CU Buffs vs. Arizona State quick hits: Shedeur Sanders, Alejandro Mata deliver Coach Prime’s first Pac-12 victory

Initial observations from the CU Buffs’ 27-24 win over the Arizona State Sun Devils in head coach Deion Sanders’ first Pac-12 victory at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. : Here’s guessing ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham spent time watching Rocky Mountain Showdown tape. The Sun Devils play-caller took a page out of CSU’s playbook early on, drawing up the same shallow crossing routes the Rams used to pick apart CU’s defense to power a nine-play, 66-yard scoring drive to open the game.

Quarterback Trenton Bourguet completed four — two for gains of 27-plus yards — in yet another troubling start for CU. For the third straight week, one team came ready to play right out of the gates with an opening possession TD. The other had some really sweet helmets.

: Following another familiar theme, Buffs quarterback Shedeur Sanders was under siege from the opening offensive snap. CU’s first drive of the game? A three-and-out that included one sack and an intentional grounding flag. The Sun Devils tacked on two more sacks and four quarterback hits by the end of the first half — one that saw the Buffs go three-and-out on three of their first five possessions.

Throw in a pair of false starts that nearly killed CU’s first touchdown drive, and it wasn’t a great start for a CU front five that entered Saturday with the second-most sacks allowed in FBS. : The benefit of having a talent like Shedeur Sanders at quarterback? He can erase a lot of those issues on his own. That was certainly the case when the junior authored a two-minute drive to close out the first half, one that ended with him scrambling from a collapsing pocket on third-and-10 for a 16-yard touchdown.

It was again when he marched CU down the field for a go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter, converting a pair of first downs with his feet, then audibling into a pass and delivering a dart to Javon Antonio on second-and-goal for a 9-yard score. And, of course, there was the 43-yard strike to Antonio with 50 seconds to go. Perfectly placed, and exactly what CU needed.

: Yes, the Buffs were playing an inferior team. And, yes, said team was starting its third-string quarterback. Don’t care.

Winning conference games on the road is hard, even against a rebuilding program like ASU that no doubt had this game circled on the calendar (because every CU opponent does). That the Buffs escaped with a win is the sign of a mature team, especially when so many helped close the door. Xavier Weaver’s 51-yard punt return.

Carter Stoutmire flying in off the edge to disrupt an ASU field goal attempt that went wide. The defense securing five sacks. And, yes, kicker Alejandro Mata, the clutch one, from 42 and 43 yards, the latter to win the game.

It was tense. It was ugly. It was way too close for comfort.

It’s also a W. : If we can be allowed one tiny quibble with Coach Prime, let it be this: He sure has a hair trigger when it comes to using his timeouts. A week after clock management issues marred CU’s comeback attempt against USC and Prime had no timeouts remaining when the Buffs drew within a touchdown of the Trojans, the Buffs burned through all three of their first-half timeouts before the end of the first quarter.

Then he used another on ASU’s first drive of the third quarter when Coach Dillingham pump-faked going for it on fourth-and-9 near midfield. Maybe let that play out, Coach?.