Colorado football is drawing mixed reviews for their 31-26 home win against North Dakota State, but there is little to nitpick in the sterling showing that Shedeur Sanders put forth on Thursday night.

The senior quarterback completed 26 of his 34 pass attempts for a colossal 445 passing yards and four touchdowns to help the Buffaloes overcome a halftime deficit. Following his big season opener, Sanders joins an exclusive club that includes the best QB in the NFL today.

“FBS QBs with 400 yards passing and four TDs in back-to-back season-openers in the last 20 years: 1. Shedeur Sanders 2. Patrick Mahomes 3. Sheesh,” Fox College Football's RJ Young posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Fans will quickly point out that Sanders' feat was accomplished against an FCS program and is thus not as impressive, but the same can be said for Mahomes. Actually, the three-time Super Bowl champion was decimating FCS squads in both of the 400-plus barrages that Young references (Sam Houston State, which since moved to FBS, and Stephen F. Austin).

None of that is said to compare Sanders to an all-time great. Such conversations obviously cannot take place, but it is worth reiterating that Mahomes had a losing record with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Hence, the Buffaloes' four-win 2023-24 campaign should not completely reflect on the play of their signal-caller.

How far can Shedeur Sanders take Colorado this season?

Detailed view of the helmet worn by Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) (not pictured) before the game against the North Dakota State Bison at Folsom Field.
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Shedeur Sanders still must prove he can excel against top-notch defenses, but the talent is becoming harder to deny as he continues to fill up the stat sheets. Though, considering the hype surrounding him and his father, Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders, fans expect positive team results as well.

The defense and the offensive line must be stable if the Buffaloes are going to disrupt the natural order of things in the Big 12. The former struggled at various junctures of Thursday's game, while the latter also looked shaky but surrendered only one sack. Even so, much of the burden will unavoidably fall on Sanders' shoulders.

The polarizing NFL Draft prospect said all the right things after the North Dakota State game, admitting that he was frustrated with the eight incomplete passes he threw. That type of perfectionism can be found in many star players, including his father Deion Sanders and idol Tom Brady. The future could be quite bright for No. 2.

True to his last name, though, Sanders' season opener did include some controversy. The 22-year-old went down with what was labeled a cramp at a highly convenient point of the game, causing many people to accuse him of faking an injury in order to give his defense extra time to get on the field.

Neither he nor Colorado football are universally loved, but they will keep commanding significant national attention when they take the field. A road trip to Nebraska in Week 2 is another opportunity for Shedeur Sanders to increase his draft stock and prominence.