Stunning Stanford comeback a reminder of how far Colorado still has to go

Stanford wide receiver Elic Ayomanor put himself on the map with one of the best games by a Cardinal wideout. He finished with 13 receptions, 294 yards and three touchdowns, including a 97-yard score in the third. His best catch came in overtime when he snagged a touchdown after first pinning the ball to Colorado defensive back-wide receiver Travis Hunter's helmet.

The loss doesn't diminish Colorado head coach Deion Sanders's exceptional work in his first season in Boulder. However, it's a reminder of how far the program must go to become a legitimate contender.

Per ESPN Stats and Info, Colorado's win probability peaked at 99.8 percent early in the third quarter, and afterward, Sanders was hard-pressed to think of another time he lost a game that looked like a certain victory.

The Athletic's Max Olson noted that teams that led by 28 or more at halftime since 2019 were 248-0 entering Friday.

Sanders didn't mince words, saying his team has to decide whether it is "in love with the game or in like with it."

The loss should be a reality check for players, but also for Sanders and his coaching staff. During "Big Noon Kickoff," Chris Fallica pointed to some questionable decisions by Sanders that allowed Stanford back in the game.

"Colorado didn't really help its defense," Fallica said. He pointed to the Buffaloes' drive following Ayomanor's 97-yard score, in which they went three-and-out and didn't attempt a single rush.

"Is Colorado's running game that bad? Is the offensive line that bad where they can't just run the snap clock down to like, one or two seconds every time," he continued. He also questioned Sanders' decision to play on offense first in overtime, a decision he's made twice this season, bucking conventional wisdom that suggests it is better to play on defense first.

Colorado was flagged 17 times, including multiple 12-men-on-the-field penalties on defense in crucial situations. The Buffaloes have 69 penalties through seven games, the most in the country.

When a team blows a 29-point lead, there's enough blame for everyone, including the head coach.