LARAMIE — Safe to say Colorado is in “must-win mode.”
Coming off a bad loss at Houston, one in which the visitors managed to give up 20 points over the final two quarters, it’s crunch time in Boulder.
Already sitting at 1-2 overall and 0-1 in Big XII play, Deion Sanders’ team has upcoming dates with BYU, TCU and ranked opponents Iowa State and Utah. The latter is inside Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. The Buffs will also travel to Fort Worth.
This already uphill climb toward bowl eligibility will turn into a broken carabiner with a home setback against the Cowboys.
“We’re getting there, and we’re going to get there within the next, maybe Saturday, maybe a couple games after that, but we’re going to get there with the consistency that we desire,” Sanders said. “I can see it. We’re going to get there.”
Kickoff between the Pokes and Buffaloes is slated for 8:15 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN.
1. RUN, RUN, RUN
What’s the best medicine for a struggling offense and a quarterback who hasn’t exactly been consistently on target through three weeks? Run the ball.
Need an extra dose?
Colorado has allowed an average of 204 yards per game on the ground, including 320 in an opening-night loss to Georgia Tech inside Folsom Field.
Why have the Buffs been so bad against the run?
If you ask safety Tawfiq Byard it’s simple: missed tackles, assignments and a lack of communication. CU also exclusively implements a man-to-man defensive scheme. In other words, one mistake can lead to big problems.
That happened last Friday night in Houston when the visitors gave up 431 yards of total offense in a lopsided setback against the Cougars.
Not having the luxury of a Heisman Trophy winner taking away half the field isn’t helping matters, either.
“As far as identity, you know, you could say it, we haven’t found our identity, but within the team, we just got to clean up the little stuff,” said Byard, a sophomore transfer from South Florida, who tallied a team-high 14 tackles in the Buffs’ last outing. “It’s nothing major.”
It sure seems major.
Nearly 30 whiffed-on tackles proves that. CU’s defense is also giving up nearly five yards a carry.
“We all just got to play together,” junior cornerback DJ McKinney said. “You know, it’s just, we all got it. We all practice flying to the ball: as a unit, as a defense, as one heartbeat. So, we all just got to execute each play to the best of our ability and get the man on the ground.”
Rookie running back Samuel “Tote” Harris accounted for 105 yards last Saturday on 11 touches, including a team-high 68 yards on the ground on just eight attempts. Terron Kellman carried the ball nine times, rolling up 45 yards in that 31-6 loss to the No. 20 Utes. He also scored the Cowboys’ only touchdown on a 15-yard, fourth-quarter dash into the end zone.
You don’t have to be a head coach or offensive coordinator to figure out the game plan in this one: Run!
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* PODCAST: Are the Cowboys Ready for ‘Prime Time?’
* Worried About the Cowboys’ Offensive Production? They Aren’t
* Colorado Notebook: Cowboys Set to Face ‘Football Icon’
* Behind the Numbers: Mayor of ‘Sack Lake City’ Dominates in Laramie
* Tuck’s Take: Wyoming’s Upset Bid Collides With Stark Reality
* No. 20 Utah Too Much for Cowboys in 31-6 Victory
* Rants and Raves: Utah Utes Edition
* Turning Point, Unsung Hero, What’s Next For Wyoming Football
* FINAL LIVE FILE: No. 20 Utah 31, Wyoming 6
2. GET OFF THE FIELD
Jay Sawvel, at least four times, mentioned the play Saturday during his postgame press conference.
Utah was facing a 3rd-and-21 at the Wyoming 46-yard line late in the third quarter. Quarterback Devon Dampier had an eternity — and then some — in the pocket to survey the field. That was courtesy of a three-man rush that applied zero pressure on the play. Tight end Dallen Bentley, left all alone near the east sideline inside of War Memorial Stadium, eventually reeled in the uncontested pass and blasted his way right past the orange marker.
It felt like a back-breaker. Wyoming’s second-year head coach agrees.
“That wheel route is inexcusable,” Sawvel said from behind the podium. “For us to not execute in that spot, to get us to the fourth quarter and it’s 10-0, that was a very frustrating end. I know I keep going back to that, but that one there just agitates me to no end right now.”
Only Arkansas is executing at a higher clip on third down than the Utes, who capped their visit to Laramie with a 9-for-15 night on that money down. For good measure, Kyle Whittingham’s team also converted its lone fourth-down opportunity. That’s one reason Utah’s time of possession sat at 35:30 when the final whistle blew.
Colorado is currently ranked 91st in the nation out of 136 FBS programs in this all-important category. Pat Shurmur’s offense has converted just 16-of-43 (.372) tries.
Wyoming needs to keep it that way, too.
The Buffs were just 4-of-14 on third down in Houston. They also faced the same time-of-possession issues because of that. Ryan Staub and Co. had the ball for just 23:15. They ran just three plays in the fourth quarter.
There’s a common denominator here: Both Utah and Houston successfully established the running game.
MORE UW FOOTBALL COVERAGE VIA 7220SPORTS:
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* Wyoming Wideout Deion DeBlanc Could Still Redshirt This Fall
* Know Wyoming’s Foe: Colorado Buffaloes
* Around the Mountain: Utah State Rolls Falcons in League Opener
* PODCAST: Do You Consider Utah a ‘Hated’ Rival?
* Know Wyoming’s Foe: No. 20 Utah Utes
* Sawvel on Dampier: ‘I Wish We Were Done With Him’
* Utah’ Ron McBride Tasked With Beating Cowboys
* Jaylen Sargent Called Opening-Night Benching a ‘Wake-Up Call’
* Tight End Justin Erb Doing All The Dirty Work For Unbeaten Cowboys
3. LIVE IN THE BACKFIELD
Why not join the party?
Colorado’s front five has carried on an unwanted tradition since Deion Sanders arrived on campus before the 2023 season: allowing sacks.
That number, so far, sits at eight, including five alone against Delaware. The Buffs are also ranked 126th in the nation, allowing 24 tackles for loss through three outings.
In the “Coach Prime” era — 28 games — CU has let its quarterback go down an eye-popping 107 times.
Ouch.
Wyoming was less than proficient at getting to the signal caller a season ago. That happened just 15 times all year. So far in 2025, that number is seven, three courtesy of defensive tackle Ben Florentine.
The Cowboys’ new-look defense has so far been credited with 41 overall pressures on 105 dropbacks. That includes seven hits and 27 hurries.
That trend needs to continue in Boulder.
Kaidon Salter, according to multiple reports, will be the Buffs’ starting quarterback Saturday night. On 44 pass attempts this fall, he has yet to be sacked. The Liberty transfer has shown his elusiveness throughout his career, rushing for more than 2,000 yards. Nearly 1,000 of those came in 2023, the same season he was named the Conference USA Most Valuable Player and led the Flames to a berth in the Fiesta Bowl.
Easier said than done, but the visitors need to make hay behind the line of scrimmage if they have any hope of pulling off the upset.
FIRST QUARTER: Wyoming Cowboys Football 2025
Check out some photos from our photographer DJ Johnson and the University of Wyoming through fall camp and the first three weeks of the 2025 football season
Gallery Credit: DJ Johnson photos, University of Wyoming
