The Colorado Buffaloes’ Week 8 injury picture still isn’t clean, but Thursday’s update brought a little relief and a fresh dose of concern.
Colorado was still projected to be without seven players against Oklahoma State after Wednesday’s official availability report, and that number did not budge. But the Buffs did get a pair of key boosts deeper on the injury list, with Ashley and Lester both moving from questionable to probable.
That matters, especially on defense. Lester’s possible return stands out most because he has been such a disruptive force when available.
He has four sacks, which is tied for second in the Big 12, and only Koron Hayward of the TCU Horned Frogs has more by half a sack. If Lester is back on Saturday, Colorado gets a player who can make quarterback Drew Mestemaker uncomfortable and speed up his decisions.
Ashley’s return would also help. The true freshman had started to make regular appearances at nickel before getting hurt, and he had been giving Colorado useful depth at a spot that had been shaky overall. If he’s back at the same level, or better, a starting job at nickel is still in play.
But the news was not all positive. Richardson and Atkins were already ruled out for the Week 8 game, and Thursday’s injury report removal points toward something more serious than a one-week absence. Their status now looks less like a game-time question and more like a sign they could miss substantial time.
Atkins’ loss is a big hit to Colorado’s tight end room. He had been the other main receiving threat at the position next to Charlie Williams, and with him out, the Buffs become much more limited there. Fisher Clements, whose game is rooted more in blocking, is now the only other tight end besides Williams to log meaningful snaps this season.
Richardson’s timing could hardly be worse. The fifth-year Missouri Tigers transfer had just started to establish himself as a starter for Colorado before a leg injury in Week 7 against the then-No. 11 Utah Utes cut that momentum short.
Colorado has seen this pattern before. Center Demetrius Hunter and linebacker Tyler Martinez were both listed on injury reports before later undergoing surgeries, after which they disappeared from the report entirely and have not played since. Thursday’s change for Richardson and Atkins could be pointing in the same direction.
In Other News...
Oklahoma State Gets A Big 12 Chance It Cant Waste Against Colorado
Oklahoma State is heading into a midseason Big 12 matchup that carries a little extra weight, with Colorado coming to Boone Pickens Stadium in Week 8 of the 2026 college football season. The Cowboys will get the chance in Stillwater on Saturday, Oct. 24, in a game that gives them another shot to make a statement in conference play, with the national audience able to follow along on FS1 and via Fubo.
The timing matters, because both teams arrive with their own recent results and the league picture already taking shape entering Week 8. For Oklahoma State, this is the kind of home opportunity that can nudge a season in the right direction or leave a lingering what-if, and the stakes only get sharper when a conference opponent like Colorado walks into town. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Keeps Rolling But One Offensive Issue Still Looms
Oklahoma States offense has been humming for more than a month, and the results have shown up on the scoreboard as well as in the national rankings. The Cowboys have topped 30 points in five straight games, and their overall production has put them among the countrys most efficient attacks, setting up another opportunity to stay on a roll when Colorado comes to Stillwater.
Even with all that firepower, there is still a wrinkle worth watching: the offense has not always been as clean in the red zone, and slow starts in the first half have occasionally kept games closer than they should be. That leaves a little tension inside an otherwise encouraging stretch, especially with several columnists expecting Oklahoma State to handle Colorado at home, even if the exact margin varies from one prediction to the next. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma State Cracks Down After Disturbing Student Section Incident
Oklahoma State is moving the Cowboy Marching Band out of its usual spot in Boone Pickens Stadium for the upcoming homecoming game, a response to a troubling scene in the student section that left two band members injured by thrown cans and water bottles. The university is also stepping up security and camera monitoring as it looks to prevent a repeat of the kind of behavior that crossed well beyond the edge of game-day passion.
The band will be relocated to Section 223 when the Cowboys face Colorado, a change that underscores how seriously the school is treating the incident. It comes after the university took action against several students connected to what happened, while trying to make sure the stadium remains a place where the crowd can be loud without becoming dangerous. [Read more 🡒]