Colorado head coach Deion Sanders admitted that his Buffaloes team became “intoxicated with success” after a costly defeat on the road against Kansas.

The 8-3 Buffaloes no longer control their destiny ahead of the college football playoffs, and to stand any chance of reaching the Big 12 championship game, they must beat Oklahoma next week and rely on other top teams such as BYU to lose. Colorado was beaten 37-21 by the Jayhawks as running back Devin Neal destroyed the Buffaloes defense with 287 scrimmage yards.

Colorado was in a great position to reach the Big 12 championship game, but “fumbled” according to Sanders, who was extremely unhappy with his players after Saturday’s defeat. Sanders was respectful to Kansas and head coach Lance Leipold, but didn’t hold back when it came to discussing his own team.

“They (Kansas) have a tremendous football team, they are resilient, wonderful coach, one of my favorites in the Big 12,” Sanders said. “I feel as though we have a tremendous relationship. He checked in on me when nobody was.

“Before the game, I told him that his team was resilient. They are a reflection of who he is. They fight to the end, and they’re very physical, they’re tough and tenacious, they ram the heck out of that football which we couldn’t stop. We started smelling ourselves a little bit. That’s what I told our team.

“We got intoxicated with the success. We got intoxicated with the multitude of articles and the assumption that we’re this and that. We did not play CU football, and that’s why we got our butts kicked.”

Sanders then added: “It’s a phenomenal thing. I don’t just think about football, I think about life. So, the message to these young men is ‘If God was to grant you every darn thing we needed in life, all the abilities, the thought process, the connections, the visuals, if you don’t do nothing with it that’s on you.’

“That’s where we are. We controlled our own destiny, and we fumbled it.” From an offensive standpoint, there wasn’t much that the Buffaloes did wrong, as quarterback Shedeur Sanders went 23-for-29 with 266 yards and three touchdowns.

Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter increased his odds yet again with 125 yards and two touchdowns, but the defense and costly penalties hindered Colorado. Kansas running back Neal scored four touchdowns and could not be stopped, while the Buffaloes also lost 65 yards in penalty flags.

The season isn’t over for Colorado, but it would take a lot of things to fall into place if they are to reach the preseason goals. With Sanders and Hunter leaving the team after this year, the Buffaloes may have blown their best chance.