The 2022 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado Boulder as a member of the Pac-12 Conference during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buffaloes played their home games on campus at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. After losing the first five games of the season, third-year head coach Karl Dorrell and defensive coordinator Chris Wilson were fired on October 2; offensive coordinator Mike Sanford Jr. was named the interim head coach of the Buffaloes for the remainder of the season, who named Clay Patterson as the offensive coordinator and Gerald Chatman as the defensive coordinator.
The Buffaloes finished the season with only one win over California in overtime, their first one-win season since 2012 and their fourth since 1917. This was one of the worst seasons in program history as Colorado lost all but three games by at least 25 points.
After the season on December 3, Deion Sanders was hired as the head coach for 2023. A Hall of Fame cornerback in the National Football League (NFL), he was previously the head coach for three years at Jackson State of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
Schedule The Colorado Buffaloes and the Pac-12 announced the 2022 football schedule on December 16, 2021.
Roster
Game summaries
vs TCU
Statistics TCU COL First downs 17 20 Total yards 413 348 Rushes/yards 30–275 29–113 Passing yards 138 235 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–23–0 26–41–0 Time of possession 26:42 33:18 Team Category Player StatisticsTCU Passing Chandler Morris 13/20, 111 yards Rushing Kendre Miller 8 carries, 52 yards, TD Receiving Savion Williams 3 receptions, 31 yardsColorado Passing J. T. Shrout 13/21, 157 yards, TD Rushing Brendon Lewis 8 carries, 42 yards Receiving Daniel Arias 4 receptions, 66 yards
at Air Force
Statistics COL AFA First downs 8 25 Total yards 162 443 Rushes/yards 32–111 70–435 Passing yards 51 8 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 5–21–1 1–5–0 Time of possession 21:38 38:22 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing J. T. Shrout 5/21, 51 yards, INT Rushing Deion Smith 11 carries, 59 yards, TD Receiving Daniel Arias 2 receptions, 36 yardsAir Force Passing Haaziq Daniels 1/5, 8 yards Rushing Brad Roberts 24 carries, 174 yards, 3 TD Receiving Dane Kinamon 1 reception, 8 yards
at Minnesota
Statistics COL MINN First downs 14 29 Total yards 226 500 Rushes/yards 34–136 52–334 Passing yards 90 166 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10–24–0 12–20–1 Time of possession 23:53 36:07 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Owen McCown 4/7, 52 yards Rushing Deion Smith 10 carries, 70 yards Receiving Jaylon Jackson 1 reception, 28 yardsMinnesota Passing Tanner Morgan 11/16, 157 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Mohamed Ibrahim 23 carries, 202 yards, 3 TD Receiving Chris Autman-Bell 3 receptions, 58 yards, TD
vs UCLA
Statistics UCLA COL First downs 25 19 Total yards 515 309 Rushes/yards 34–249 34–51 Passing yards 266 258 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–29–0 26–42–1 Time of possession 25:53 34:07 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Dorian Thompson-Robinson 19/23, 234 yards, 2 TD Rushing Zach Charbonnet 9 carries, 104 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jake Bobo 4 receptions, 53 yardsColorado Passing Owen McCown 26/42, 258 yards, TD, INT Rushing Charlie Offerdahl 14 carries, 47 yards Receiving Daniel Arias 4 receptions, 82 yards
at Arizona
Statistics COL ARIZ First downs 19 36 Total yards 340 673 Rushes/yards 31–154 34–178 Passing yards 186 495 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–30–0 34–49–0 Time of possession 24:43 35:17 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Owen McCown 14/30, 186 yards, TD Rushing Anthony Hankerson 12 carries, 68 yards, TD Receiving Jordyn Tyson 1 reception, 42 yardsArizona Passing Jayden de Laura 33/46, 484 yards, 6 TD Rushing Michael Wiley 16 carries, 77 yards Receiving Jacob Cowing 12 receptions, 180 yards, TD
vs California
