In the Colorado Buffaloes' (9-3, Big 12 7-2) 52-0 shutout win against the Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-9, Big 12 0-9) on Friday, the defense dominated, but it was the defensive back room that truly stole the show.
The Colorado secondary was a “no-fly zone”, tallying nine pass breakups (PBUs), two interceptions (INTs), and a forced fumble by safety Shilo Sanders.
Interestingly, it was the underclassmen who stole the spotlight on Senior Day. Carter Stoutmire, DJ McKinney, and Colton Hood accounted for six of the nine PBUs, with McKinney securing one of the two INTs and taking it back for a pick-six. McKinney shared that the team was playing for the seniors in their dominant win.
“The win was for the seniors like Cam[‘ron Silmon-Craig], we were really just playing for them,” McKinney stated.
The Buffs are set to lose their two starting safeties, seniors Silmon-Craig and Sanders. The duo combined for six tackles and a tackle for loss. Reflecting on his final game at Folsom Field, Silmon-Craig expressed his gratitude and deep connection to the stadium during his final moments on the field.
“I was there giving thanks to god for putting me in this position where I’ve been able to thrive and a chance to make my dreams a reality, ” Silmon-Craig said. “I was soaking in my last moments at my favorite playground, Folsom Field. I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.”
The Buffs had the Oklahoma State receiver room on lockdown, allowing only 77 receiving with their longest reception being 18 yards. The defensive backs accounted for 21 of the team’s 52 tackles, with Stoutmire and Sanders leading the charge with four each. Silmon-Craig spoke about the standard his class has left for the defensive backs.
“I always wanted to be the standard and come in here and set a standard for us to live by for years and years,” Silmon-Craig said. “Our standard is to dominate, our standard is to win… so guys like DJ, Colton Hood, RJ [Johnson], and Savion Riley can continue to live by our standard.”
McKinney added how Silmon-Craig and his class built a culture for the secondary.
“They set the tone for us during the season,” McKinney said “That's why [Silmon-Craig] got the L on his jersey. Because he set the tone and set the standard. So, they definitely left a culture for us to build on and to keep making better.”
As the Buffs look ahead to the future, the foundation laid by this senior class is unmistakable. With young talent already stepping up, the Colorado secondary seems poised to carry on a legacy of dominance for years to come.
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