On Nov. 26, the Buffs held their ranking of 9^th with a 27-22 win against Utah at Folsom Field. Despite the frigid temperatures, fans were not quick to leave. Once the clock stopped, the security took down the field goals, and the fans charged onto the field, smothering the players. Gold fireworks shot out of the stadium into the night sky. The band played, and the fans proudly sang, “shoulder to shoulder, we will fight, fight, fight, fight, fight!”

The Colorado Buffaloes finished week 14 of the season ranked 9^th. After a big win against the Utah Utes, CU ended the season with 10 wins and only 2 losses. The Buffs lost to the USC Trojans and the Michigan Wolverines, both top 10 ranked teams. However, CU is ahead of the Trojans, who have 9 wins and 3 losses, and they are only 4 places behind the Wolverines, whom they lost to in a close game.

The Utes led the game with a touchdown early into the first quarter, but the Buffs pulled ahead later in the first quarter after getting a field goal and a touchdown. The rest of the game, the Buffaloes remained ahead, but it was close. CU conceded multiple fumbles, and the offense was weak. At the end of the day, the defense pulled through and won the game for the team.

This win was not only a huge success for the players, but made CU Boulder history. The Buffs have not been ranked since 2005. As one could imagine, after an 11-year dry spell, fans were beyond thrilled to see their beloved Buffaloes win the South Pac 12 Division that Saturday night.

Following the post-game spectacle, CU will have to pay a $100,000 fine. The players and fans will head to the Bay Area to watch the Buffs battle it out with the Washington Huskies on Dec. 3 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of the San Francisco 49ers.

The trip to Levi’s Stadium is great news for the Buffs. While the $100,000 fine was not so great to hear, it was not unexpected. The Pac 12 has the one minute rule, which states that fans are not allowed to enter the field until at least a minute after the clock stops as a safety precaution to avoid trampling. However, the large fine was a small price to pay for the happiness and sheer excitement of the fans that came out of this thrilling victory.

Fans have had plenty of excitement, but the question now is what is next for the Buffs. Unfortunately, it is hard to draw any conclusions because of the NCAA committee’s method of choosing what teams play in what games. However, rumor has it that CU might play the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, California. If the Buffs beat the Huskies, there is a possibility that CU will go to the National Championship in Phoenix, Arizona where they would play three other teams, one of which would be Alabama. Regardless, CU fans should get excited to watch the Buffs take down a team in red, whether it be Wisconsin or Alabama.