Statistics COL CAL First downs 17 19 Total yards 328 297 Rushes/yards 35–118 22–35 Passing yards 210 262 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–34–1 29–52–1 Time of possession 29:54 30:06 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing Owen McCown 13/21, 104 yards, INT Rushing Deion Smith 12 carries, 48 yards Receiving Montana Lemonious-Craig 8 receptions, 119 yards, TDCalifornia Passing Jack Plummer 29/52, 262 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jaydn Ott 16 carries, 47 yards Receiving Mavin Anderson 6 receptions, 61 yards
at Oregon State
Statistics COL OSU First downs 17 26 Total yards 290 427 Rushes/yards 28–84 44–270 Passing yards 206 202 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 13–29–2 14–22–0 Time of possession 25:39 34:21 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing J. T. Shrout 13/29, 206 yards, 2 INT Rushing Jayle Stacks 8 carries, 50 yards, TD Receiving Jordyn Tyson 3 receptions, 92 yardsOregon State Passing Ben Gulbranson 14/22, 202 yards, 2 TD Rushing Damien Martinez 22 carries, 178 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jack Velling 1 reception, 60 yards, TD
vs Arizona State
Statistics ASU COL First downs 22 20 Total yards 557 359 Rushes/yards 33–122 35–137 Passing yards 435 222 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 32–43–1 13–34–1 Time of possession 33:21 26:39 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona State Passing Trenton Bourguet 32/43, 435 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Xazavian Valladay 23 carries, 118 yards, 3 TD Receiving Elijhah Badger 8 receptions, 137 yardsColorado Passing J. T. Shrout 13/34, 222 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Deion Smith 24 carries, 111 yards, TD Receiving Jordyn Tyson 5 receptions, 115 yards, TD
vs No. 8 Oregon
Statistics COL ORE First downs 20 21 Total yards 367 479 Rushes/yards 36–120 39–195 Passing yards 247 284 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–34–2 22–27–0 Time of possession 31:24 28:36 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing J. T. Shrout 17/34, 247 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Anthony Hankerson 11 carries, 54 yards Receiving Jordyn Tyson 5 receptions, 137 yards, TDOregon Passing Bo Nix 20/24, 274 yards, 2 TD Rushing Bucky Irving 11 carries, 120 yards Receiving Kris Hutson 4 receptions, 80 yards
at No. 8 USC
Statistics COL USC First downs 14 27 Total yards 259 351 Rushes/yards 35–135 41–185 Passing yards 124 346 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–21–1 20–33–1 Time of possession 25:30 34:30 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing J. T. Shrout 11/21, 124 yards, INT Rushing Alex Fontenot 20 carries, 108 yards, TD Receiving Jack Hestera 3 receptions, 39 yardsUSC Passing Caleb Williams 14/26, 268 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Austin Jones 11 carries, 74 yards Receiving Kyle Ford 3 receptions, 73 yards
at No. 17 Washington
Statistics COL WASH First downs 10 29 Total yards 202 575 Rushes/yards 33–79 43–280 Passing yards 123 295 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 7–22–1 23–38–1 Time of possession 27:13 32:47 Team Category Player StatisticsColorado Passing J. T. Shrout 6/18, 120 yards, TD, INT Rushing Alex Fontenot 11 carries, 71 yards Receiving Montana Lemonious-Craig 1 reception, 69 yards, TDWashington Passing Michael Penix Jr. 19/31, 229 yards, TD Rushing Wayne Taulapapa 11 carries, 107 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jalen McMillan 8 receptions, 98 yards, TD
vs No. 14 Utah
Statistics UTAH COL First downs 32 12 Total yards 662 185 Rushes/yards 43–383 25–62 Passing yards 279 123 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–24–1 15–28–0 Time of possession 35:20 24:40 Team Category Player StatisticsUtah Passing Cameron Rising 17/19, 234 yards, 3 TD Rushing Ja'Quinden Jackson 10 carries, 117 yards, 3 TD Receiving Dalton Kincaid 5 receptions, 102 yards, TDColorado Passing Maddox Kopp 15/28, 123 yards, TD Rushing Anthony Hankerson 8 carries, 46 yards, TD Receiving Brady Russell 4 receptions, 39 yards
References