Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders Injured and Knocked Out of Game Against Washington State
PULLMAN, Wash. – In a disappointing turn of events, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was forced to leave the game against Washington State on Friday night after enduring a series of brutal hits. Sanders, the son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, was sacked four times in his first 10 plays, with one hit appearing to injure his right throwing arm in the first quarter.
Despite the injury, Sanders displayed remarkable resilience and returned to the field after the hit to throw a remarkable 45-yard touchdown pass to receiver Travis Hunter. However, his comeback was short-lived as he was forced to exit the game and head to the locker room following a fumbled snap in the second quarter. At that point, Colorado was trailing 28-7, and it was confirmed by a Colorado spokesman that Sanders would not be returning to the game.
With Sanders out, freshman backup quarterback Ryan Staub stepped in during the first half. Unfortunately, Colorado continued to struggle with pass protection, allowing the Cougars to sack Staub multiple times. This was a disappointing performance for the Buffaloes, who entered the game with the second-most sacks allowed in the nation.
It is worth noting that Sanders has been no stranger to taking hits throughout the season. He has endured numerous sacks and has even required painkiller injections to finish games. However, Friday night marked the first time he had to leave a game due to the impact of these hits. From the start of the game, it was evident that Sanders was facing an uphill battle on a chilly autumn night at Martin Stadium.
Washington State took advantage of Sanders’ absence and quickly gained a 14-0 lead with 5:14 left in the first quarter. Sanders’ arm injury occurred during a fumble caused by a helmet-to-shoulder blast from behind by Cougars defender Ron Stone Jr. The ball was then recovered by Brennan Jackson, who scored a 40-yard fumble return touchdown.
Despite the setback, Sanders had an impressive first half, completing six passes out of 10 attempts for 86 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions. This performance allowed him to surpass Sefo Liufau’s 2014 record and set a new single-season record for Colorado with 3,230 passing yards.
However, individual achievements were of little importance to Sanders, as the game ultimately ended in a disappointing 56-14 loss for Colorado. The Buffaloes now look ahead to their final regular-season game against Utah next week.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders knocked out of game vs. Washington State