Kansas State heads to Boulder on Saturday carrying more than a road matchup against Colorado. The Wildcats also walk in with major uncertainty under center, and that’s the kind of problem that can swallow a game whole before kickoff.
Kansas State will be without Avery Johnson for the second straight week, and it likely won’t have Jacob Knuth either after he started in Johnson’s place last week. That leaves the Wildcats trying to piece together an offense with Blake Barnett or Dillon Duff likely next in line. It’s a difficult spot for Collin Klein’s group, especially with the quarterback situation changing by the week.
Colorado, though, comes with plenty of its own baggage. The Buffaloes are 2-5 overall and 0-4 in Big 12 play, but the record may not tell the full story.
They were competitive in a 27-24 loss to No. 5 Utah, then followed that up with a 57-24 loss at Oklahoma State.
Even so, there are signs this team can make life uncomfortable for Kansas State.
One edge for the Wildcats is discipline. K-State has committed just 27 penalties this season, the second-fewest among FBS programs, while Colorado has 66 and ranks 129th out of 138 teams in that category. The Buffaloes also lead the country in turnovers, which is a glaring weakness against any opponent, even one that has struggled to force mistakes.
There’s also the matter of the sideline noise surrounding Colorado. Deion Sanders has been in the national spotlight after something his personal videographer said on a podcast prompted him to address it in his Monday presser. Some view him as being on the hot seat, though his buyout remains large.
Colorado’s own quarterback situation hasn’t been settled, either. The Buffs have already made a change this season, moving from former five-star Julian Lewis to Utah transfer Isaac Wilson. Wilson has completed 60.2% of his passes for 979 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions in four weeks, and he has thrown multiple interceptions in each of the last three games.
Still, Colorado showed against Utah that it can hang around. The Buffs scored all of their points in the second half, including 17 in the third quarter, and even took the lead after a field goal with 4:24 left in the third. They held Utah to 131 rushing yards and forced two interceptions in that narrow loss.
The Buffaloes’ front seven has been a solid part of the team. They allow 138.6 rushing yards per game, rank fifth in the Big 12 in sacks and seventh in the country in tackles for loss.
As for the betting market, BetMGM listed Colorado as a 1-point favorite Wednesday, Oct. 28, with the total at 47 1/2. The money line had Kansas State at -102 and Colorado at -118.
The prediction here leans to the home team: Colorado 24, Kansas State 17.
With Johnson unavailable, Kansas State is again forced into a third starting quarterback in as many weeks, and that kind of instability is tough to survive. Colorado hasn’t exactly been rolling, but after five straight losses and a schedule that has included Northwestern, Texas Tech, Utah and Oklahoma State, the Buffs look like a team that can finally catch a break at home against a vulnerable K-State squad.
In Other News...
Iowa State Answered A Bad Loss In The Wildest Way Possible
After a rough loss, Iowa State needed a response, and the Cyclones got one in the most chaotic way possible against Oklahoma State. The game swung back and forth all afternoon, with lead changes, long scoring drives and the kind of special-teams moments that can turn a Big 12 matchup into a track meet in a hurry.
Aiden Flora and Jaylen Raynor helped keep Iowa State on the front foot offensively, while Drew Mestermaker kept Oklahoma State in the fight with multiple touchdown passes of his own. In the end, it came down to one more late push and Kyle Konrardys field goal, with Raynor helping set up the final drive that gave the Cyclones a hard-earned finish and a much-needed answer. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cyclones Are Making Noise In The NFL For Better And Worse
Week 7 brought another busy NFL weekend for Iowa State alumni, with eight former Cyclones getting on the field and combining for 368 snaps across offense, defense and special teams. It was a reminder of just how wide the programs professional footprint has become, with familiar names showing up in all three phases while a few others watched from the sideline because of injuries.
Brock Purdy and Darien Porter were among the Cyclones who started and logged significant playing time, keeping Iowa State tied to some of the leagues bigger stages. Elsewhere, the injury list was part of the story too, with Breece Hall and Kene Nwangwu among those unavailable, and several other former Cyclones carrying practice status questions that will be worth tracking as the NFL calendar moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa State Showed Something Fans Needed To See In Big 12 Chaos
In a Big 12 game that felt like it was spinning in every direction, Iowa State found a way to steady itself at the end. Kyle Konrardy drilled a 34-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Cyclones past Oklahoma State, 51-49, in a matchup defined by offense, tempo and very little margin for error. Both teams piled up more than 500 yards, but Iowa State did enough in the key moments to come away with a win that mattered in the league race.
For a team trying to navigate the chaos of conference play, this was the kind of finish fans needed to see. The Cyclones did not win by controlling the game, but by taking advantage of Oklahoma State penalties and miscues when it counted most, a sign of resilience that can travel in the Big 12. It was messy, tense and far from comfortable, but it also pushed Iowa State forward in the standings and gave the program a result it can point to as the season keeps tightening. [Read more 🡒]