ESPN’s “College GameDay” is headed back to Utah on Oct. 24, and the setup couldn’t be much bigger: unbeaten, 10th-ranked Utah against 14th-ranked Houston in a Big 12 showdown with plenty riding on it.
Utah enters at 6-0 and riding the nation’s longest winning streak at 12, while Houston comes in at 6-1 after knocking off No. 18 Oklahoma State, 35-32, on Saturday. The Utes also have a little extra incentive after watching archrival BYU handle the spotlight on ESPN’s pregame show and then upset Notre Dame.
Those two wins have Utah and BYU pointed toward a potential top-10 clash in Salt Lake City on Nov. 7. But the Utes have to get through Houston first, and after the way they nearly coughed up a game at Colorado, that part of the schedule suddenly matters a lot.
Utah led 13-0 at halftime in Boulder, then watched Colorado score 17 straight second-half points and actually move ahead 17-13 late in the third quarter. The Utes needed to bat down a Hail Mary on the final play to escape with the win. It was a near miss that put them in real danger of becoming one of Week 7’s upset victims.
So what has to change against Houston? The checklist is simple.
First, Utah has to stay locked in on Houston and not drift toward No. 2 BYU, even if that matchup is already looming large. There’s also a road date at 4-2 Cincinnati on Halloween night waiting down the line.
Second, the Utes need to keep this from turning into a track meet. Houston averages 39.3 points per game and brings a lot more firepower than Colorado, so Utah cannot afford a fourth-quarter shootout or a parade of big plays.
Third, and maybe most importantly, Utah has to put together a complete game. The second-half fade against Colorado was the most jarring part of that win, and the Utes simply can’t afford another stretch like that against a Cougar offense that has already shown it can punch back.
Rice-Eccles Stadium should help there. Utah has won eight straight at home, and the noise should keep the Utes focused as they try to protect both their unbeaten record and their place in the national conversation.
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Deion Sanders Left Colorado Fans With One Bigger Question
Colorados latest outing had the feel of a turning point for much of the night, even if it ended with another loss. The Buffaloes erased a 13-0 halftime deficit against Utah, grabbed the lead in the third quarter and briefly had the momentum before the game slipped away, leaving them with a four-game losing streak and another close result to sort through.
Deion Sanders and several players spoke afterward about the performance and where the team goes from here, but the bigger question around Boulder is still the same one hanging over the season. Colorado now turns to Oklahoma State next, a matchup that comes with its own challenge, and Sanders made it clear he is still waiting to see what this group can become as the schedule rolls on. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Showed Progress But One Late Problem Changed Everything
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The offense, though, never found the same rhythm, and the late-game sequence only sharpened the frustration. Isaac Wilson was left to reckon with a costly second-half turnover and the kind of ending that can swing a game in an instant, while Micah Welchs workload was surprisingly limited as JaQuail Smith took on the heavier rushing load. For a team trying to turn progress into a win, the margin for error disappeared when Colorado needed clean execution most. [Read more 🡒]
Buffs Leave Stanford With One Bright Spot Fans Will Notice
Colorados trip to the Stanford Intercollegiate ended with a 15th-place finish, as the Buffaloes posted a three-round 901 to close out a demanding tournament in the Bay Area. Stanford took the team title on its home course, while Meja Ortengren of the Cardinal claimed the individual crown, leaving Colorado to sort through a week that produced more lessons than results.
Still, there was one bright spot worth noticing for the Buffs: senior Maya McVey was the steadiest player in the lineup and gave the team a dependable presence throughout the event. Her effort offered a small lift in an otherwise frustrating week, one that should give Colorado a clearer picture of where it needs to sharpen up before the next start. [Read more 🡒]