First observations following the CU Buffs’ 28-9 victory over the CSU Rams during the return of the Rocky Mountain Showdown to Fort Collins and Canvas Stadium.

Changes to the front: Coach Prime indicated that the Buffs planned to make changes up front to fix their offensive line woes. The big changes? Phillip Houston at right tackle, longtime RT Tyler Brown at left guard and freshman Micah Welch in the backfield. The results? Pretty positive. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders was sacked just once (on a slide), while Welch (nine carries, 65 yards) found room to roam the left side (when the Buffs decided to actually do it). Whether that has more to do with a leaky CSU defense than actual improvement remains to be seen. At the very least, CU saw the overall prowess it needed Saturday. And that’s a good start.

Total control: It took about a quarter for Shedeur Sanders and the Buffs to warm up, but once they did, they controlled every aspect of this game. Travis Hunter (13 catches, 100 yards, two TDs, one interception) remains one-of-one. LaJohntay Wester (five catches, 80 yards, two TDs) joins CU’s growing list of offensive weapons. And the defense? Let’s just say they’ve figured some things out. Since the start of the second half at Nebraska, the Buffs have allowed just nine points through six quarters. The shallow passes that tore CU apart in 2023 were stopped from the start. Outside of a few long runs, the Buffs did a solid job of blocking CSU’s run game. All in all, there was a lot to like for CU as its Big 12 schedule begins next week against Baylor.

What happened to BFN?: A year ago, this was the game that cemented Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi as the Rams’ quarterback of the future. Twelve months later, CSU fans have to wonder what happened to That guy. The sophomore was largely ineffective in the first half, sailing a pair of third-down throws and looking indecisive out of the pocket while completing 6 of 10 passes for just 54 yards. Then he opened the second half by throwing an all-too-familiar head-scratching interception up the middle. Things didn’t get much better from there. Yes, Tory Horton’s inability to stay on the field changes what CSU can do. But it shouldn’t bring the Rams’ offense to a standstill. Three weeks into his second season as a starter, it certainly appears as though BFN has taken a step back.

Too. Many. Mistakes: As dominant as the Buffs were for large chunks of this game, CSU certainly gave them plenty of opportunities to find their groove. Freshman defensive end Andrew Laurich was lucky he wasn’t thrown out for his late hit on Shedeur Sanders in the second quarter. Instead, it was just a really bad personal foul that gave CU a first down on an eventual touchdown drive. Graduated defensive end James Mitchell’s facemask on second-and-21 did the same a Buffs scoring march later. Throw in Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi’s pick, Keegan Holles’ first-and-goal fumble and two botched snaps in CU territory, and the mistakes were legion. The Rams had to play nearly perfect to win this game. They were far from it.