"What I see is a bunch of guys who are in like with the game. You're not in love with the game. Because when you're in love with something, you give it everything you've got."

That is part of what Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders told his team following Friday's stunning 46-43 loss to Stanford. The Buffaloes built a 29-0 halftime lead only to collapse and lose in double-overtime.

Sanders' postgame speech was captured on video (1:01:13 mark), and he notably said, "what we just did today is pathetic" before telling his team it was practicing the next day.

"You went out there and started off just like we desired you to start," he said. "But then you got besides yourselves. You started feeling yourself, you started thinking that you're better than you are. That's why we said the things we said. Now we find ourselves in a situation that we couldn't fathom. We find ourselves in a situation that you would never guess."

Friday's loss could be the one that prevents the Buffaloes from finishing with a .500 record and making a bowl game.

They fell to 4-3 on the year but still have daunting contests remaining against UCLA, Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona and Utah. Stanford, which is just 2-4 on the season with a loss to Sacramento State, was supposed to be the easy win on that slate.

Yet the Buffaloes had no answer for wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, who finished with 13 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns. Stanford's offense was basically forcing the ball to Ayomanor for extended stretches, and he responded in incredible fashion.

Now Colorado will need to figure out a way to respond itself before a difficult stretch.

If it doesn't, one of the biggest storylines in the early portion of the college football season will fade away as the losses continue to pile up.