Colorado found itself trailing at halftime for the third consecutive week. On the road against a feisty (and improving) Arizona State team, CU went into the break facing the prospect of an 0-3 start to Pac-12 play.

Instead, the Buffaloes rebounded. They absorbed some body blows. They didn’t panic after a late drive from Arizona State tied the game and threatened to force overtime. And they left Tempe with a 27-24 win.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Another poor start from CU

Colorado is taking a long time to settle into these games. Against the best teams in the conference, the Buffs have put themselves in insurmountable holes early with sluggish starts. Against Arizona State, doing so wasn’t necessarily a death blow. But that didn’t stop CU from doing it anyway.

Six first-half drives. Two long touchdown marches. Three three-and-outs. One five-play, 6-yard drive that ended in a punt. Colorado went into the half trailing 17-14. So much of the first-half issues have been the wide variance within the offense. Colorado can’t consistently protect its quarterback, so its drives have essentially become a game of “how long can we go before Shedeur Sanders gets sacked.”

Sanders was sacked twice on CU’s first drive.

Colorado was able to pick up that first first down on its next drive and marched 75 yards in 16 plays to score a game-tying touchdown and make it 7-7.

Sanders was sacked on the next drive and CU punted.

Sensing a theme?

Colorado doesn’t need a darkness retreat to find the answer to its early-game issues. It’s obvious. The Buffs need better play from the offensive line. Sanders was sacked five times in the game, which will almost assuredly keep him among the nation’s most-sacked quarterbacks.

In the second half, when CU outscored ASU 13-7 and Sanders led a couple of fourth-quarter scoring drives, Sanders was hit only twice.

Sanders finished the game 26-for-42 for 239 yards and a touchdown. After Arizona State tied the game with 50 seconds to play on a touchdown pass from Trenton Bourguet to Troy Omeire, Sanders set up a 43-yard game-winning field goal in four plays and just 32 seconds.

He hit Javon Antonio for 43 yards on the first play of the drive. A week ago, Deion Sanders said CU would have tied the game against USC if Shedeur had gotten the ball last. We’ve seen enough to know he probably would have.

Now the Buffs just need to figure out how to avoid those late-game desperation drives.

Bad, but… good?

It has to be a more enjoyable experience for Arizona State fans to watch this Kenny Dillingham-coached team as opposed to recent Herm Edwards teams… right?

Arizona State has now lost five consecutive games. Injuries are everywhere. Cameron Skattebo, one of the lone offensive bright spots, was limited during the week so he was more limited than ASU would have liked on Saturday.

There are so many issues. So much adversity. And yet ASU keeps putting a product on the field that, in spite of the result, could make a fanbase proud.

Arizona State outgained Colorado 392-295. The defense played well enough to win the football game until one bust on the final drive that ultimately lost the game. With Skattebo not able to provide his usual spark plug play, Elijhah Badger gladly picked up the slack with 12 catches for 134 yards.

Trenton Bourguet delivered what looked like a truly special moment when he connected with Omeire.

Bourguet missed throws and Arizona State’s offense looked generally poor in the second half. The first three drives of the third and fourth quarter ended with punts. A nine-play, 31-yard drive ended with a missed field goal.

But Dillingham, at this point in a Year 1 that feels an awful lot like a Year 0, can take some moral victories. Arizona State is fighting each week. Correctable mistakes and, ya know, a ridiculous injury report are holding things down.

Colorado’s musical chairs act at WR continues

Without Travis Hunter in the lineup, Colorado has had to test its depth at receiver. The group of pass-catchers looks very deep.

Against Oregon, Xavier Weaver led the Buffs in receiving with 75 yards on nine catches. Against USC, Omarion Miller emerged with 196 yards and a touchdown on seven catches.

Saturday night in Tempe, Weaver had 17 yards on two catches. Miller had one catch for 9 yards.

Instead, Sanders turned to Javon Antonio, who finished with 81 yards and a touchdown on five catches. He had a combined three catches for 42 yards in the first five games of the year. And he didn’t have a catch until the fourth quarter Saturday night.