Colorado Daily – Utah Week

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Colorado Daily – Utah Week

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October 25th – Game Day! 

… CU in a few minutes … 

… Happy 39th anniversary of one of the greatest games in CU history: “Colorado 20, No. 3 Nebraska 10, October 25, 1986″ … The story of “The Signature Wins of All Signature Wins” can be found here …

From the Daily Camera: Scouting Utah

From the Daily Camera …

5 Utes to Watch

LB Lander Barton: He will miss the first half because of a second-half targeting call last week, but he comes into the game as Utah’s third-leading tackler (33 tackles), along with two tackles for loss. Last year, he led the Utes with 72 tackles, while also posting five for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and four pass breakups.

QB Devon Dampier: His status is up in the air this week, but so far this year he’s completed 68.7% of his passes for 1,375 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, while rushing for a team-high 442 yards and five scores. Last year at New Mexico, he was the first-ever Lobos quarterback to be named first-team All-Mountain West.

RT Spencer Fano: One of the best linemen in the country. He has started 31 of his 32 games at Utah. As a true freshman in 2023, he started 11 games at left tackle and earned freshman All-American honors. Last year, he started all 12 games at right tackle, earning first-team All-Big 12 and second-team All-American honors. He’s a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

RB Wayshawn Parker: The Utes’ top running back, he’s second on the team in rushing (behind Dampier), with 358 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.0 yards per carry. As a true freshman last year at Washington State, he rushed for 735 yards and four touchdowns on 137 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per carry.

DB/WR Smith Snowden: A versatile player, he has posted 20 tackles and a team-high six pass breakups on defense. He’s also third on the team with 13 receptions on offense (for 57 yards) and has run the ball eight times for 40 yards and a TD. He also returns kicks.

When Utah has the ball …

It’s all about stopping the run with the Utes, who rank sixth in the country with 245.0 yards per game on the ground. “That’s our bread and butter is running the ball,” Whittingham said. Quarterback Devon Dampier leads the rushing attack, with 442 yards, but he is questionable to play after getting banged up last week. Even if he can’t go, his backup, Byrd Ficklin, is a talented runner (111 yards on 17 carries). The Utes also have a trio of talented running backs in Wayshawn Parker, NaQuari Rogers and Daniel Bray, who have combined for 852 yards and 10 touchdowns. When the Utes throw the ball, they’ve relied heavily on receiver Ryan Davis (48 catches for 482 yards) and tight end Dallen Bentley (28 catches for 335 yards). On defense, the Buffs have had mixed results, but it’s been a struggle most of the year to stop the run. So far, they are allowing 188.0 rushing yards per game, with four of their five Power 4 conference opponents topping 200 yards. “You can’t give up that many rushing yards and think you’re gonna win,” CU safety Tawfiq Byard said after a 24-17 win against Iowa State. CU gave up 236 rushing yards that day, but won in part because they had a knack for making plays in big moments. “We all come together on the sideline, we bring it in, and we all tell ourselves, just do your job, dominate the person in front of you, and believe and trust your teammate,” CU linebacker Jeremiah Brown said of the key moments in a game. “When we get out of line in the game, it’s maybe sometimes one of us might try to go make a play and get out the gap, and that’s how those runs crease. When we all lean on each other in crunch times it all works out for us.”

… Continue reading story here …

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October 24th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Inside CU’s “improved” injury update

In CU’s initial Big 12 availability chart for the Utah game, Colorado listed 17 players as being “Out” for the game. A day later, the number of players listed as “Out” dropped to four.

Did CU’s roster magically heal? Or, more likely, CU read some of push back from their fans about how the Buffs, coming off a bye week, remain an infirmary, while Utah, coming off a physical rivalry game against BYU, had three players listed on their initial availability. Now, rather that list players who are out for the season, and are going to “Out” for every game, CU is listing those on the active roster who won’t play this weekend, but could return to action.

