PreGameday: Colorado

Though Knuth isn’t reported as out, his condition was not 100% when he started against ASU. While Knuth and Johnson are on the report, Colorado native Blake Barnett and sophomore Dillon Duff are healthy and will most likely be the two QBs fighting for the starting role tomorrow.

Barnett would make the most sense for the Cats as he has seen real snaps over the past two seasons and is a better dual threat, an aspect of the offense Klein will definitely need to get the run game going. No matter who is at QB, K-State is in a must win situation as they sit two games back from bowl eligibility and one game in front of .500. Even with CU going 0-4 in Big 12 play and having a litany of issues, the Buffaloes are still favored by 1.5 according to ESPN.

Colorado is more of a threat than their record may show. Even with the numerous penalties and turnovers, the talent in this Buffs roster is better than many people think and it could cost the Cats if they don’t take advantage of mistakes.

Defense

The Buffaloes’ defense is the side of the ball that seems to struggle the most. Colorado sits at 120th in passing yards allowed in the FBS, allowing over 253 yards a game on average. Something to keep in mind is the level of competition this defense has faced; they’ve had to play guys like Drew Mestemaker and Devon Dampier who have both been incredible passers this year. Against KSU’s back up quarterbacks, they will probably be able to settle in better than they did against the Cowboys in Stillwater.

The other element to this Buffs defense is the defensive line, a unit that has done a great job at applying pressure in the pocket this season. So far, the Buffs are tied with K-State in team sacks and are a top 10 unit in tackles for loss, averaging over eight of them per game.

The run D isn’t anything to write home about. They sit almost smack dab in the middle of the FBS, allowing 138 rush yards per game. For the Cats, the run game needs to get going immediately. But this Buffs team runs a lot of zone, a zone scheme that other passing games have torn to shreds in recent weeks. This may be one of the few times K-State needs to attack through the air before they can get Joe Jackson and Rodney Fields going.

Offense

Offensively, Colorado is hot and cold. For one half of a game, QB Isaac Wilson looks like everything Arch Manning was meant to be. Then the other half shows Wilson regressing into a worse version of Manning as he throws multiple interceptions and runs for his life in the backfield. One thing about this offense is for certain: the talent is surely there. Isaac Wilson, brother of former BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, has moments of brilliance under center for the Buffs. Since stepping in for former starter Julian Lewis, Wilson has thrown 979 yards in four games while adding an extra 88 on the ground. His favorite target, Joseph Williams, has been a safety blanket for the junior, catching 35 passes for 409 yards in the four games Wilson has played.

Wilson does a good job at keeping his eyes down field and maneuvering out of the pocket when pressured, but he has recently developed a nasty turnover problem. In his past three starts, the Utah native has thrown seven interceptions, guaranteeing at least two per game.

This is where the problems really pile on for this CU offense. They are -1.29 in the turnover margin which ranked 136th in all of the FBS. The Buffaloes have had six lost fumbles and 10 total interceptions, making them one of the least secure offenses in the country. K-State currently sits right above the bottom of the FBS in turnover gained, making this matchup a weakness against a weakness.

Speaking of weaknesses, Colorado has a bottom 30 rushing attack, only averaging 128 yards per game on the ground. Colorado’s leading rusher, JaQuail Smith, still has not hit the 300 rush yard mark and hasn’t gotten a rushing touchdown all year.K-State needs to fix the run defense, but they might have a real chance to rebuild the car as they’re driving it while in Boulder.

Overall, if K-State wants to steal this one away from the Buffaloes, the turnovers need to happen. When Colorado isn’t making mistakes, they have the ability to be explosive and put points on the board. But Colorado has been penalised 66 times in only seven games, making them one of the most penalized units in the country. If K-State can turn penalties into stops and mistakes into turnovers, they could give any QB enough time to get into rhythm. Though this K-State defense hasn’t looked good on the road, they’re still top 25 in total defense. K-State will have plenty of chances to collect their first road win of the season, they will just have to take them when offered.