Winless in Big 12, Colorado hosts Kansas State

Kansas State loses close, Colorado does not

Against Power 4 opponents, Kansas State is -24 in point margin, 48th nationally and 12th in the Big 12. Colorado is -101 in the same games, 85th nationally and 16th in the league. Kansas State scores 23.5 points a game and allows 29.5, while Colorado scores 14.8 and allows 31.7.

The yardage is nearly even. Kansas State gains 398 yards a game, 27th nationally, and allows 397, 45th. Colorado gains 364 and allows 395, ranking 38th and 42nd.

Against Power 4 opponents, Kansas State holds the edge in turnovers, penalties and possession. Colorado is -9 in turnover margin, 88th nationally and 16th in the league, against -1 for Kansas State, 48th. The Wildcats are penalized 43 yards a game, 15th nationally and the fewest in the league, and the Buffaloes give up 81, 85th nationally. Kansas State also holds the ball 31:58 a game, 15th nationally, to Colorado's 28:40.

Where it's decided

When Kansas State has the ball, it runs. The Wildcats gain 179 rushing yards a game against Power 4 opponents, 11th nationally and fifth in the league, and Colorado allows 142, 35th nationally. Kansas State scores on 85.0% of its red zone trips, 40th nationally, and Colorado allows scores on 83.9%, 43rd.

Quarterback Avery Johnson leads Kansas State in rushing yards with 462 and in passing yards with 1,301, with 10 touchdowns, 3 interceptions and a 63.1 completion percentage. Rodney Fields Jr. is second in rushing yards with 422 and has 5 touchdowns, and he brought 614 of the 801 rushing yards Kansas State added by transfer. Jaron Tibbs leads the Wildcats in catches with 34 and in receiving yards with 325, with 4 touchdowns, and Derrick Salley Jr. is second in receiving yards with 311.

Colorado's Santana Hopper is tied for the Big 12 lead with at least 11 tackles for loss. Randon Fontenette is tied for the Colorado lead in tackles with 62, a total that also ties him with teammate Gideon Lampron for third in the Big 12. That defense has faced 71.6 plays a game this season, the 12th-most in FBS.

When Colorado has the ball, it can throw. The Buffaloes pass for 245 yards a game against Power 4 opponents, 30th nationally, and Kansas State allows 193, 14th nationally and third in the league. Drives stall anyway. Only 20.8% end in points, 77th nationally, and Colorado scores on 70.6% of red zone trips, 15th in the league. Kansas State's red zone defense allows 73.7%, 10th nationally.

Joseph Williams leads Colorado in catches with 46 and in receiving yards with 643, both third in the Big 12, with 5 touchdowns. DeAndre Moore Jr., a 4-star transfer from Texas, is second in receiving yards with 418 on 28 catches. JaQuail Smith leads Colorado in rushing yards with 298, without a touchdown, and the Buffaloes run for 120 a game, 51st nationally, against a Kansas State run defense that allows 205, 15th in the Big 12.

Kansas State defensive end Wendell Gregory leads the team in sacks with 3.5, and his 10.5 tackles for loss rank third in the Big 12. Safety Logan Bartley leads the Wildcats in tackles with 45.

Colorado rebuilt through the portal

Colorado returns 24% of its 2025 passing yards, 589 of 2,433, and 40% of its receiving yards. Transfers brought in 3,666 receiving yards, led by Danny Scudero's 1,297 and Kamryn Perry's 976.

The defense turned over even more

Colorado returns 10% of its 2025 tackles and 3% of its tackles for loss, and transfers brought in 667 tackles, led by Lampron's 119. The Buffaloes return 1 of their 14 sacks from 2025, and transfers added 18.5, including 4.5 from Hopper. The newcomers include 4-star safety Boo Carter from Tennessee and 4-star linebacker Liona Lefau from Texas.

Kansas State's offense shrinks on the road

Kansas State has scored 43 points in two road games this season, against 37.4 a game at home.

Isaac Wilson's interceptions

Colorado quarterback Isaac Wilson leads the Buffaloes in passing yards with 979, but he has thrown 7 interceptions to 6 touchdowns and completes 60.2% of his passes. Last week against Oklahoma State, he scored his first career rushing touchdown.

Transfers on both sidelines

Collin Klein has never faced Colorado in his 1 season as an FBS head coach.

Gregory came to Kansas State from Oklahoma State as a 4-star transfer. The Wildcats also added running back Jay Harris from Oregon, receiver Joshua Manning from Missouri, cornerback Kaleb Patterson from Illinois and safety Adrian Maddox from Georgia, all 3-star transfers. Colorado rebuilt at offensive tackle with Leon Bell from California and Bo Hughley from Georgia.

Kansas State had 2 players drafted, a center and a safety, with none in the first two rounds. Center Sam Hecht went to Carolina in the fifth round, 144th overall, and safety VJ Payne went to New York in the seventh, 228th overall. Payne took 59 tackles with him, and Kansas State returns 36% of its 2025 tackles.

Johnson day-to-day, Colorado thin

Update, Sat, Oct 31, 11:30 AM CT: Since Friday's report, Colorado upgraded Ernest Campbell (questionable to available). On the latest report, Colorado lists Micah Welch, Danny Scudero, Vili Taufatofua and 2 others as out or doubtful. Kansas State lists Avery Johnson and Jacob Knuth as out or doubtful.

Sanders said Oct. 20 that he would rather Lamont Lester Jr. get proper treatment than play a few snaps, adding, "hopefully, he'll take his time," according to Sports Illustrated (Colorado Buffaloes On SI). Lester played three snaps against Utah, and he leads Colorado with 5 sacks, second in the Big 12.

Sanders also said Oct. 20 that running back Micah Welch is hurting, did not practice and may have a break, and that he does not know the severity or whether it is long-term, according to Sports Illustrated (Colorado Buffaloes On SI). Welch, second on the team in rushing yards with 220, was listed Out against Oklahoma State.

Receiver Danny Scudero has been listed Out for 4 straight games, and Sanders said Oct. 20 the team does not want to push him and have him set himself back, according to Yahoo Sports (Colorado Buffaloes On SI). Receiver Kam Perry was listed Out for the last 2 games.

Colorado owns the series, Kansas State the last two

Colorado leads the series 45-22-1 since 1912 in the games we hold. Since 1996, as Big 12 opponents, Kansas State is 10-7 against Colorado in the games we hold. That 1996 Colorado team went 10-2 with linebacker Matt Russell, the Butkus Award winner, and Kansas State went 9-3 with unanimous All-American defensive back Chris Canty.

Colorado is 28-6-1 at home against Kansas State in the games we hold, but the Wildcats last won in Boulder in 2024. Both teams went 9-4 that year, and Colorado had Heisman winner Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Kansas State won the last meeting 24-14 at home in 2025, when Joe Jackson ran for 142 yards. The Wildcats finished that season 6-6, and Colorado went 3-9.

Three things to watch

Colorado's path on third down: against Power 4 opponents, its defense allows 38.4%, 33rd nationally, against a Kansas State offense converting 44.8%.

The kicking game: Kansas State averages 23.5 yards on 8 kick returns against Power 4 opponents, Colorado allows 31.5 on 8, and Wildcats kicker Luis Rodriguez is tied for the Big 12 lead at 100% on field goals.

Colorado's skid: five straight losses and still no Big 12 win.