That being said, the roster could be worse Saturday than is even being reported …  Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders to Mark Johnson when asked about return to Boulder following the bye week: “And you got to get back on Sunday. A couple guys didn’t make it. There will be some consequences. You will see those consequences. You will say, ‘I wonder why?’ That’s why.”

In other news, Utah quarterback Davon Dampier remains “Questionable” for Saturday’s game …

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October 23rd

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU Injury Report not as dire as it appears

From the Daily Camera … Once again, the Colorado Buffaloes have the longest injury report in the Big 12.

On Wednesday night, the initial “availability reports” for this weekend’s games were announced. CU lists 17 players as “out” for Saturday’s game at Utah (8:15 p.m., ESPN).

Despite the long list, most of CU’s players listed as out aren’t surprises and the Buffs have several players who are on track to returning to action.

Running back Dre’Lon Miller, receivers Isaiah Hardge and Terrell Timmons Jr., and defensive end Arden Walker all missed the Buffs’ game on Oct. 11 against Iowa State with injuries, but none were listed on Wednesday’s report, meaning they are on track to play Saturday.

Safety Carter Stoutmire also missed the Iowa State game and is listed as “probable” for Saturday.

In addition, cornerback RJ Johnson is listed as “doubtful,” while defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas is “questionable.” Both have missed four consecutive games, but both participated in practice earlier this week, so they’re on track to return soon.

The list of players “out” includes safety Terrance Love, who is no longer with the team, and defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot, who has not played this year and is out for the season.

The “out” list also includes eight players who have played sparingly or not at all this season: Receivers Jack Hestera and Carson Westbrook; offensive linemen Phillip Houston, Tyler Brown, Cooper Lovelace and Aki Ogunbiyi; cornerback Kyle Carpenter; and safety TJ Branch Jr.

Running backs DeKalon Taylor and Simeon Price are set to miss their fourth straight game; tight end Sav’ell Smalls a third straight; defensive lineman Tavian Coleman a third straight; and defensive end Samuel Okunlola his seventh in a row. Receiver Hykeem Williams is likely to miss a second straight game.

The only players listed as out who played against Iowa State are offensive linemen Yahya Attia (six offensive snaps) and Ogunbiyi (who played on special teams).

… Continue reading story here …

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October 22nd

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU/Utah Injury Report: Utah QB “Questionable” / Six CU defensive linemen “Questionable” or “Out”

... Guess which team is coming off of a physical rivalry game, and which team is coming off of a bye week … The good news: Offensive athletes Dre’lon Miller and Isaiah Hardge, and edge Arden Walker, are all available for the Buffaloes after being out against Iowa State a week-and-a-half ago … 

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October 21st 

… CU in a few minutes … 

Coach Prime’s Quotable Quotes

From Coach Prime’s Tuesday Press Conference …

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*Coach Prime’s Weekly Press Conference*

From BuffsTV … Coach Prime: “I’m happy with what I’ve seen the last three days” … “We’re going in there (Utah) with one thing in mind: dominate” … Coach Prime said they are preparing for Utah’s offensive scheme as opposed to one QB or the other. (Devon Dampier was “beat up” in last week’s loss to BYU… freshman Byrd Ficklin would start if Dampier can’t go) … Coach Prime on having former Buff Chidozie Nwankwo speak to the team recently. “For me and my perspective, that’s to shed light on areas that are dark and that’s what he did… Sometimes that outside voice may register better than the inside voice.”

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October 20th

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU v. Arizona kickoff put on hold (Sunday announcement)

… With Arizona on a bye, the Buffs have another reason to beat Utah this weekend. Looking at the other games on the Big 12 schedule, if the Buffs lose to Utah, the Cincinnati/Utah game looks more attractive, likely relegating the CU Homecoming game to the 8:15 p.m., MT, ESPN slot … 

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Rick George: CU revenue sharing payouts “have gone well to this point”

From the Daily Camera … The challenge of covering roughly $20 million in new expenses is significant.

Colorado athletic director Rick George has been pleased, however, with how the first few months have gone in the new era of revenue sharing with student-athletes.

