Senior wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. catches a touchdown pass against The University of Utah on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 at Folsom Field (Eli Walters/CU Independent)
For one half, Colorado looked like it might finally have an answer.
Then the second half happened.
The Buffaloes entered halftime against Oklahoma State on Saturday with a 24-23 lead, an offense moving the ball efficiently and a chance to end their four-game losing streak. By the final whistle, Colorado had been outscored 34-0 in the second half, turning a promising start into a 57-24 loss.
Now, Colorado (2-5, 0-4 Big 12) returns to Folsom Field on Halloween to face Kansas State (4-3, 1-3 Big 12), a team dealing with some of its own frustrations.
The Wildcats are coming off a 28-17 loss to Arizona State, their third conference defeat of the season. Injuries have created uncertainty at quarterback, while an offense that has been one of the Big 12’s most productive rushing attacks struggled to establish itself in Tempe.
Both teams enter Saturday needing more than another competitive half.
For Colorado, the challenge is becoming increasingly familiar. The Buffaloes have shown they can move the football, create scoring opportunities and compete with talented opponents.
What they have not shown is an ability to sustain that production for an entire game.
Colorado needs to play four quarters
Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma State might have been one of Colorado’s most frustrating performances of the season, largely because of how well things started.
Quarterback Isaac Wilson completed 14 of 16 passes for 222 yards in the first half, accounting for all three of Colorado’s touchdowns. He connected with JaQuail Smith and DeAndre Moore Jr. for passing touchdowns before adding a rushing score of his own.
Wide receiver Joseph Williams also had one of his most productive games of the season, finishing with 135 receiving yards.
Colorado scored on four of its six first-half possessions, showing the kind of offensive efficiency it has struggled to maintain throughout conference play.
That disappeared almost immediately after halftime.
A fumble on Colorado’s opening possession gave Oklahoma State excellent field position, which the Cowboys converted into the go-ahead touchdown. Another touchdown followed, and the Buffaloes never recovered.
Colorado finished with three turnovers, 11 penalties for 84 yards and only 56 rushing yards. Defensively, the Buffaloes allowed 598 total yards, including 410 through the air.
Head coach Deion Sanders acknowledged the impact of the opening second-half mistake, saying he did not feel the team ever recovered.
The loss continued a troubling pattern.
Colorado is averaging nearly 395 yards of offense per game but scoring just 20.1 points. The Buffaloes have repeatedly demonstrated the ability to move between the 20-yard lines without consistently translating that production into points.
Against Kansas State, there will be little room for another half of missed opportunities.
Kansas State’s defense presents a difficult matchup
Colorado’s passing attack will face one of the strongest secondaries in the Big 12.
Kansas State is allowing just 147.1 passing yards per game, the fifth-best mark nationally and the lowest in the conference.
The Wildcats have also been effective at disrupting plays before they develop, averaging approximately 7.3 tackles for loss and 2.4 sacks per game.
Defensive end Jordan Allen recorded two sacks against Arizona State last weekend, continuing the pressure Kansas State has generated throughout the season.
That creates an interesting matchup with Colorado’s offense.
The Buffaloes average 266.6 passing yards per game, and Wilson showed against Oklahoma State that he can distribute the football effectively when given time.
Williams has emerged as Colorado’s leading receiver, recording 643 yards through seven games, while Moore has provided another reliable option in the passing game.
The problem is what happens when Colorado falls behind schedule.
Wilson has thrown seven interceptions this season, including two against Oklahoma State. Colorado’s quarterbacks have combined for 10 interceptions, with turnovers repeatedly preventing the Buffaloes from sustaining their offensive momentum.
Kansas State’s ability to pressure quarterbacks without sacrificing coverage could make those mistakes even more costly.
Colorado cannot depend entirely on its passing attack, especially against a defense that has consistently limited production through the air.
Establishing the run game would help create manageable third downs and take some pressure off Wilson.
Against Oklahoma State, Colorado managed only 56 rushing yards after entering the game averaging significantly more.
That kind of imbalance could be difficult to overcome against Kansas State.
Kansas State has questions at quarterback
While Colorado has struggled with offensive consistency, Kansas State enters Saturday facing uncertainty about who will lead its offense.
