Stillwater, Okla. • It took Barry Sanders four games to figure out how special his 1988 season at Oklahoma State might be.
Returning the season’s opening kickoff for a touchdown against Miami (Ohio) didn’t do it for him. Neither did his dominance of Texas A&M or his 304 yards and five touchdowns rushing against Tulsa.
It started becoming real for him during a masterful performance at Colorado. The Buffaloes were on the rise with a defense that included future NFL players Kanavis McGhee, Alfred Williams and Deon Figures.
Sanders broke the Buffaloes’ backs with a 65-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.