si
The Colorado Buffaloes' first offensive series against the then-No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders turned out to be their most productive of the game, resulting in their only touchdown. However, that drive could have easily ended in disaster, as the Buffaloes reportedly left a copy of their opening script in a hotel bar, where it was discovered by Texas Tech fans, according to David Ubben of The Athletic.
While The Athletic also reported that the Red Raiders did not gain access to the full playbook, the situation is still troubling for head coach Deion Sanders and his program. The authenticity of the find was initially uncertain. An anonymous fan, using the username VivaTerlingua, first revealed that they had found the playbook in the bar of the Buffaloes' team hotel on Friday. The fan expressed interest in getting the playbook to the Red Raiders but did not post pictures initially. They were not entirely sure it was genuine, but during the Buffaloes' opening drive, it became evident that it was.
The playbook reportedly contained the first six plays of the first half and the first two plays of the second half. Beyond that, it included lists of plays that offensive coordinator Brennan Marion would select from throughout the game. The fan estimated that the playbook contained 25 pages of information, an amount that could be damaging in the hands of an opponent.
Why This Is Concerning for Colorado
Although the Red Raiders clearly did not need the playbook's help to stop the Buffaloes' offense, its public emergence has created a multitude of problems for Colorado moving forward. First, the questions surrounding Colorado's habits are the first issue they must address. The negligence of whichever player left the playbook behind is shameful enough, but the fact that it was left in the hotel bar the night before a game is another matter entirely. Colorado has been dogged by character concerns since Sanders cut three players from the team following its 41-7 loss to the Northwestern Wildcats. Those concerns are now likely to be heightened by the Buffaloes' latest scandal.
More importantly, the Buffaloes have a long bye week ahead. In a week that should have been about improving on offense and fixing the aspects that have not been effective through five weeks, Colorado will instead have to focus on installing new plays. The Buffaloes will likely need to scrap most, if not all, of the plays from that playbook that has become public, as all of their future opponents would have a direct cheat sheet on them moving forward. This puts the Buffaloes further behind the eight-ball than they already were going into a crucial game against the No. 12 Utah Utes.
Week 5 Offensive Struggles
The Buffaloes' offense struggled even without Texas Tech having access to their plays. Quarterback Isaac Wilson threw for 290 yards and just one touchdown to three interceptions. Unfortunately for him and Marion, they will not be able to point to this situation as an excuse for that lack of execution.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.
Liam Howard is a Colorado Buffaloes On SI beat reporter and a men's basketball beat writer and sportscaster for Sko Buffs Sports. A Longmont, Colorado native, he has built a diverse portfolio across sports media, with experience in broadcast production, graphic design, and documentary storytelling. Known for his detailed coverage of college athletics, Howard is also the founder and host of SBS Football Live, where he provides thoughtful analysis and original reporting.