It was supposed to be the "Coach Prime" coronation. Instead, the scoreboard at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium told a completely different story on that Saturday in November 2024. If you missed the live action and are just now looking for the colorado kansas football score, the final was Kansas 37, Colorado 21.
Honestly, the score doesn't even tell the whole story.
It wasn't just a loss; it was a total dismantling of a Top-25 team by a squad that most people had written off weeks earlier. Kansas wasn't just playing for a win; they were playing for survival. And they didn't just survive. They thrived.
Why the Final Colorado Kansas Football Score Shocked the Big 12
Going into this matchup, Colorado was sitting at 8-3, ranked No. 16 in the nation, and looking like a lock for the Big 12 Championship game. Kansas was 5-6, clawing for bowl eligibility. Most analysts figured Shedeur Sanders would just air it out and Travis Hunter would do Travis Hunter things.
But football is a weird game.
Kansas running back Devin Neal basically decided he wasn't going to let his Senior Day be a footnote in the Deion Sanders era. He put up a legendary performance: 207 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, plus another 80 yards and a score through the air. That’s 287 yards of total offense from one guy.
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Colorado had no answer. None.
By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the "Buffs" were gassed. Kansas held the ball for over 40 minutes. You can't score if you don't have the rock, and Colorado only had eight offensive possessions the entire game. That’s their fewest of the season.
A Tale of Two Halves (And a Lot of Missed Tackles)
Kansas jumped out to a 17-0 lead early. It felt like the air just left the Colorado sideline. Neal opened the scoring with a 51-yard touchdown catch, and then added a 9-yard run.
Colorado didn't stay down for long, though. Shedeur Sanders found Travis Hunter for a 51-yard strike to make it 17-7. Then, right before half, they cut it to 23-14. When Hunter caught another touchdown early in the third to make it 23-21, everyone in Kansas City thought the comeback was on.
It wasn't.
Kansas responded with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was almost entirely runs. They simply bullied Colorado at the line of scrimmage. The Buffs missed 11 tackles on just the first three Jayhawk possessions. You can't win like that.
Breaking Down the Numbers: Colorado vs. Kansas
If you're a stat geek, the discrepancies in this game are wild. It was a complete contrast in styles that favored the home team in every way that mattered.
- Rushing Yards: Kansas 331 | Colorado 42
- Time of Possession: Kansas 40:11 | Colorado 19:49
- Total Plays: Kansas 78 | Colorado 42
- First Downs: Kansas 29 | Colorado 15
Shedeur Sanders actually played well, going 23-for-29 for 266 yards and three touchdowns. He didn't turn the ball over. But he spent most of the afternoon watching from the bench while Devin Neal and Jalon Daniels methodically chewed up the clock.
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The Jayhawks didn't punt a single time. Not once.
Think about that. In a modern college football game against a ranked opponent, Kansas played a "perfect" offensive game in terms of efficiency. Every time they got the ball, they moved it.
What This Meant for the Rankings
This result was a massive "bracket buster." Colorado’s path to the Big 12 title game suddenly became a maze instead of a straight line. For Kansas, it was their third straight win over a ranked opponent—the first time in the history of their program they’ve pulled off that kind of streak.
It also served as a reality check for the Colorado defense. Coach Prime was blunt after the game: "You can't win when a team rushes for 331 yards on you. That is certainly not who we are and we could not stop the bleeding."
The Historical Context of the Rivalry
People forget that Colorado and Kansas have a long, gritty history. They were rivals in the Big Eight and the Big 12 for decades before Colorado left for the Pac-12. Now that they're both back in the Big 12, the fire is lit again.
Before this 37-21 result, the last time they played was back in 2010, where Kansas won a 52-45 thriller. It seems whenever these two get together, the underdogs find a way to make things very uncomfortable for the favorites.
Even looking ahead to the 2025 season, the colorado kansas football score remains a major talking point for recruiters. Kansas proved they can beat the "glamour" programs with old-school, physical football. Colorado proved that while they have the best individual talent in guys like Hunter and Sanders, they still have a "glass jaw" against a power running game.
What Fans Got Wrong About This Game
Most people assumed Kansas was "lucky" to be in the game. They weren't. They were the better team from the opening kickoff.
There's a misconception that Colorado's offense is unstoppable. It's great, sure. But if you take away the run and force them to be one-dimensional, a disciplined defense can sit back and wait. Kansas didn't even record a massive amount of sacks; they just made Colorado's drives short and their own drives long.
The "Travis Hunter Factor" was real—he had 125 yards and two scores—but even a generational talent can't overcome a 300-yard deficit in the run game.
Actionable Takeaways for Future Matchups
If you're betting on or watching these teams in the future, keep these details in your back pocket:
- Watch the Trenches: Colorado struggled against "Power 5" size on the defensive line. Until they recruit more beef up front, heavy-run teams will always be their kryptonite.
- Possession is King: If an opponent can keep Shedeur Sanders on the sideline for 40 minutes, his talent is neutralized. Look for teams with high time-of-possession averages to give the Buffs trouble.
- The Devin Neal Blueprint: Kansas showed that a versatile back who can catch out of the backfield is the best way to exploit Colorado’s aggressive, often over-pursuing linebackers.
- Venue Matters: This game was at Arrowhead, not the Jayhawks' usual home. The neutral-ish site but pro-Kansas crowd definitely played a role in the momentum shifts.
The 37-21 score wasn't a fluke. It was a masterclass in game management by Lance Leipold and a reminder that in the Big 12, anyone can get got on any given Saturday. If you're looking for the next time these two face off, expect a lot of "bulletin board material" from the Colorado side. They won't forget the day the Jayhawks ran all over their playoff dreams.
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To keep up with the latest standings, check the official Big 12 site or the NCAA football rankings. The ripple effects of this single game were felt all the way to the College Football Playoff selection committee's final meetings.