College Football

Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders missed season finale with back fracture, per video

Updated Nov. 29, 2023 10:50 a.m. ET

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders missed the season finale at Utah on Saturday due to a fracture in his back, according to a YouTube video posted by "Well Off Media."

The site is run by one of coach Deion Sanders' children and has been tracking the Buffaloes with behind-the-scenes footage throughout the season. The title of the video was, "Colorado Ends Their Season 4-8 With Loss To Utah: PAC 12 Refs Are TERRIBLE: Shedeur's Injury."

It's unclear when Shedeur Sanders suffered the injury. He was sacked 52 times this season behind a struggling offensive line that Deion Sanders has pledged to bolster before next season. Shedeur Sanders needed at least two pain-numbing injections this season to get through games and a few days off from practice every so often to recover from hits.

Sanders discussed his latest injury on the video as he walked onto the field Saturday. He was asked if the injury would be revealed after the Utah game and he wasn't sure. A graphic flashed on the screen, saying, "he has a fracture in his back."

"It's crazy because I feel good, bro," Shedeur Sanders said on the video before the Buffaloes' 23-17 loss to the Utes dropped them to 4-8 in their final season in the Pac-12 before bolting for the Big 12. "But when I start running for real, it's like the idea is, ‘I feel good.' Realistically, bro, you can't. I can't even throw right now."

Sanders threw for 3,230 yards to break the program's single-season record of 3,200 set by Sefo Liufau in 2014. Sanders also finished with 27 touchdown passes, just one shy of tying the mark held by Liufau. Sanders also completed 69.3% of his passes, another top mark.

It was a roller-coaster first season for Deion Sanders after he was brought in to turn around a 1-11 program. The team started 3-0 before losing eight of nine to end the year. Their only win during the skid was a 27-24 victory at Arizona State on Oct. 7 courtesy of a field goal in the waning seconds.

Colorado was the talk of college football all season long, with Folsom Field the place to be. The Buffaloes sold out all six home games for the first time in school history, with many a celebrity showing up on the sideline.

Reporting by The Associated Press.