Starting quarterback Avery Johnson missed the Wildcats’ loss to Arizona State with an injury, ending a streak of 32 consecutive starts. Johnson has been one of Kansas State’s most productive offensive players this season, throwing for 1,301 yards and 10 touchdowns while adding 462 rushing yards. His mobility is particularly important to the Wildcats’ offense. Johnson is averaging 9.1 yards per rushing attempt, making him one of the nation’s most dangerous running quarterbacks. Without Johnson, Kansas State turned to Jacob Knuth, who made his first career start against Arizona State. Knuth threw for 194 yards and contributed both a passing and a rushing touchdown, but the Wildcats struggled to establish their usual ground attack.
Kansas State finished with just 84 rushing yards, well below its season average of 217.6.
Head coach Collin Klein said Monday that Johnson remains day-to-day, while Knuth is still managing an ankle injury he aggravated against Arizona State.
Klein acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the position.
“I don’t know exactly who’s going to take the first snap on Saturday,” Klein said.
Regardless of who starts, Kansas State’s rushing offense presents a significant challenge.
The Wildcats rushed for 359 yards against Kansas on Oct. 17, with running back Joe Jackson contributing 159 yards and Johnson adding 132.
Colorado’s defense is allowing 138.6 rushing yards per game but surrendered 188 against Oklahoma State.
That makes controlling the line of scrimmage especially important.
If Johnson returns, Colorado will need to account for a quarterback capable of creating explosive plays with his legs. If Knuth starts, the Wildcats could place even more responsibility on their running backs to establish offensive rhythm.
Either way, Colorado cannot afford to let Kansas State control the game on the ground.
The smaller mistakes could make the difference
One of the biggest differences between Colorado and Kansas State this season has been discipline.
Colorado has committed 66 penalties for 590 yards through seven games, averaging more than 84 penalty yards per contest.
Kansas State, meanwhile, averages just 3.8 penalties and 37.3 penalty yards per game, placing the Wildcats among the nation’s most disciplined teams statistically.
Those differences become especially important in close games.
A holding penalty can turn a manageable second down into a difficult third-and-long. A defensive penalty can extend a drive that should have ended. And a turnover can erase an entire possession before an offense has the opportunity to score.
Colorado has experienced all three throughout its losing streak.
Kansas State has also been effective at sustaining possessions, converting 54.5% of its third-down opportunities this season.
Colorado, by comparison, has converted just 36.5% of its third downs.
That creates another challenge for the Buffaloes.
They cannot afford to consistently give Kansas State extra possessions while struggling to maintain their own drives.
Colorado has enough offensive talent to move the ball against competitive opponents. But the Buffaloes have repeatedly made their path to victory more difficult through mistakes that have little to do with the opposing team’s talent.
Saturday provides another opportunity to change that pattern.
A familiar opponent with plenty at stake
Colorado and Kansas State have a long history, dating back to their years together in the original Big 12.
The Buffaloes lead the all-time series 45-22-1, but Kansas State has won both meetings since Colorado returned to the conference in 2024.
The Wildcats defeated Colorado 31-28 at Folsom Field in 2024 before winning 24-14 in Manhattan last November.
Colorado’s last victory over Kansas State came in 2010, when the Buffaloes won 44-36 in Boulder.
This year’s meeting comes with both teams searching for consistency rather than competing near the top of the conference standings.
Kansas State still has an opportunity to improve its position in the Big 12, while Colorado is running out of chances to turn its season around.
At 2-5, the Buffaloes would need to win at least four of their final five games to reach six victories and become bowl eligible.
That begins with Kansas State.
Colorado has already shown flashes of what it can become. The offense moved the ball effectively against Oklahoma State, the defense kept the Buffaloes competitive against Utah and individual players have delivered productive performances throughout the season.
But those moments have not translated into enough victories.
Kansas State arrives with its own questions, particularly at quarterback, and its latest loss demonstrated that the Wildcats are not without weaknesses.
For Colorado, the opportunity is there.
The Buffaloes just have to prove they can take advantage of it for more than 30 minutes.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon MT Saturday, Oct. 31, at Folsom Field in Boulder. The game will air nationally on TNT.
Contact CU Independent Sports Editor Shruthi Rajesh at shra3446@colorado.edu
