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Colorado vs. North Dakota State live score, updates, highlights from Week 1 college football game
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Colorado vs. North Dakota State live score, updates, highlights from Week 1 college football game

Colorado vs. North Dakota State live score, updates, highlights from Week 1 college football game

The Week 1 college football slate isn’t the juiciest thanks to plenty of matchups between power conference and FCS programs, but one such matchup will have the eyes of the nation on it come Thursday night.

After a loud and confident offseason, Deion Sanders and Colorado host FCS powerhouse North Dakota State in a game that could potentially derail the Buffaloes’ season before it even begins.

Colorado went 4-8 in Sanders’ first season, starting strong but fading down the stretch as defensive issues and a porous offensive line proved to be too much to overcome. Sanders has been adamant that better results are coming in 2024, but offseason losses have some questioning whether bowl eligibility is likely for the Buffaloes in their first season in the Big 12. 

Ranked 11th in the preseason Big 12 media poll, Colorado certainly has something to prove. The dynamic duo of QB Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter will keep the Buffaloes watchable even if the season goes haywire, but North Dakota State is going into Boulder hoping to make a statement of its own after an uncharacteristic four-loss season at the FCS level last year.

The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights from Colorado’s Week 1 matchup with North Dakota State. Follow along below with the game as it plays out.

MORE: Watch Colorado vs. North Dakota State live with Fubo (free trial)

Colorado vs. North Dakota State live score

  Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 F
North Dakota State 10 10 0 – –
Colorado 14 3 7 – –

Colorado vs. North Dakota State live updates, highlights from Week 1 game

(All times Eastern)

Colorado 24, North Dakota State 20

10:09 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Hunter scores his second touchdown of the night to give Colorado the lead! Sanders is up to 375 yards and three touchdowns, but most importantly, the Buffaloes are in front.

10:06 p.m. — Another big play from Colorado: this time, Sanders finds Horn for 41 yards. Horn is up to 191 yards and a touchdown for the Buffaloes.

10:03 p.m. — Colorado registers a much-needed sack of Cam Miller to force a quick punt. That’s the first sack of the game for the Buffaloes defense.

10:00 p.m. INTERCEPTION — Woah! Sanders’ pass bounces off the calf of a North Dakota State defender, back up into the air, and into the arms of Nick Kubitz. The Bison kill Colorado’s drive with a little stroke of luck.

9:58 p.m. — Shedeur Sanders just eclipsed 300 yards with a 40-yard strike to Travis Hunter. Just like that, Colorado has 1st & Goal four plays into the half.

North Dakota State 20, Colorado 17

9:34 p.m. FIELD GOAL — It’s good, and Colorado trails 20-17 entering halftime. Sanders has 254 yards through a half. The Buffaloes will get the ball to start the second half.

9:32 p.m. — Wow, another big completion gives Colorado 1st & Goal. There are only two seconds left, so a field goal is coming, but what an effort by this Buffaloes offense in the final minute of the half.

9:31 p.m. — Now Sanders fires a dart to LaJohntay Wester for 26 yards, putting the Buffaloes in position to enter field goal range with nine seconds remaining. They still have work to do.

9:29 p.m. — Colorado is moving, but not fast enough. The Buffaloes are still on their side of the field with under 20 seconds remaining in the half.

9:26 p.m. — The Buffaloes get a stop, but a great punt leaves them needing to nearly go the distance in less than a minute to find the end zone.

9:24 p.m. — North Dakota State is trying to move quickly past the new two-minute warning, but the Bison are facing 3rd & 2 on their own side of the field as Colorado tries to get another opportunity before the half.

9:16 p.m. — Sanders is sacked and Colorado will punt. Sacks cost Sanders last season…

9:15 p.m. — Hunter makes an impressive one-handed grab…out of bounds. It’s quickly 3rd & 4 for Colorado.

9:13 p.m. — A bit of a time of possession disparity so far…

North Dakota State 20, Colorado 14

9:09 p.m. FIELD GOAL — The Bison make up enough yardage to get comfortably into field goal range and extend their lead. It’s 20-14, but Colorado can call it a win for holding NDSU to a field goal.

9:07 p.m. — It’s 1st & Goal all the way from the 24 after back-to-back penalties by North Dakota State.

9:05 p.m. — Miller’s pass is incomplete…but Shilo Sanders is called for a late hit to give the Bison a fresh set of downs.

9:04 p.m. — Here comes a huge 3rd & 6 for the Colorado defense, which is begging for a break against NDSU’s offense.

