Colorado erased a 13-0 halftime deficit and led No. 11 Utah in the third quarter before falling 27-24 on Saturday night at Folsom Field, the Buffs’ fourth straight loss. CU dropped to 2-4 and 0-3 in the Big 12 in a game quarterback Isaac Wilson played against the program he started for in 2024.
Utah scored on its opening drive, an 8-yard Devon Dampier pass to tight end Hunter Andrews, and added two field goals before halftime while CU managed 70 yards of offense. The Buffs scored on their first two possessions of the second half, Wilson’s 68-yard touchdown pass to running back JaQuail Smith and a DeKalon Taylor touchdown run, and Elliott Arnold’s 32-yard field goal made it 17-13. Dampier’s touchdown pass to Braden Pegan put Utah back in front 20-17 entering the fourth quarter. James Chenault then intercepted Wilson, and Pegan’s second touchdown catch made it 27-17 with under four minutes left. Wilson hit DeAndre Moore Jr. for a touchdown to pull CU within three. On the final drive, a Wilson pitch was ruled an illegal forward pass on review, pushing the Buffs out of field-goal range, and Pegan knocked down Wilson’s last throw.
Dampier was 24-of-41 for 278 yards and three touchdowns, Pegan caught eight passes for 86 yards and Wayshawn Parker ran for 98 yards. CU’s defense intercepted Dampier twice. The Buffs finished with 394 yards, 324 of them after halftime, and were flagged 10 times for 93 yards. Wilson went 18-of-30 for 256 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, and Smith ran for a team-high 73 yards on 13 carries. Both of Wilson’s interceptions led to Utah points, the first setting up a second-quarter field goal and the second the touchdown that made it a 10-point game.
Sanders stood by his quarterback afterward. “Isaac is that guy. So I’m going keep on loving him, keep on developing him, keep on giving him opportunities,” Sanders said, according to The Associated Press. Wilson told reporters the second-half interception was on him and said he’d wanted the win badly against his former team.
Colorado plays at Oklahoma State on Oct. 24 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
