Buffaloes fall short to No. 18 Kansas State in nail-biting finish

Graduate wide receiver Will Sheppard celebrates after scoring a touchdown at the game against Kansas State at Folsom Field on Oct. 12, 2024. (Rachel Glazer/CU Independent)

With three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the University of Colorado Buffaloes seemed unstoppable. Short-handed after the exits of Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr., the Buffaloes clawed their way back into the lead against No. 18 Kansas State University after trailing for much of the game.

Unfortunately for the Buffaloes, Kansas State marched down the field for one final score and secured a defensive stop, winning a critical Big 12 matchup. The loss dropped the Buffaloes to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play. The victory was crucial for the Wildcats, who are eyeing postseason hopes. Six Big 12 matchups remain for the Buffaloes, meaning there is still time to shape their season.

There was plenty of excitement surrounding the matchup between the Buffaloes and Wildcats, much of it focused on Travis Hunter. The Heisman candidate entered the weekend with the second-best odds for the award. Although the star wide receiver and cornerback saw action in the first half, he left the game in the second quarter due to right shoulder pain. Hunter’s impact on both sides of the ball made his departure critical.

Jimmy Horn Jr. also left the game after a reception in the second quarter, leaving quarterback Shedeur Sanders without two of his top receivers. This opened the door for Omarion Miller to shine. Miller caught eight passes for 145 yards, making some of the game’s biggest plays, but he suffered a leg injury early in the fourth quarter. Drelon Miller, a true freshman, stepped in for Omarion and caught five passes for 27 yards in the fourth quarter.

Will Shepherd added five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, while LoJohntay Wester contributed two touchdowns on five catches for 58 yards. Head coach Deion Sanders expressed confidence in his wide receiver corps despite the absence of key players.

“We’re deep. That room is deep; those guys stepped up tremendously and we have freshmen who can step up. Drelon did a wonderful job of coming in there and making plays. I’m happy with who they are, what they are and how they work,” Sanders said.

Colorado wide receiver Will Sheppard catches the ball for a touchdown during the football game at Folsom Field on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (Linus Loughry/CU Independent)

Shedeur Sanders connected with his receivers but faced constant pressure from the Wildcats. He threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns but was also sacked six times for a loss of 50 yards. Sanders threw an interception early in the fourth quarter at the Kansas State 21-yard line, costing the Buffaloes a crucial offensive possession.

The Kansas State defense stifled the Buffaloes’ run game, leaving them with -29 rushing yards. Dallan Haydan rushed for only 11 yards on seven carries, while Isiah Augustave gained 10 yards on three carries but scored an important fourth-quarter touchdown to bring the Buffaloes within three points.

The Kansas State Wildcats, led by running back DJ Giddens, excelled in the run game. Giddens gained 185 yards on 25 carries, marking his third game of the season with over 100 rushing yards. He also added 38 receiving yards. Former Buffalo Dylan Edwards scored his first touchdown at Folsom Field after playing a full season at running back for Colorado. He rushed for a touchdown on seven carries for 21 yards and added three receptions for 27 yards.

Quarterback Avery Johnson left the game early in the second half with an injury but returned quickly to throw two touchdowns after rushing for a score in the first quarter. Johnson initially appeared to jeopardize the Wildcats’ victory after throwing an interception on fourth down with just four minutes remaining, but he proved resilient. With three minutes left, Johnson found Giddens for a 34-yard reception, setting up the game-sealing 50-yard touchdown catch from Jayce Brown. This was Brown’s second touchdown of the night; he had recovered his own fumble in the end zone for a score in the third quarter. Brown led the Wildcats in receiving with six catches for 121 yards.

Despite Kansas State’s success on offense, Colorado managed to sack Avery Johnson four times, applying constant pressure. Outside of some early rushes and a touchdown, Johnson was contained by the defense. He entered the game averaging 64 rushing yards per game but finished with -15 yards. Defensive end BJ Green recorded two sacks, while Cam’ron Silmon-Craig and Taje McCoy each contributed one sack. Silmon-Craig commented on the team’s ability to contain Johnson.

“He’s a phenomenal scrambler, an out-of-the-pocket guy. We really dialed in; coming off the bye week, we didn’t expect to start slow, but that just happens. We really just nailed down and did what we had to do,” Silmon-Craig said.

In what will be remembered as an exciting game that extended late into the night, the Colorado Buffaloes continually battled against adversity and Kansas State. The loss dampens their standing in the Big 12, but six conference challenges remain.

Colorado will travel to Tucson, Arizona, next week to face the Arizona Wildcats, who have cooled off after a 3-1 start and now sit at 3-3 and 1-2 in conference play following their loss to BYU. The Wildcats will open as 3.5-point favorites against the Buffaloes.

Action will return to Folsom Field two weeks from now when the Cincinnati Bearcats visit Boulder. The Bearcats improved to 4-2 with a 2-1 conference record after defeating UCF. Although the Buffaloes enter their next matchup after a loss, expect them to continue displaying resiliency play after play.