Colorado screws up its overtime strategy for second time this season

Sep 2, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field before the game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Buffaloes blew a 29-0 halftime lead on Friday night and ultimately fell to the Stanford Cardinal 46-43 in double overtime. The collapse was the worst in Colorado history, and it was highlighted by another Deion Sanders mistake.

The Buffaloes won the overtime coin toss and for the second time this season, elected to go on offense first, which flies in the face of traditional game theory. That allowed Stanford to go second in the first overtime. They also chose to go on offense second in the second OT, giving them the distinct advantage of knowing exactly what they needed on each of their two offensive series.

Sanders had made the same blunder earlier this season but lucked out that time, surviving a game against rival Colorado State.

This time was different however, as Colorado paid the price for the coaching error in the form of a soul-crushing loss to a team that had just one win entering the game. It was also the third loss in four weeks for Sanders’ young squad.

“We have no choice but to go forward. That’s life,” Sanders said after the game, via ESPN. “We didn’t expect that. … We can’t sit down and have no pity party.”

Sanders was asked after the game about the decision to begin on offense in the first overtime. He said something about being confident in his offense.

Even if he’s confident in his offense, it still doesn’t make sense for them to take the ball first when they can instead go second and know how many points are needed to win.