Colorado running back Richard Young carries the ball past Kansas State defenders during the game on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at Folsom Field. (Rebecca Schima/CU Independent)
For most of Saturday afternoon at Folsom Field, yards were hard to come by. In the end, it all came down to an overtime score from a tight end who hadn’t caught a pass all day.
Colorado quarterback Isaac Wilson found tight end Charlie Williams up the middle for an 11-yard touchdown in overtime, lifting Colorado (3-5, 1-4 Big 12) past Kansas State (4-4, 1-4 Big 12), 27-24. It was Williams’ only catch of the game and marked Wilson’s first win as CU’s starting quarterback.
Saturday’s win snapped a five-game skid that included a three-point loss to No. 11 Utah two weeks earlier. It came on the back of a run game that finally showed up. The Buffs ran for 222 yards, the most in a game of head coach Deion Sanders’ tenure.
The opening quarter belonged to both defenses. The teams traded punts for three straight possessions as K-State attempted to capitalize on the run, but CU’s pass rush continued to shine, getting home for multiple sacks.
K-State was playing without injured starting quarterback Avery Johnson and leaned on the hometown kid from Erie, CO, Blake Barnett, who didn’t complete a pass until well into the second quarter.
The Buffs broke through late in the opening quarter and scored first. Wilson hit fourth-year wideout DeAndre Moore Jr. on third down to move the chains, and running back Richard Young ripped off a 22-yard run to put CU in Wildcat territory for the first time. Wilson then found junior receiver Joseph Williams over the middle for 24 yards, and a play later, Young punched it in to make it 7-0 Buffs.
K-State nearly answered right away. Return man Brandon White took the kickoff 48 yards to the Wildcats’ 49, and the run game moved them into range. The Wildcats set up for a field goal, but Luis Rodriguez pushed the 49-yard attempt wide left.
Colorado appeared ready to double its lead. Fifth-year back DeKalon Taylor broke loose for 30 yards toward the end zone, but KSU cornerback Kaleb Patterson punched the ball out at the goal line.
The Wildcats made the Buffs pay from the turnover. Despite another CU sack, K-State put together its best drive of the half, helped by a roughing the passer penalty. Barnett capped the 11-play, 80-yard march with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Josh Manning, who did most of the work after the catch. That tied it at 7-7 headed into halftime.
The third quarter opened with a big Wilson pass to Moore, but a sack near midfield killed the drive. The next four possessions all ended in punts, and neither offense managed a first down over the stretch.
While a stalemate was developing, CU’s JaQuail Smith changed the game in one play. The running back bounced outside, turned the corner, and raced 47 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown, putting CU back up 14-7.
However, the Buffs’ lead was short-lived. Kansas State, led by a more comfortable Barnett, quickly tied it up with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Linkon Cure.
Colorado’s ensuing drive started in trouble. An invalid fair catch signal on the kickoff return pinned the Buffs at their own 4-yard line. Instead, the run game dug them out. Taking the game into the fourth quarter, Young got his second score of the day and finished the 96-yard, 10-play drive with a 22-yard touchdown run, giving CU a seven-point lead with 12 minutes to play.
K-State missed another field goal on its next drive, but wouldn’t let up. With 55 seconds left on the clock, the Wildcats stared down 62 yards and seven points.
It took them six plays. Barnett threw an eight-yard jump-pass touchdown to tight end Garrett Oakley with two seconds remaining, and the extra point sent the game to overtime.
Kansas State began with the ball, and CU safety Boo Carter broke up a pass to Jaron Tibbs in the back of the end zone. The Wildcats elected to take a field goal, and Rodriguez made it 24-21, good for the Cats’ first lead of the day.
Possession flipped to Colorado, needing a touchdown to snap their nine-straight conference losses dating back to 2025. CU kept it on the ground, running up the middle to set up a third-and-9 from the 11. Wilson found Williams in the end zone to end it.
As soon as the touchdown was confirmed, fans didn’t waste their time rushing the field; many still in Halloween costumes.
The celebration had been a long time coming. It was Colorado’s first Big 12 win since beating Iowa State on Oct. 11, 2025, a span of 385 days. It was also the Buffs’ first win at Folsom Field since a 52-21 rout of Weber State on Sept. 12.
With four games left in the season, the Buffs still have a chance to become bowl-eligible by winning three of their final four games. That journey will start with a visit to Tempe, Arizona next weekend for a match-up with Arizona State (4-4, 2-3 Big 12). That game will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time and stream on ESPN2.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Soren Goldberg-Butler at sogo2576@colorado.edu
