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...
Utah Is About To Learn Where It Really Stands In The Big 12
The Big 12 standings are one thing, but the more revealing test for Utah is still ahead, and it comes at a point in the season when the leagues hierarchy is starting to sort itself out. BYUs rise to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and its trip to UCF give a sense of just how much weight the conference is carrying right now, with the Cougars bringing a defense that has powered their climb and the Knights offering the kind of explosive offense that can make any ranking look fragile in a hurry.
For Utah, the broader conversation is about where its rsum really fits once strength of schedule and strength of record start getting compared against the rest of the league. The Utes have already shown enough to stay in the mix, but the next stretch will say a lot more about whether they belong near the top tier or somewhere below it, and the margin for error is shrinking fast in a conference where every week seems to reshuffle the picture. [Read more 🡒]
College GameDay Puts Utah In A Spotlight Fans Rarely Get
ESPNs College GameDay is bringing its traveling spotlight to the University of Utah on Saturday, with the show set up at Presidents Circle before the Utes face Houston. For a program that usually plays in front of a strong local crowd but not always a national one, it is the kind of stage that makes the whole campus feel bigger for a morning, with Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit and the rest of the crew carrying the broadcast from Salt Lake City.
The event is free for fans, though Utah has laid out specific guidance on where to queue and how to handle parking as the crowd builds around the set. The show will air on ESPN and ESPNU, with streaming options available as well, giving Utes fans plenty of ways to follow along even if they do not make it to Presidents Circle in person. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Has A Real Playoff Opening And Very Little Margin
Midseason playoff projections have left plenty of room for movement, and Utah is still part of that conversation as the race tightens around the top contenders. The Utes are watching the same conference-title math as everyone else, but their path is tied closely to what happens elsewhere, especially with the Big 12 picture still unsettled and several ranked matchups still to come.
For Utah, the margin is thin enough that one result could alter the entire outlook. If the right team stumbles, the Utes can stay right on the edge of the bracket discussion, and a ranked Houston matchup this Saturday gives them another chance for the kind of win that keeps the door cracked open. [Read more 🡒]