Colorado’s Thursday injury update brought a mixed bag, but the Buffaloes still took two more hits ahead of their matchup with No. 11 Utah.
The biggest change involved wide receiver Lamar Perry, who was listed as doubtful earlier in the week before being ruled out for the game. Perry’s season has already been a major disappointment by his standards, with just four catches for 21 yards and no touchdowns after nearly reaching 1,000 yards for the Miami University Redhawks in 2025. He dealt with a minor injury earlier in the year, but this latest setback is another blow to both his season and his draft stock.
Colorado also removed Martinez from the report entirely. That does not mean he is available to play.
Martinez recently underwent surgery, and his situation now looks similar to CU center Demetrius Hunter, who was injured in Week 1 and was also taken off the injury report as part of what appears to be a longer recovery timeline. In Colorado’s case, some players have been sidelined all season and never appear on these weekly reports because their status is already settled.
Martinez and Hunter now seem to fit into that group.
The Buffaloes still have a crowded list of offensive absences. Scudero and Atkins remain out as well, and both entered the season expected to be starters before injuries wiped them from the mix. That has left Colorado trying to piece together production from a unit that has struggled to get traction.
Defensively, the uncertainty around Lester remains one of the biggest storylines. He is still questionable, which matters more than usual against Utah’s dangerous two-quarterback look led by Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin.
Lester leads Colorado with four sacks and is tied for the Big 12 lead, and the Buffaloes have leaned on Toby Anene and Santana Hopper while he’s been out. Still, getting Lester back would be a major boost on the edge.
Colorado did get one positive development: edge rusher Immanuel Ezeogu was cleared from the injury report after being listed as probable earlier in the week. With Lester’s status unresolved, Ezeogu’s availability gives the Buffs at least some help up front.
Clements and Manuel remain unconfirmed for the game.
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BYU Faces The Kind Of Test That Still Defines Its Ceiling
BYUs upcoming meeting with Notre Dame carries the kind of national-stage weight the Cougars have been chasing, and it arrives with both programs still carrying the sting of being left out of the previous College Football Playoff. The matchup has already drawn plenty of attention from analysts, who see it as the sort of measuring-stick game that tells you how far a team can really go, and the expectation is for a defensive fight rather than an offensive showcase.
For BYU, the intrigue is as much about proving legitimacy as it is about the final score. The Cougars know they will have to earn every inch against a Notre Dame team that has been widely tagged as the favorite, and the broader conversation around the game points to a low-scoring afternoon where execution and toughness matter most. For a BYU team trying to keep building toward a higher ceiling, this is the sort of test that tends to stick with a program long after the game is over. [Read more 🡒]