The Colorado Buffaloes’ loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils in Week 10 put them in a position where they must win out in order to secure bowl eligibility. The Buffaloes were flat on offense despite solid performances from a few individuals.

As for the defense, it was strong for the most part, but there were struggles in the secondary, as per usual. Here’s a report card for each of Colorado’s positions against ASU, highlighting what worked well and what went wrong in the Buffs’ 20-10 loss.

Quarterback: C

Isaac Wilson playing turnover-free football was a crucial point of emphasis coming into this game. Unfortunately for Colorado, he not only turned the ball over, but he did so at a crucial point in the second half as the Buffaloes were trying to mount a comeback.

Running back: D-

A week removed from the best rushing performance of the Coach Prime Era, Colorado’s running backs were spinning their tires in Week 10. Richard Young averaged just 3.1 yards per carry, posting an unimpressive total of 47 yards. 

Wide receiver: A

But for as much of a nonfactor as the running backs were, Colorado’s receivers were firing on all cylinders. Particularly, Joseph Williams had another masterful performance, leading the way with 121 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions as the one true standout for CU offensively.

Tight end: C-

Colorado’s tight ends had a pedestrian game blocking-wise against the Sun Devils. They were also largely absent from the receiving game, with Charlie Williams’ 17-yard reception being the only one by a tight end.

Offensive line: C-

Colorado’s offensive line wasn’t much better, though. It didn’t help Young out much in the running game and allowed Wilson to take four sacks, a far cry from its Week 9 performance.

Defensive tackle: A-

The interior defensive line had very little room for improvement, though. Santana Hopper was a game-wrecker as always, racking up six total tackles, five solo tackles and three tackles for loss. In addition, Dylan Manuel created pressure while fighting through an injury that had him questionable up until kickoff.

Edge rusher: C

Colorado’s edge rushers couldn’t do much off the back of that pressure. None of Colorado’s edge rushers recorded a sack in this game, and they only combined for half a tackle for loss. Not what the Buffs were hoping for against a freshman quarterback.

Linebacker: A+

The Buffaloes’ linebacking core was spotless once again, though. Gideon ESPN Lampron continued his emergence as one of the best linebackers in the country, tallying 18 total tackles, 10 solo tackles, two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss. Liona Lefau was also a force to be reckoned with in his own right.

Cornerback: C-

Colorado’s secondary struggled as a whole against the Sun Devils’ talented receivers, but it was primarily clear that its cornerbacks weren’t up to the task against their crafty offensive scheme. The Sun Devils knew how to attack the Buffs’ corners, and they picked them apart whenever necessary.

Safety: C-

The Buffs’ safeties weren’t much help, though. Arizona State didn’t resort to the deep ball much, simply because it didn’t need to, but whenever the Sun Devils decided to take a shot, they could at will. Take this with a grain of salt, though, as the Buffs were without star safety Naeten Mitchell in this game.

Special teams: C+

Colorado didn’t get many opportunities to utilize its special teams, but the lack of production in the return game and Damon Greaves’ zero punts inside the opposing 20-yard line didn’t help its case in the field position battle.