33rd Annual Valero Alamo Bowl
No. 23 Colorado (9-3) vs. No. 17 BYU (10-2)
- Kickoff: Saturday, 5:30 p.m. MDT
- Venue: Alamodome (Capacity: 64,000)
- TV: ABC
- Livestream: https://www.espn.com/watch
- Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM/BYU Radio Sirius XM 143.
- Series: Colorado leads, 8-3-1
- Weather: Indoor stadium
The trends
For BYU: The Cougars are playing in their 41st bowl game in school history, and in their 21st different bowl, having never played in the Alamo Bowl before.
The 41 bowl appearances is tied for No. 23 among college football programs. In the Big 12, Texas Tech is the only program with more bowl appearances than BYU, with 42.
The Cougars are one of the Cinderella teams in the country in 2024, having been picked to finish 13th in the Big 12 by media members and to win fewer than five games by Las Vegas oddsmakers.
Instead, they have won 10 games for the third time in five years under head coach Kalani Sitake and for the 19th time in school history. BYU has 44 wins since 2020, which is the most of any Big 12 team and No. 12 nationally.
For Colorado: Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter won the 90th Heisman Trophy last weekend, becoming the second winner in CU history. He joins Rashaan Salam, who won it in 1994.
The Buffaloes are looking for their first bowl win since the 2004 Houston Bowl, and are 0-4 in the Alamo Bowl, which has longtime ties to the Pac-12.
Although this is Colorado’s first season in the Big 12, it is representing the Pac-12 in the game and is the designated home team, thanks to a pre-existing agreement that was in place when the four corner schools left the Pac-12 for the Big 12.
Colorado is 12-18 all-time in bowl games, including a 20-17 loss to BYU in the 1988 Freedom Bowl in Anaheim, California. BYU’s quarterback in that game, Ty Detmer, would go on to win the Heisman Trophy in 1990.
What to watch for
BYU is 4-2 in bowl games under Sitake, a former University of Utah and Oregon State assistant coach. The Cougars are 17-22-1 in bowl games all-time and won their last bowl game played in the state of Texas, downing Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl in Dallas.
The Cougars will attempt to slow down Colorado’s elite offense with a defense that leads the country in interceptions with 20. BYU has had at least one interception in every game and has made multiple picks in six straight games. Twelve players have recorded interceptions, a total that also leads the nation.
BYU is tied for third nationally in takeaways, with 27.
However, the Cougars will be without starting safety Crew Wakley, who has entered the transfer portal. Redshirt freshman Raider Damuni will make the start in Wakley’s place.
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders finished in the top 10 in the Heisman voting and is arguably the best quarterback in the country and a likely NFL first-round draft pick in 2025. He has completed 74.4% of his passes for 3,936 yards and 35 touchdowns, with just eight interceptions. His quarterback rating is 168.2.
Sanders, son of head coach Deion Sanders, broke the CU record for passing yards that was held by Koy Detmer (Ty’s brother) with 3,527.
Colorado has 18 players from the state of Texas and 14 from the states of Colorado, Florida and Georgia.
Defensively, Colorado is led by B.J. Green, who has a team-high 7.5 sacks, and Cam’Ron Simon-Craig, who has 88 tackles.
Key player
Jake Retzlaff, Junior, Quarterback, BYU: Colorado features Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and highly regarded quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who might be the first QB taken in next April’s NFL draft.
Meanwhile, BYU’s quarterback is far less touted, but will be important in the game’s outcome regardless of his lack of pre-bowl hoopla.
Simply put, Retzlaff must play one of the best games of his career for BYU to have a chance. BYU will have to score to keep up with Sanders, Hunter, and all the other offensive weapons on CU’s roster.
Retzlaff threw for two or more touchdowns in seven games this year, and led three fourth-quarter scoring drives for wins over SMU, Utah and Oklahoma State. He’s No. 26 in the country in passing TDs, with 22.
Quotable
“We are excited about the matchup. It is nice to be able to watch all the film on Colorado. They have tons of talent. That is in all three phases. I don’t think their defense gets enough credit for what they have done this year, because a lot of the credit goes to the offense, obviously for the Heisman Trophy winner (Travis Hunter) and Shedeur (Sanders) and the rest of the group. It is a complete team. That’s why they are ranked, and we are excited about the game, the matchup.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake.
“BYU is a consistent team that can run the ball. They can throw the ball. They defend well. I see a lot of discipline. A lot of young men that may not receive some of the accolades that they deserve. But they work their butts off and they do a wonderful job. So trust me, ain’t nobody taking them lightly.” — Colorado coach Deion Sanders.
Next up
- BYU: Season over.
- Colorado: Season over.
BYU schedule
- Aug. 31 — Defeated Southern Illinois, 41-13
- Sept. 6 — Defeated SMU, 18-15
- Sept. 14 — Defeated Wyoming, 34-14
- Sept. 21 — Defeated Kansas State, 38-9
- Sept. 28 — Defeated Baylor, 34-28
- Oct. 5 — Bye
- Oct. 12 — Defeated Arizona, 41-19
- Oct. 18 — Defeated Oklahoma State, 38-35
- Oct. 26 — Defeated Central Florida, 37-24
- Nov. 2 — Bye
- Nov. 9 — Defeated Utah, 22-21
- Nov. 16 — Lost to Kansas, 17-13
- Nov. 23 — Lost to Arizona State, 28-23
- Nov. 30 — Defeated Houston, 30-18
- Dec. 28 -- vs. Colorado in Alamo Bowl