9:00 p.m. — Shedeur Sanders is checked out by trainers on the field with what appears to be a cramp, but it looks more like a stall tactic than an actual cramp.

8:59 p.m. — What a stop by the Bison on fourth down! NDSU is about to get the ball back at Colorado’s 35-yard line with a chance to make this a two-possession game.

8:58 p.m. — North Dakota State’s defense got some time to sit during that drive, and it seems to be benefiting them: Colorado is quickly brought to fourth-and-short and appears to be going for it.

North Dakota State 17, Colorado 14

8:55 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — The Bison are back in front! Miller runs it in himself and now has 150 yards of offense plus two touchdowns. What an offensive explosion in this first half.

8:52 p.m. — North Dakota State easily converts with a 16-yard catch by RaJa Nelson. We could see ANOTHER lead change here.

8:49 p.m. — An offsides penalty by Colorado makes a 3rd & 7 and more manageable 3rd & 2 for NDSU. If the Bison don’t convert, this might be a situation where they go for it considering the way their defense is struggling.

End of first quarter: Colorado 14, North Dakota State 10

8:42 p.m. — A great play by Miller to escape pressure, recollect himself, and hit Stoffel for a first down to keep the drive alive.

8:41 p.m. — North Dakota State is already past midfield, this time after a personal foul call against Colorado added 15 yards to a 14-yard run by Miller. The Bison QB has flashed mobility early in this game. 

Colorado 14, North Dakota State 10

8:35 p.m. TOUCDOWN — That was quick! On the second play of the drive, Sanders finds Jimmy Horn Jr. for 70 yards and a touchdown. North Dakota State’s defense just didn’t have enough guys there. Colorado is back in front.

North Dakota State 10, Colorado 7

8:27 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Stoffel hauls in the short pass from Miller for the touchdown! The Buffaloes had NDSU down to 3rd & Goal, but Miller remained composed and is now up to 117 yards in the first quarter. 

8:26 p.m. — Braylon Henderson goes for 27 yards and has the Bison at 1st & Goal from the 6! Colorado’s defense has had some bumps early in this game. 

8:24 p.m. — North Dakota State is past midfield now and gains even more ground on a 16-yard catch by Joe Stoffel.

8:22 p.m. — North Dakota State’s offense quickly regains momentum, and it’s Bryce Lance, brother of Trey, who runs for eight yards early in this Bison drive.

Colorado 7, North Dakota State 3

8:17 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Sanders hits Travis Hunter for 41 yards and the score! The two-way star wastes no time showcasing his ridiculous athleticism, escaping a tackle and running right into the end zone. Colorado leads 7-3.

8:16 p.m. — Shedeur Sanders has completed his first three passes, including a strike to LaJohntay Wester that ended up going for 14 yards.

8:15 p.m. — Colorado coverts an early 3rd & 4 with a nice run up the middle by Charlie Offerdahl. 

North Dakota State 3, Colorado 0

8:11 p.m. FIELD GOAL — The Bison knock it through and strike first, though they would have loved to take advantage of that opportunity after the 48-yard catch-and-run by Marshall.

8:10 p.m. — Colorado’s defense, under new leadership this season, quickly adjusts and limits NDSU’s running game to force a field goal try.

8:08 p.m. — TK Marshall finds a hole in the Colorado defense! Cam Miller finds his man for 48 yards to put the Bison at the Buffaloes’ 24-yard line.

8:06 p.m. — Year 2 of the Deion Sanders era is underway. North Dakota State will start with the ball.

7:52 p.m. — This one-ups the Deion Sanders boombox. 

7:48 p.m. — Yes, that’s a Deion Sanders boombox. 

7:23 p.m. — Deion Sanders just spoke to the ESPN crew live from Folsom Field, and to no one’s surprise, he’s confident about his team. Sanders also touched on what it’s like to have his son at QB and said he’s a coach, not necessarily a father, when the game starts. 

7:05 p.m. — Travis Hunter and co. are ready to go.

6:40 p.m. — Colorado is favored by just under 10 points heading into tonight’s matchup. That might not be where they want to be against FCS competition, but it’s a chance to prove some doubters wrong with a big win.

How to watch Colorado vs. North Dakota State

  • Date: Thursday, Aug. 29
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET 
  • Location: Folsom Field, Boulder, Colo.
  • Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo

Colorado vs. North Dakota State will air on ESPN on Thursday. The network will broadcast the game from Folsom Field in Boulder beginning at 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local time).

Viewers seeking a streaming option can turn to the ESPN+ or Fubo, which offers a free trial to new users. 

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