USC football