Colorado heads into Saturday’s home opener at Folsom Field with a clear early identity, and it starts on the ground. After last week’s 14-13 win at Georgia Tech, the Buffaloes look set to lean on the run again when they meet Weber State for the first time.
Micah Welch should be at the center of that plan. The third-year back opened the season as CU’s top option at the position, and he backed that up with 58 yards on 15 carries and Colorado’s first touchdown of the year, a five-yard score in the second quarter. He’s also on the 2026 Doak Walker Award Watch List, and the matchup points his way: Weber State has given up an average of 313.5 rushing yards through two games.
The Buffs’ quarterback situation remains a work in progress, and Saturday should tell a little more about where it stands. Julian Lewis went 14 of 27 for 124 yards against Georgia Tech, quiet for most of the night before steering a go-ahead 75-yard touchdown drive late.
He’s only made three college starts and is still settling into Brennan Marion’s “Go-Go” offense, so there’s room for growth. But if Colorado wants more from its passing game this season, that growth has to start showing up now - especially against a Weber State defense that surrendered 47 points to Southern Utah.
One more CU spot worth watching is kicker Daniel Gerlach. The Boulder native got the surprise start over Elliot Arnold and Cadel Ayala, even though he had never attempted a field goal in college before last week.
He made both extra points, then had a 38-yard attempt blocked in the fourth quarter. For now, he’s holding the job, but the picture at kicker is still unsettled.
Weber State arrives with its own offensive focal point in wide receiver Noah Kjar, the coach’s son and the engine of the passing game. In two contests, Kjar has 15 catches for 264 yards and four touchdowns, including huge outings against Northern Colorado and Southern Utah.
He also handles kicks and punts, and after missing most of last season with an injury, he’s already been the Wildcats’ most dangerous player. If Weber State hangs around, Kjar figures to be a big reason.
At quarterback, true freshman Nate Dahle has taken over after Devin Brown dislocated his right pinkie finger in the opener. Dahle threw for 282 yards, two touchdowns and an interception at Southern Utah and added 85 yards on 12 carries.
He arrives with a serious high school résumé too: 12,467 passing yards at Ridgeline High, the second-most in Utah history, and a 14-0 senior season that ended with a state title. Colorado’s pass rush will have to deal with a quarterback who can escape.
On defense, Trevian Tribble brings the most experience to a Weber State unit that’s still settling in under a first-year staff. He has played in 36 games, more than any other returning Wildcat, and he’s third on the team with 13 tackles this season. Last year he finished with 48, fifth on the team.
Colorado’s defense, meanwhile, comes in with real momentum after smothering Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets were held to 51 rushing yards and no offensive touchdowns, and the Buffs’ defensive line earned Big 12 unit of the week honors.
Lamont Lester Jr., a Monmouth transfer, was named Big 12 defensive player of the week after piling up three sacks. The one area Deion Sanders said he wants cleaner play from is the secondary, which gave up a few throws it should have taken away in Atlanta.
The special teams battle has already been eventful for both sides. Weber State has blocked three kicks in two games, including a punt return for a touchdown at Southern Utah and two blocked extra points against Northern Colorado.
Colorado also had a field goal blocked at Georgia Tech and allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown, though Boo Carter’s blocked 45-yard try as time expired is the reason the Buffs are 1-0. Sanders said the kickoff return was a personnel issue rather than a scheme problem and said it has been addressed.
Gerlach remains CU’s kicker, while Weber State’s David Dallenbach has made all three of his field goals, including a 44-yarder.
There’s also some history around the matchup, mostly because there isn’t any. Saturday is the first meeting between the programs.
Weber State beat Northern Colorado in front of 5,715 fans and lost at Southern Utah before 5,805, while Colorado has sold roughly 45,000 tickets for the game. The Wildcats have also been outgained in both of their games, and their new head coach, Kjar, was hired in December after going 112-10 with six state championships in nine seasons at Corner Canyon High in Draper, Utah.
Two of his sons, Noah and Tate, are on the roster.
One last note hangs over the day: Colorado’s last loss to an FCS opponent at Folsom Field came in a 30-28 defeat to Sacramento State on Sept. 8, 2012.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Week 2 Depth Chart Gives Buffs Fans Something To Debate
Colorados updated depth chart arrived ahead of Week 2 against Weber State, and as expected with a Deion Sanders team, it gave Buffs fans plenty to dissect before kickoff at Folsom Field. The release laid out the official starters and depth pieces on both offense and defense, offering the clearest look yet at how the staff is sorting out roles after the opener.
For a program still trying to settle into its early-season identity, even a routine depth chart turns into a talking point when Sanders is involved. The names at the top may not settle every debate, but they do give Colorado a fresh snapshot of where things stand as the Buffs head into their first home test of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Is Making Sure Dominiq Ponders Legacy Lives Far Beyond Football
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Colorado has remained closely connected to Ponders family, showing that support in visible ways with a jersey patch and a dedication of the 2026 season in his honor. The foundation adds another layer to that tribute, turning remembrance into something practical for students and keeping his influence present in the program in a way that reaches beyond Saturdays in the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Is Chasing A Rising DB Before Fans Even See Him Up Close
Colorado is using its home opener against Weber State as more than just a chance to start the season in front of its own crowd. The Buffaloes have also turned the weekend into a recruiting stop, extending an invitation to 2028 defensive back Tanner Hardy of Brookhaven High School, a young prospect whose name is already surfacing in the programs early evaluation work.
Hardy acknowledged the offer on social media, but there is still no word yet on whether hell make the trip or eventually join Colorados class. He is part of a broader group of prospects being brought around the game, a reminder that the Buffaloes are already working to build future relationships while fans are still waiting to see the current team up close. [Read more 🡒]