“I think it’s positive,” George told BuffZone this week. “It’s challenging. It’s hard to be able to find $20.5 million (in expenses) … but we know for us to be able to compete at the highest level, we need to be able to be all in. And we are.”

Approval of the House v. NCAA settlement in June brought a dramatic change for college athletics with schools now allowed to directly pay student-athletes through revenue sharing.

There is a cap of $20.5 million during the 2025-26 school year and CU is well into that figure. From July 1 through Sept. 30, CU issued 262 payments to student-athletes totaling $7.672 million.

“The revenue share has gone well at this point,” George said. “I think (the student-athlete response) been really positive, it really has. I think it’s been positive because we were prepared. We planned really hard for this to come into fruition, so I think it’s gone really well and, again, we’re just three or four months into it.”

… Continue reading story here …

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October 18th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Linebacker Jeremiah Brown: “You just gotta look yourself in the mirror, keep your head down and work”

From the Daily Camera … There haven’t been a lot of opportunities over the years for Jeremiah Brown to make an impact on defense for the Colorado Buffaloes.

The fifth-year senior linebacker is seizing the opportunity he currently has, though.

Brown has been in and out of the lineup throughout this season for the Buffs (3-4, 1-3 Big 12), who are on a bye this week, but he has taken hold of a starting role the past two games and played his best football as a Buff.

“You all knew LaVonta Bentley; he was here last year, great linebacker,” Brown said. “But he was a mentor for me, as far as like, just trusting the process. No matter if you transfer to a school, you could be in the same situation. You just gotta look yourself in the mirror, keep your head down and work. Nothing’s ever going to be easy. You got to go take it.”

Brown was one of several players who came to CU from Jackson State after the 2022 season to follow head coach Deion Sanders.

A star at JSU, Brown played just 45 defensive snaps in 2023 and 72 in 2024. In the opener this year, he saw just two snaps.

With the Buffs struggling for consistency, however, Brown got starts in the next two games. He, too, struggled, though, and didn’t get off the bench (expect for special teams) in Game 4.

In the past three games, however, Brown has stepped up, posting 22 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. He’s had at least one TFL in three straight games.

… Continue reading story here …

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October 16th

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU Buff Club announces “Elevate the Buffs”

Press release from CUBuffs.com … The University of Colorado Buff Club has announced its 2025-2026 membership year fundraising initiative, “Elevate the Buffs,” which will focus fundraising efforts into the five key areas needed to ensure CU continues to compete at the highest level of collegiate sports.

“In this unprecedented time in collegiate athletics, including revenue-sharing and Name, Image, and Likeness, investments from members of our CU community have never been more vital,” said Leon Jackson III, Senior Associate AD/Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement. “Elevate the Buffs is a strategic annual fund initiative that gives Buff Nation a clear pathway to ensure their donations are directed to places we need for our 350+ student-athletes to be successful.”

The five key pillars outlined by Elevate the Buffs where fans can provide support include:

• Athletic Director’s Discretionary Fund
  This gives CU Athletics and Athletic Director Rick George the flexibility to address the department’s immediate needs, from facility upgrades to scholarships and touches all areas of CU Athletics and every program.
• Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete Program
  This program, which is the first-of-its-kind in college athletics, provides real-time data that helps CU Athletics support its student-athletes in competition, in the classroom, and in life. WHOLE stands for Wellness, Health, Optimal, Life, Experience, and focuses on the physical, psychological, academic, and career health of every CU student-athlete.
• Golden Buffalo Scholarship Fund
  The Golden Buffalo Scholarship Fund provides over $13 million annually in scholarships, giving CU’s over 350 student-athletes the financial support they need to succeed academically and athletically.
• Sport Excellence Fund
  These funds enable supporters to provide resources that directly support each of CU’s 17 sport programs by funding critical needs like equipment, travel, recruiting, training technology, and more.
• Legacy Giving 
  Legacy Giving provides long-term sustainable support for CU Athletics through named endowed scholarships, planned gifts like leaving CU in your will or trust, or life-income gifts and are vital for providing the framework for CU student-athlete success for years to come.

