BOULDER, Co — For three quarters, Colorado gave No. 12 Texas Tech all it could handle. Then the mistakes caught up with the Buffaloes.
Texas Tech turned four Colorado interceptions into 19 points and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 29-7 victory Saturday night at Folsom Field, handing the Buffaloes their third consecutive loss.
Colorado dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play, but the final score didn’t tell the entire story. The Buffs led 7-3 at halftime and trailed only 12-7 entering the fourth quarter before Texas Tech scored 17 unanswered points.
“These guys are not quitting,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said. “Contrary to what you may think, they fight, and until seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, it was a darn good game.”
Isaac Wilson made his first start for Colorado and gave the offense an immediate lift. He directed a nine-play, 75-yard opening drive and connected with Joseph Williams for an 8-yard touchdown.
Wilson finished with 290 passing yards and a touchdown, while Williams continued to establish himself as Colorado’s most reliable target with 10 receptions for 93 yards and the score.
The Buffs moved the football, finishing with 375 total yards compared with Texas Tech’s 315, but couldn’t turn that production into points. Colorado missed two field goals, failed on a fake punt and committed eight penalties for 84 yards.
More damaging were the four interceptions.
Texas Tech finally took the lead late in the third quarter when Will Hammond found Terrance Carter Jr. for an 11-yard touchdown. The Red Raiders then created separation in the fourth, with John Curry returning a Wilson interception for a touchdown before Quinten Joyner’s 30-yard scoring run put the game away.
“Hats off to Texas Tech, who played a wonderful game,” Sanders said. “They played a dynamic game, and did what they had to do to get the win.”
For Colorado, the challenge remains turning productive drives into points and eliminating mistakes. The Buffs have shown flashes on both sides of the ball, but turnovers have made those stretches difficult to sustain.
Colorado gets a week off before returning to Folsom Field on Oct. 17 against No. 13 Utah.