Colorado enters Week 9 with a real opening to snap its five-game skid, and the setup at home is about as favorable as it gets against a ranked conference opponent missing both of its top quarterbacks.
The Buffaloes are 2-5 overall and 0-4 in Big 12 play, while Kansas State comes in at 4-3 and 1-3 in the league. Even so, Colorado is favored in Boulder because the Wildcats’ top two quarterbacks were ruled out earlier this week, leaving Kansas State to lean on its third-string option.
That puts the pressure squarely on Colorado’s defense to handle business. The Buffaloes need to keep Kansas State from establishing the run and make the Wildcats’ backup quarterback beat them through the air.
On the other side of the ball, Colorado’s path is pretty clear. The Buffaloes should be running the ball heavily against a Kansas State defense that allows more than 158 rushing yards per game.
That matters even more with quarterback Isaac Wilson, who has shown a tendency to turn the ball over. Against a strong pass defense, Colorado’s best answer is to keep the offense on the ground and avoid giving the game away.
The stakes are obvious enough. Deion Sanders may be coaching for his job, which makes this one feel as close to a must-win as a Week 9 game can get, especially with Kansas State down to its third-string quarterback.
Colorado and Kansas State meet in a pivotal Big 12 matchup, and the Buffaloes will try to use the home field and the Wildcats’ quarterback situation to finally get back on track.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Faces A Brutal Colorado Test He Has To Pass
Colorado heads into Saturdays matchup with Kansas State carrying the kind of urgency that has defined the last stretch of the season. Deion Sanders team is trying to stop a five-game skid at Folsom Field, and the timing is tricky for a Buffaloes group that has been fighting offensive inconsistency while leaning more heavily on its defense to keep games manageable.
Kansas State arrives with its own problems after a loss, but the Wildcats still present a dangerous test for a Colorado team that cannot afford many more missteps. With quarterback depth already a concern and the offense searching for answers, the Buffaloes need a steadier performance from the side of the ball that has been asked to carry more of the load, and this one feels like a game that could say plenty about how Sanders team handles pressure in November. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Finally Got The Clutch Finish Fans Had Been Waiting For
Colorado finally got the kind of finish its fans have been waiting for, outlasting Kansas State 27-24 in overtime in a game that swung back and forth before settling into the Buffs favor. The win had plenty of moving parts, from linebacker Gideon Lampron helping steady the defense to a second-quarter fumble by DeKalon Taylor that kept Colorado from stretching its lead when it had the chance.
The offense still found enough answers when it mattered most, with JaQuail Smith providing a burst that changed the feel of the game and the passing attack delivering in the extra period. In a matchup that could have slipped away in several different spots, Colorado found a way to finish, and the result should carry real weight for a team that has been looking for exactly this kind of late-game response. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Earned New Respect After What Kansas States Coach Admitted
Colorado came away from its narrow overtime win over Kansas State with more than just another conference victory. The result also drew a notable admission from Wildcats coach Collin Klein, who credited Colorados defensive front and the Buffs in-game adjustments for helping swing a game that was tight throughout and featured a key 96-yard drive that set up the go-ahead touchdown.
Klein also pointed to his own teams mistakes, including missed tackles and penalties that he said were affected by the crowd noise, which only added to the sense that Colorado had made life difficult in a high-pressure setting. For a program still trying to build credibility, hearing an opposing coach talk that way carries real weight, especially after a game like this one. [Read more 🡒]