Stanford Cardinal kicker Joshua Karty boots a second overtime field goal to give the Cardinal a three point win over the Colorado Buffaloes in Boulder Colo on Fri Oct 13, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

Friday, October 13, 2023

After spotting Colorado a huge early first-half lead, Stanford’s offense caught fire in the second half, eventually using a Joshua Karty field goal in the second overtime to upend the Buffaloes 46-43 Friday night in Boulder, Colo. 

Karty’s 31-yard field goal ended the game after each team scored in the first extra period. Karty earlier booted a 46-yard field goal as time expired in the fourth quarter, sending the game into overtime. 

Colorado (4-4 overall, 1-4 Pac-12) broke the 36-36 deadlock on its first possession in overtime, when Shedeur Sanders threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to J Antonio. The Cardinal (2-4 overall, 1-3 Pac-12) responded with a 30-yard scoring strike from Ashton Daniels to Elic Ayomanor.

This was the final Pac-12 football meeting between the two schools, as Colorado is headed to the Big 12 and Stanford will join the ACC next season.

Daniels completed 27 of 45 passes for 396 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also the Cardinal’s top rusher, gaining 39 yards on 16 carries. Ayomanor caught 13 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns.

Shedeur Sanders, son of Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, completed 33 of 48 passes for 400 yards and five touchdowns, with one interception, and was sacked four times. He also led Colorado ballcarriers with 37 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Travis Hunter caught 13 passes for 140 yards and two scores.

The Buffaloes outgained Stanford in total offense 532 yards to 523.

Colorado opened the scoring at 10:25 of the first quarter, when S Sanders completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Weaver. The Buffaloes made it 14-0 nearly seven minutes later when Sanders found Hunter open for a 24-yard scoring strike.

With 8:42 left in the second quarter, Colorado made it 22-0 on Weaver’s second TD reception from Shedeur Sanders, a 39-yard scoring play followed by a 2-point conversion run by Caleb Fauria. 

The Buffs took a 29-0 lead into the locker room after Weaver’s 14-yard touchdown run on a reverse with just under 3 minutes to play in the second quarter, 

Stanford finally got on the board with 9:01 remaining in the third quarter, eventually scoring 26 unanswered points. Bryce Farrell ran in from 2 yards out, but a PAT pass was incomplete. The Cardinal cut their deficit to 29-12 less than three minutes later on a 97-yard pass from Daniels to Ayomanor. Again, Stanford missed the 2-point conversion with an incomplete pass.

The Cardinal completed their third-quarter rally with a 60-yard scoring pass from Daniels to Ayomanor at 4:45, pulling Stanford to within 29-19. The Cardinal continued to roll with a 1-yard touchdown by Justin Lamson as Colorado’s lead had shrunk to 29-26 with 12-29 to play.

Colorado interrupted the Cardinal rally on the ensuing possession, as S Sanders completed a 16-yard TD pass to Hunter, putting the Buffaloes up 36-26. The Cardinal responded with Daniels’ 3-yard touchdown pass to Ferrell with 5:06 left in regulation.

Next week, the Cardinal return to Stanford Stadium to host UCLA for Homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.