Colorado and Kansas State meet at Folsom Field on Halloween with both teams trying to shake off a loss, but the Buffaloes have a little more urgency hanging over them. Colorado is trying to stop a five-game losing streak against the Wildcats, and this one has the feel of a game the Buffs need to grab.
That pressure lands squarely on Deion Sanders. The talk around Coach Prime has only gotten louder as the season has gone on, and after a three-win 2025 campaign, Colorado entered 2026 with a roster makeover and expectations for better results. Instead, the season has gone sideways, and the current skid has wiped away whatever preseason optimism was left.
There’s also the financial reality sitting in the background. Sanders’ contract includes a $25+ million buyout, which is part of why Colorado would like to avoid making a move if it can help it.
On the field, the quarterback situation is the biggest wrinkle in the matchup. Kansas State is down not just Avery Johnson, but also backup Jacob Knuth, forcing third-string Dillon Duff into the starting role. Duff has not played in a K-State uniform yet, and he gets the nod over Erie, Colorado, native Blake Barnett, per Pete Thamel.
Colorado still has Isaac Wilson available, but the results haven’t matched the role the Buffaloes gave him. His seven interceptions over the last three games have been costly, and the offense has not found the kind of stability it needed.
The Buffs’ quarterback depth took another hit this week, too. Julian Lewis, who started in Week 1, was listed as questionable at the start of Week 9.
On Wednesday, Lewis’ family released a statement saying he suffered a medical emergency at the team’s facility and was taken to the hospital. He was then downgraded to out on Thursday.
That leaves Colorado leaning heavily on its defense, and that unit needs a response after getting lit up for 57 points by Oklahoma State in Week 8. The secondary, in particular, struggled badly in that game.
The assignment for Colorado’s front seven is clear: slow Duff down and force Kansas State to throw more than it wants to. If the linebackers and interior defensive line can contain his legs, the Buffaloes can try to make the Wildcats one-dimensional and give the secondary a shot to recover.
In Other News...
Colorado Faces A Must Win With A Bigger Question Hanging Over It
Colorado heads into its Week 9 home game against Kansas State with the kind of opening that usually looks favorable on paper. The Wildcats are down at quarterback, and Colorado should have a chance to pressure a backup-led offense while leaning on its own ground game to keep the plan simple and steady. For a team trying to make the most of a must-win spot, the matchup offers a clearer path than some of the recent ones on the schedule.
Still, the bigger concern in Boulder has little to do with the opponent. Julian Lewis was hospitalized after a medical emergency, leaving a much more serious question hanging over the Buffaloes as they prepare for kickoff. Even with the game in front of them, Colorados week has been shaped by uncertainty around its quarterback room, and that makes the stakes feel larger than a single conference result. [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 🡒]