Alright, Colorado, let’s do this. It’s 4-1, came up with an emphatic 48-21 win over UCF, and now at home it has a chance to get to 3-0 in Big 12 play and be a true player in the conference title chase.
It all started to kick in, but Kansas State will be the toughest test yet.
The Wildcats had two weeks off after beating Oklahoma by 22, and they needed the break with three of the next four games on the road.
With so many teams alive and in the mix, lose and go 2-2 in the Big 12 - there was a blowout loss to BYU a few weeks ago - and that might be it for the Big 12 and College Football Playoff dreams.
Sep 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the first half against the Baylor Bears at Folsom Field.
© Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Colorado vs Kansas State Preview
Colorado vs Kansas State How to Watch
Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024
Game Time: 10:15 pm ET
Venue: Folsom Field, Boulder, CO
How to Watch: ESPN
Colorado (4-1), Kansas State (4-1)
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- Bowl Projections | CFN 1-134 Rankings
- College Football Playoff Projections: Week 7
Predictions for Every Remaining Game
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- Standings, predicted final records
Why Kansas State Will Win
Basically, Kansas State needs to pull off what UCF was supposed to do.
The Knights have a great running game, gash defenses in bunches, and control games with a high-powered attack that rips off a ton of big plays.
Colorado’s defense - while much improved from last year - will allow at least four yards per carry. Kansas State has to keep hammering away, and keep the Buff offense from taking over with its own big plays.
The Wildcats have hit the 215-yard mark on the ground in every game this year. That includes the dates with Tulane, Arizona, BYU, and Oklahoma State - running for 300 yards and eight scores in that last one.
Again, Colorado’s line is okay, but it’s about to get hammered hard for at least six - more like seven - yards per carry.
However …
Why Colorado Will Win
The Kansas State pass defense leaves a little bit to be desired.
The team beat Tulane and Oklahoma State, but it got ripped up for over 700 yards between the two games, and Arizona threw for 268.
Kansas State has a pass rush - it leads the Big 12 in sacks and is second in tackles for loss, but Shedeur Sanders has dealt with extreme pressure all year and pulled through just fine.
For all the faults and issues on defense against the better teams - it hasn’t really faced a killer O, yet, though - the Buffs lead the Big Ten in tackles for loss, it’s doing a great job of taking the ball away, and as it showed against UCF, it’s starting to find its footing.
Colorado vs Kansas State: Who Will Win
For all the bluster and all of the craziness and all the blah, blah, blah around Colorado football, this team is tough. Here’s the thing, though …
It has yet to beat a team as good as this Kansas State squad.
To pull it off it’ll have to do a BYU. The Cougars managed to come up with a whole slew of quirky big plays that added up fast - it just wasn’t Kansas State’s day in Provo.
Colorado has to get the positive momentum going in a hurry. Make Kansas State press, take it out of its game plan, and don’t let that ground game take over.
Sanders and the passing game will go off, but so will the K-State backfield.
Colorado vs Kansas State Prediction, Betting Lines
Kansas State 31, Colorado 26
Line: Kansas State -3, o/u: 55.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5
Colorado vs Kansas State Must See Rating: 3.5
Week 7 CFN Expert Picks
UTEP at WKU | Memphis at USF
Northwestern at Maryland | UNLV at Utah St
Utah at Arizona St | South Carolina at Alabama
Washington at Iowa | Texas vs Oklahoma
Penn State at USC | Stanford at Notre Dame
Arizona at BYU | Florida at Tennessee
Ohio State at Oregon | Ole Miss at LSU
Kansas St at Colorado | Boise St at Hawaii
