Deion Sanders' Seat Burns Hotter as Buffs Haven't Won a Big 12 Road Game in Two Years

The Colorado Buffaloes dropped to 3-6 on the season with a 20-10 loss at Arizona State on Saturday night.

Jake Fette did his part for the Sun Devils against Deion Sanders' squad. He became the first ASU quarterback in 30 years to throw and catch a touchdown pass in the same game. Colorado was outpaced in the first half and tried to come back from a 17-0 halftime deficit. The level of play didn't get better in the second half. One week after a 27-20 loss at No. 7 BYU, the Sun Devils (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) came out swinging hard.

The Buffs didn't have an answer for anything Kenny Dillingham's team put together. Fette, who made his first start at home, threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Reed Harris and caught a 1-yard TD pass as well. He was the first Arizona State quarterback since Jake Plummer in 1996 to have both in the same game. Ironically, this was the same night the 1996 Sun Devils' team was being honored in Tempe.

The Buffaloes came to life in the second half and closed the gap. A 39-yard field goal by Elliott Arnold put CU on the board with the final play in the third quarter. Isaac Wilson’s 7-yard TD pass to Joseph Williams came after ASU was called for running into the kicker on a field-goal attempt. The Buffaloes' hopes ended with a failed fourth-and-15 near midfield with 2:43 left. This was one CU needed, but it was too little too late.

Sanders came into the game optimistic, but will need to win out to make the postseason. A tall task with No. 17 Houston coming to Boulder on Friday. The good vibes weren't there from start to finish. Colorado finished with 312 yards of total offense. They also didn't have a first down until the seven-minute mark of the second quarter. The drive ended with Wilson taking a 24-yard sack on fourth-and-6 from Arizona State’s 34-yard line. One of many moments in the game where coaching was lacking. Colorado could've tried to pin ASU back deep, but went for it with no success.

All the progress the Buffaloes seemed to make last week against Kansas State is now gone. Sanders and his staff seem disconnected with the players and it shows week after week. The Buffs have a short week to prepare for Houston, who could knock them out of postseason contention and add fuel to Sanders' hot seat.

Colorado welcomes the 17th-ranked Cougars into Boulder for a Big 12 After Dark special at 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.