As Oklahoma State gets ready to welcome Colorado to Stillwater for a 6 p.m. kickoff on FS1, the matchup still circles back to one unavoidable figure: Deion Sanders.
That’s been the story around the Buffaloes all season, and it’s hard to separate the coach from the noise. Colorado arrives at 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12, carrying a four-game losing streak after opening the year 2-0. The Cowboys, meanwhile, are 4-2 and 2-1 in conference play heading into the homecoming showdown.
Colorado On SI writer Lorenzo J. Reyna shed some light on where things stand with the Buffs, starting with the quarterback situation.
Wilson, he said, has already shown he’s the better fit for the “Go-Go” offense because of his mobility, while Lewis does not bring the same element. Unless Wilson gets hurt, Reyna said, QB1 belongs to him.
If Colorado does use two quarterbacks, it would probably come on a trick play or late in a game that’s already out of reach. Even after the offense sputtered in the first half against Utah last Saturday, Colorado stayed with Wilson, which Reyna said should tell fans Wilson is the man under center now.
The Buffaloes’ offense still hasn’t found its footing, but Brennan Marion continues to be the engine behind whatever success Colorado can generate through the air. Reyna pointed to Marion’s track record with wideouts - from Jordan Addison at Pitt to Ricky White at UNLV - and said his scheme uses play action to hold linebackers and safeties in place.
That opens space for Williams to work behind them and keep the offense moving. Since the Go-Go is built around the run, Williams has been able to benefit from those fakes.
The ground game, though, hasn’t looked like the version Colorado has wanted, and the backfield has taken some hits. Lead rusher Micah Welch is banged up, while JaQuail Smith adds value as a receiver out of the backfield.
Sacramento State transfer Damian Henderson II has been the other power back seeing consistent action, and Alabama transfer Richard Young has barely played as Henderson and Welch have jumped him on the depth chart. Reyna said this could be a game where Young gets a little more work if the passing game doesn’t click early.
On the other side of the ball, Santana Hopper is the player who sets the tone. The Tulane transfer has been quick and disruptive, and Reyna said it will be interesting to see whether Oklahoma State - through Morris - tilts pass protection toward Hopper or tries to double-team him.
Colorado has also had success sliding Hopper inside, especially with the defensive tackle room thin. Defensive coordinator Chris Marve has made that even tougher on offenses by pairing Hopper with faster defenders Toby Anene and Lamont Lester, creating a three-defensive-end, one-defensive-tackle look.
Reyna called that trench group disruptive for a reason.
Sanders, according to Reyna, has stayed stoic through the losing streak, even if it’s clear this isn’t going the way he and Colorado hoped. Still, he believes the Buffaloes have been granted some patience because of the schedule they’ve faced during the slide.
Colorado has played three ranked opponents in that stretch and also lost to a Baylor team Reyna described as vastly improved. Utah, despite being ranked No. 10, was also a game Colorado could have won.
The schedule does ease a bit, with Houston the only ranked team left on Colorado’s slate. But Reyna made one thing plain: Sanders keeps his job if the Buffaloes beat quality opponents like Oklahoma State, Houston and Cincinnati.
He would also be safe with a bowl appearance, or even if Colorado finishes 5-7. For now, though, it begins in Stillwater, where a win could help Colorado start repairing its relationship with fans and the school.
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