Fans call out ref over alleged bias during Colorado vs. ND State game: "It was horrible watching that last minute"

The Colorado Buffaloes escaped with a narrow 31-26 win against the North Dakota State Bison to open their season at Folsom Field. The heroics of quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter made the difference against a spirited Bison team.

The game was not without controversy, with certain calls seeming to lean toward the home side. The officials seemed to miss a false start during a Buffs third-down conversion.

During North Dakota's final drive with 23 seconds on the clock, Colorado's Colton Hood seemed to make contact with Braylon Henderson with his helmet after a pass to the Bison star was completed for 19 yards, but a targeting penalty — which would have given the Bison 15 yards and a stopped clock — was not called.

After that, North Dakota State Bison quarterback Cam Miller threw a pass to wide receiver Tyler Terhark, which would have been the game-winning touchdown, but the attempt was four yards short.

College football fans on X, formerly Twitter, were quick to spot the inconsistency in some of the calls from the referees.

Some fans contended that some calls went against the Buffs as well.

"Missed calls on both sides including a gnarly hold on Travis Hunter that would have prevented an NDSU score. Close game. Both sides played well. Stop whining," one fan tweeted.

"Stop. Just stop. ND state had some mistakes of their own. They shot themsleves in the foot. That dumbass PI in 3rd down cost them. Motherfuckers still haven’t learned to turn their entire body around and not just your head. Can’t try and make it like the refs did this," another fan tweeted.

"Refs miss a few calls every game. Never watched football before?" One fan tweeted.

Colorado coach Sanders dissatisfied with NDSU win

The Colorado Buffaloes were 10 1/2-point favorites for the clash against FCS opponents North Dakota State Bison but ended up making a meal of it. They were a few officiating calls away from a potential upset.

Buffs coach Deion Sanders voiced his dissatisfaction with the manner of the win in his postgame news conference.

"You ever feel like you won but you didn't win?" said Coach Prime. "Let's move on from that. I'm going to try my best to hold back my anger. But we got a 'W,' so I'm happy."

Coach Prime promised to recruit a new O-line to better protect his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders — who was the most-sacked QB in the FBS (53) — and he did just that.

Against NDSU, Sanders was sacked only once, but Colorado only tallied 59 yards on 23 carries, an issue that the coach also addressed.

"You would love to run the ball a little more but shoot, when you have [504 yards] of total offense, I'm pretty good," Coach Sanders said. "I'm going to sleep good. Really good. Really good tonight with that. So, I'm cool with that. We would like to see a little more balance, but what is balance? Balance is wins."

Next up for Coach Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes is a trip to Lincoln to face off against last year's Week 2 opponents, Matt Rhule's Nebraska Cornhuskers. The game gives the Buffs a chance to go 2-0 for a positive start to the season.