Colorado’s 20-36 loss at Houston on Friday laid bare the gap in physicality and execution. The Cougars stacked five Ethan Sanchez field goals and rode Conner Weigman’s 305 total yards and two rushing scores to pull away in the second half. Houston churned out 431 yards and 209 on the ground, while Deion Sanders’ offense sputtered after halftime and never found a sustainable rhythm on the road in its Big 12 opener. The defeat dropped the Buffaloes to 1-2 (0-1 Big 12) and underscored how narrow the margin is for a team still sorting out its identity after a summer of change under Coach Prime.

Ryan Staub’s promotion framed the night, and the third-year signal-caller flashed a live arm and some improvisation before Houston’s pressure and the Buffs’ protection issues tilted the game back to the Cougars. Staub finished 19-of-35 for 204 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in what multiple outlets noted was only his second career start, a stat line that matched the on-field feel: a few bright series bookending too many stalled drives and costly mistakes.

Shannon Sharpe, long a visible ally of Deion Sanders, didn’t mince words about the setback and the quarterback shuffle on his Nightcap reaction. He opted for a tougher tone from a supporter who has grown more pointed this fall. “Colorado Buffaloos fell to the University of Houston 36-20 Friday night. Third-string quarterback Ryan Staub struggled in his first start.” He’s not wrong about the struggle: Staub threw two fourth-quarter interceptions, one on the opening snap of the period, and the Buffs converted none of their key second-half chances as Houston expanded a 16-14 halftime edge to a comfortable margin.

Sharpe’s larger point cuts deeper because it hints at succession. Post‑Shedeur clarity has been elusive despite Deion’s aggressive portal and recruiting work, and Colorado is learning in real time how difficult it is to replace a star quarterback. “The Buffaloes dropped to 1-2, marking the worst start to the season for coach Prime,” Sharpe pointed out. His co-host, Ocho, then laid bare the issue at hand. “It all starts at the quarterback position. You know that. It all starts there. You got to find whoever your answer is, and you got stick with him. Whoever he going to be, you go to stick with him through the ups and the downs. All that merry-go-around at the quarterback position.”

Shannon’s response? Just five words. “They thought they had it.” But on the field, none of that belief has been there. Everyone know a post-Shedeur world will be difficult for Colorado. The hope was that Salter will help the program in a transition year before Julian Lewis develops as the starting QB. Unfortunately, Salter is now accompanying Lewis on the sidelines.

What’s next is urgent and fixable, but the timeline is tight. Wyoming is up next, with trench play, situational third downs, and turnover avoidance at the top of the to‑do list before Big 12 play intensifies. Colorado’s defense needs quicker answers against the run, and the offense must lean into quicker game plans that help the QB. The talent influx is real, but until quarterback clarity meets complementary football, the path forward will look a lot like Houston: flashes of promise swallowed by long stretches of inefficiency that a physical opponent is happy to exploit.

Path to the Playoff

The expanded 12‑team College Football Playoff keeps hope alive longer than it used to, but it doesn’t forgive prolonged September stumbles or identity crises at quarterback. Colorado still carries brand power, a defense that flashes bite, and enough perimeter speed to flip games in a series or two. The question is less about the ceiling and more about margin: there’s very little room for another flat performance if a playoff path is going to remain plausible into November.

There are two realistic routes. The most direct is to win the Big 12 title, which would all but guarantee a berth regardless of early missteps; that demands rapid, sustained improvement in situational offense, a steadier run game, and cleaner turnover margins. The alternative is an at‑large case built on stacking wins over ranked opponents and closing strong; that puts a premium on quarterback clarity, red‑zone execution, and showing week‑over‑week growth that selection committee members can trust.

So, can it happen? Yes, if the next month delivers definitive answers under center and a complementary identity that travels. If the offense keeps sputtering and the defense keeps wearing down in the second half, the math turns brutal even with an expanded field. The schedule will present opportunities to change the narrative; the challenge is turning those chances into statement wins before the clock runs out on resume building.