Colorado is taking a hot run into Big 12 play, and the first conference test comes Thursday night in Ames against Iowa State.
The Buffaloes head to Iowa State at 5 p.m. MT with momentum on their side after finishing nonconference play with three straight wins, all by shutout. Colorado sits at 6-1-1 overall, and that stretch has been built on a defense that has started to lock in and an attack that has been piling up goals at home.
The Buffs have been especially sharp at Prentup Field. They went 6-0-0 there in nonconference action and pushed their home unbeaten streak to 21 matches after outscoring New Mexico, Utah State and Denver by a combined 11-0 over the last three games. Friday’s 6-0 win over Denver capped the run in emphatic fashion.
Hope Leyba was the headline in that one, posting her third career hat trick and finishing with six points on the night. Michaela McGowan, Berkley Mensik and Hannah Healy also scored, and Leyba’s big performance moved her to 83 career points, good for fifth in Colorado history and just one point behind Fran Munnelly for fourth.
She’s been the Buffs’ top finisher so far this season with six goals. McGowan and Reagan Kotschau are right behind her with five apiece, and Colorado has piled up 24 goals through eight matches while giving up only six.
The clean sheets have become a real theme, too. Colorado has five shutouts already, including the three straight to close out nonconference play.
“Coming off a weekend like last one, you didn't really know what you were going to get, but it was super sharp this morning,” head coach Danny Sanchez said of the Buffs' preparation. “We're excited to get out on the road, and we have 11 conference games and every one of them is just as important as the other one.”
Iowa State comes in at 4-2-2 after ending its nonconference schedule with a 1-1 draw at Loyola Maryland. Sophie Forrester pulled the Cyclones level 20 seconds after Loyola struck first, and Iowa State enters conference play unbeaten in its last three matches.
The Cyclones have been solid at both ends, scoring 13 goals and allowing five through eight games. They’ve also posted five shutouts. Morgan Goodman leads the way with six points on one goal and four assists, while Forrester, Alaina Villa and Megan Walters are tied for the team lead with two goals each.
“They've been stingy defensively,” Sanchez said. “We went there a couple years ago, and it was 1-0. Emerson Layne scored a great goal, and that was really our only good chance.”
Thursday will be the 20th meeting between Colorado and Iowa State. The Buffs own the series 16-2-1, have won six straight against the Cyclones and are 9-0-1 in the last 10 matchups. Colorado is also 4-2-1 all-time in Ames.
The teams met twice last season, with Colorado beating Iowa State 3-1 at Prentup Field and then winning 1-0 in Ames in 2024.
Thursday’s match kicks off an 11-game Big 12 slate for Colorado. The Buffs will return home to face West Virginia on Sept. 24 before heading back on the road to play Texas Tech on Sept. 27.
In Other News...
Hope Leyba Is Giving Colorado Another Reason To Believe
Hope Leyba has given Colorado plenty to smile about early in the season, and her latest outing only sharpened the sense that the Buffaloes have another proven finisher leading the way. The senior forward was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week after delivering a hat trick in Colorados 6-0 win over Denver, a performance that reminded everyone how quickly she can change a match when she finds space in front of goal.
It was her fourth career Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor and her first this season, another sign that Leyba remains a central figure for Colorados attack. She also moved to 83 career points, which puts her fifth on the programs all-time scoring list, and gives the Buffaloes even more reason to keep watching how high her final chapter can climb. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Next Two Road Tests Will Define This Teams Ceiling
Colorados season has already shown how quickly the mood around this program can change. After the highs of the early stretch in 2023, the Buffaloes watched a losing skid drain away their bowl hopes, a reminder that fast starts only matter if they can survive the middle of the schedule. Now the conversation has shifted to 2026, where a solid opening has created a little momentum and a little expectation in equal measure.
The next two road games will say plenty about whether this group is just off to a decent start or capable of something bigger. Northwestern and Baylor offer very different kinds of tests, and handling both would go a long way toward keeping Colorado on a path that could actually lead to bowl eligibility and a more meaningful season. For a team trying to prove the early results are real, this stretch feels like the hinge point. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Is Still Holding Back On Julian Lewis For Now
Julian Lewis breakout against Weber State gave Colorado a fresh look at what the future could hold at quarterback, but Deion Sanders is not in any hurry to change the plan. The Buffaloes coach pointed to Lewis limited experience at this level and framed the young quarterbacks growth as a process, not a sprint, even as his recent play has given the offense a new jolt of energy.
Lewis is already starting to show the kind of leadership that matters beyond the box score, too, whether it is taking the offensive line out to eat or leaning into the daily work that comes with being the face of the position. Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion has praised Lewis arm strength, while also stressing that the next step is sharpening the habits and details that separate a talented quarterback from a fully trusted one. [Read more 🡒]