Colorado is back under the lights at Folsom Field on Friday night, and the task is a big one: the Buffaloes host No. 14 Houston on Nov. 13, with kickoff set for 8:15 p.m.
The Buffs enter at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in Big 12 play after a 20-10 loss at Arizona State on Nov. 7. Houston arrives at 7-2 and 4-2 after a 31-24 win over Cincinnati, and the Cougars have gone 2-2 on the road this season.
This series has barely any history to it, but the split is even. Colorado won the first meeting, 29-17 in the 1971 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, while Houston took the most recent matchup, a 36-20 win at TDECU Stadium on Sept. 12 of last year, the first time the teams met since CU returned to the Big 12 Conference.
A lot of Colorado’s recent identity has been shaped by the defense, and Gideon ESPN Lampron has been right at the center of it. He set a career high for the fourth straight week with 18 tackles at Arizona State, including 10 solo stops, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
The week before, he posted 16 tackles, four TFL and two sacks against Kansas State. Over the last five games, his tackle totals have gone 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18 for a combined 72.
On the season, he has 99 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, all team highs. His 16 tackles for loss are tied for second on CU’s single-season list for inside linebackers, matching Greg Jones in 1995 and Greg Biekert in 1992, and sitting one behind Matt Russell’s school record of 17 in 1995.
Joseph Williams gave Colorado its offense at Arizona State. He finished with seven catches for 121 yards and the Buffs’ only touchdown, a 7-yard grab that capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive in the fourth quarter.
It was his fourth 100-yard game of the season and pushed him to 58 receptions for 853 yards and six touchdowns on the year. That also gives him 10 touchdowns at Colorado and 15 for his college career.
Williams has now caught at least five passes in seven straight games, and his 48-yard reception was Colorado’s longest play of the night.
The numbers on the ground tell a different kind of story for the Buffs. Colorado is allowing 89.3 fewer rushing yards per game than it did last season, dropping from 222.5 to 133.2.
That ranks as the third-best year-to-year improvement in school history, behind 1968-69 and 1984-85. Even more striking, CU has made its biggest leap ever in yards per carry allowed, cutting that number from 5.25 last season to 3.53 this year - a 1.72-yard improvement that tops the previous best mark of 1.63 from 1968-69.
That run defense has also helped Colorado reach a rare place historically. The Buffs have allowed just five rushing touchdowns through nine games, matching the fewest in school history through that point.
The only other seasons to do that were 1961, 1965 and 1966. It’s also only the third time this century CU has given up seven or fewer rushing touchdowns through nine games, joining 2006 and 2016.
Friday night itself carries a little history, too. This will be the 56th Friday game in Colorado history, and the Buffs are 21-33-1 in those contests.
It’s also the third Friday the 13th game in program history, following matchups against USC in November 2015 and Stanford in October 2023. And for the first time, Colorado is hosting a game on Halloween and then following it with a Friday the 13th home date.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Just Changed The Colorado Conversation For Now
Colorados 42-32 win over No. 14 Houston gave Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes something they have not had in a long time: a signature victory to point to when the conversation around the program had started drifting toward frustration and uncertainty. It was Colorados first win over a top-15 opponent since 2007, and it came at a moment when the season had been defined more by questions than answers, with the Buffaloes sitting at 4-6 and trying to steady themselves in Sanders fourth year.
For Sanders, the timing matters almost as much as the result. The win does not erase the larger issues surrounding the program, but it does provide a needed burst of momentum and a reminder that Colorado can still land a punch against a ranked opponent. It also comes with the backdrop of his substantial contract extension and the financial realities tied to his future, which have only added to the scrutiny around every result. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Bowl Hopes Face A Brutal Test Against No. 14 Houston
The path to a bowl game for Colorado got a lot steeper after the loss to Arizona State, leaving the Buffaloes needing to win their final three games just to reach eligibility. Next up is a daunting trip against No. 14 Houston, a team that has built its reputation on a high-powered offense and a quarterback in Conner Weigman who can make life difficult for any defense.
Colorado will need more from Joseph Williams and the rest of its offense to keep pace, while the pass rush has to find a way to disrupt Weigman and slow Houston's rhythm. The Buffaloes are expected to enter as underdogs, which only adds to the pressure as they try to keep their season from slipping away before the finish line. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Faces A Tougher Providence Test Than Last Weeks Results Suggest
Providences latest win over Bryant offered a reminder that the Friars are still sorting out their early-season shape, even as Devin Vanterpool led the way with 21 points and looked like the kind of scorer who can change a game quickly. With Vanterpool working back from an ankle injury, coach Bryan Hodgson said his condition is trending in the right direction, and Providence is also expecting Ryan Mela and Samson Aletan back for the matchup with Colorado.
That makes this a far different test than Colorados recent home win over San Diego might suggest. The Buffaloes got enough production from Barrington Hargress and Ian Inman in that one, but Providence brings a deeper, more complete challenge and a lineup that could look stronger by the time the teams meet. For Colorado, the question is whether that recent success carries over once the opponents full front line and backcourt are back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]