Colorado got the kind of lift it needed against Kansas State, and a few names stood out in a 27-24 overtime win that had plenty of turning points along the way.
The Buffaloes’ ground game supplied some of the biggest jolts. JaQuail Smith ripped off the afternoon’s most explosive play, bursting through the Wildcats for a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter to put Colorado ahead 14-7. It was the sort of run that can change the feel of a game in a hurry, and it gave the Buffaloes another back who can flip a possession with one crease.
Richard Young added his own punch early. He opened the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter for his first touchdown as a Buffalo, and the drive was already rolling because of a 22-yard run that helped set up the score. Between Young and Smith, Colorado showed it had more than one way to threaten Kansas State on the ground, something that mattered in a game where the Buffaloes needed to keep things moving and take some pressure off quarterback Isaac Wilson.
On the defensive side, Gideon Lampron was right in the middle of things. The veteran linebacker finished with nine tackles and a sack, giving Colorado the kind of steady production that helped slow Kansas State’s offense and make drives harder to finish. Lampron came into the game as Colorado’s leading tackler with 65 stops on the season, and he backed that up with another active performance.
Not everything went cleanly for Colorado, though. DeKalon Taylor had a chance to stretch the lead in the second quarter after breaking free for a 30-yard run and reaching the Kansas State one-yard line, but he lost the football before getting into the end zone. The ball went through the back of the end zone, turning what looked like a scoring chance into a touchback and handing possession back to the Wildcats.
Kansas State kept pushing, but Colorado found the answer when it mattered most. In overtime, Wilson connected with tight end Charlie Williams on an 11-yard game-winning touchdown pass to seal the 27-24 final. The Buffaloes had been tested all afternoon, but they finished the job in the last moments and came away with one of their more encouraging performances of the season.
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Kansas State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Kansas States trip to Folsom Field ended in a 27-24 overtime loss to Colorado, but the bigger conversation may have been the Wildcats quarterback usage. The offense leaned on two different passers, and Blake Barnett helped spark a late touchdown drive that gave Kansas State a chance to extend the game after a night when the defense had its share of problems but still came up with a few late punts to keep the door open.
Barnetts role in that rally only sharpened the question of how Kansas State wants to handle the position moving forward. In a game decided by a handful of plays, the Wildcats found enough late energy to erase a deficit and force overtime, but the split approach under center leaves plenty to sort out as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Leaves Colorado With A Bigger Problem Than Another Loss
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The quarterback situation only added to the uncertainty. Sophomore Dillon Duff got the start, but Blake Barnett finished the game after the Wildcats made a switch and helped spark a late comeback attempt that fell just short. Colorado, meanwhile, finally got its first Big 12 conference win of the season, leaving Kansas State with more to sort through than the final score alone. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Turns To An Unknown QB In A Brutal Spot
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Collin Klein has sounded encouraged by what he has seen from Duff behind the scenes, pointing to his work ethic and decision-making as reasons the Wildcats are willing to trust him in a pressure-packed spot. For a team looking for stability at the most important position, this is a big leap of faith, and it will say plenty about where Kansas State stands in the quarterback room going forward. [Read more 🡒]