
SAN ANTONIO—The No. 17 BYU Cougars (11-2) defeated the No. 23 Colorado Buffaloes (9-4) by a score of 36-14 on Dec 28 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The game was over by halftime as BYU raced out to a 20-0 lead and held Colorado to 61 yards of offense. The final score does not reflect the Cougars' consistent dominance over the Buffaloes all game long, especially at the line of scrimmage.
Game Summary
BYU running back LJ Martin opened the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a 51-yard field goal from kicker Will Ferrin to put the Cougars up 10-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Cougars dominated the quarter, outgaining the Buffaloes 93-18 in total yards and nearly doubling their time of possession, 9:31 to 5:29.
BYU again outscored Colorado 10-0 in the second quarter, and the first half's highlight came on special teams. Wide receiver Parker Kingston returned a punt 64 yards for a TD, solidifying BYU's control of the game to go into halftime with a 20-0 lead.

The Cougars' offense continued to excel in the second half, with rushing TDs from RBs Sione Moa and Martin. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders connected with Travis Hunter for a 43-yard TD pass to briefly give the Buffaloes some hope as they trailed 27-7 with 6:14 left in the third quarter. However, BYU's defense forced two interceptions and limited Colorado to only 210 total yards of offense and just two rushing yards. BYU sealed the game with Ferrin's third FG and another Martin TD in the fourth quarter to give the Cougars a 36-14 bowl victory.
Turning Point for BYU Cougars
The pivotal play of the game was Kingston's 64-yard punt return for a TD in the second quarter. The score extended BYU's lead to 17-0 and placed momentum firmly in favor of the Cougars.
What It Means
The Cougars capped a great season with their 11th win, highlighted by the strong play of their defense and special teams in the Alamo Bowl. This victory sets the stage for another strong campaign in 2025 under coach Kalani Sitake.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders didn’t envision this ending for the Buffaloes or the college careers of stars Shedeur Sanders and Hunter. "That’s a wrap. It’s over," coach Sanders said. "They’re on to the next [level] and will have tremendous careers." While the Buffaloes have a solid foundation, they must improve on both sides of the line of scrimmage to reach greater goals in 2025.
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