Make an impact and Elevate the Buffs today by visiting www.cubuffclub.com/ElevateTheBuffs. For more information about the CU Buff Club and its mission to support CU Athletics program and student-athletes, please visit www.cubuffclub.com.

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October 15th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Buffs searching for greater consistency: “I think we’re getting better each game”

From the Daily Camera … Driving in his truck on the way home from Saturday’s game against Iowa State, Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston couldn’t help but smile.

For the first time this season, the Buffaloes finished on top in a close game against a good opponent, out-playing then-No. 22 Iowa State down the stretch for a 24-17 win.

“The part that kind of makes you smirk in the truck on the way home is it was the third time we’ve really been in that same situation,” he said, referring to late stumbles in losses to BYU and TCU the previous two weeks. “To finish this time, obviously we’ve made a huge deal about finishing, and that was something that was very gratifying.”

Statistically, there’s not much on either side of the ball that’s been exceptional about the Buffs this season. There’s been plenty of good moments, but it’s been a roller coaster.

The win against Iowa State, however, provided some positive signs for Livingston and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur that the Buffs (3-4, 1-3 Big 12), who are on a bye this week, are making progress

“I think we’re getting better each game,” Shurmur said of the Buffaloes’ offense.

… Continue reading story here …

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October 14th

… CU in a few minutes … 

*Video: OC Pat Shurmur and DC Robert Livingston Discuss CU’s Bye Week*

From Brian Howell at the Daily Camera … (Note: The brevity is due to a new CU rule this year that media are only allowed to reproduce three minutes of content from any press conference) …

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Has Joseph Williams become CU’s featured receiver? – “We’ve got to get it to him”

From the Daily Camera … Colorado knew what it was getting in signing Joseph Williams during the offseason.

The sophomore receiver has made some big plays for the Buffaloes this year, but busted loose on Saturday in a 24-17 win against then-No. 22 Iowa State. Williams, a transfer from Tulsa, caught a career high eight passes for 128 yards (second-best total in his career) and a touchdown.

“I don’t know if it’s a breakthrough moment,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “Joseph’s been doing his thing. We’ve got to get it to him. That’s it, straight up. We’ve got to get it to him. We’ve got a great receiving corps, man. Those guys can play.”

CU (3-4, 1-3 Big 12), which is on a bye this week, hasn’t had the production in the passing game it expected this season, but Williams is putting together a stellar campaign. He leads the Buffs with 24 catches for 370 yards (second on the team) and three touchdowns (second).

“JoJo, he’s one of the guys on the team that just always have a smile on his face,” quarterback Kaidon Salter said. “He comes to work every day. He’s one of the leaders in that receiver room. He was a freshman All-American last year at Tulsa, so everybody knows what he’s capable of doing and today he came out there and showed it.”

Williams helped to spark the offense against the Cyclones. CU was on the verge of a third straight three-and-out to start the game when Williams went to the ground to scoop up a low throw from Salter on third-and-10 and move the chains. Nine plays later the Buffs took a 7-0 lead.

Overall, he had six catches that went for first downs and another for a 3-yard touchdown that gave the Buffs the lead for good, 21-17, with 4:26 to play in the third quarter. His 38-yard catch with under 2 minutes remaining helped CU run out the clock and seal the win.

… Continue reading story here …

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October 13th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

CU After Dark (Again): CU at Utah on October 25th set for 8:15 p.m., MT, on ESPN 

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Win over Iowa State a Turning Point? “We’re better than our record says” 

From the Daily Camera … With their season seemingly on the line this past weekend, Colorado football players took inspiration from an old saying.

“Our pastor gave a great message (Friday) night,” CU linebacker Jeremiah Brown said after a 24-17 win against then-No. 22 Iowa State on Saturday at Folsom Field. “He talked about pressure and how you respond to it. He talked about how pressure makes diamonds.

“The team, we all rallied behind that, and boy, the unity was great last night. We all just believed, so that was a great message.”

CU (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) took the pressure that had been building through the first half of the season and put together its most complete effort in beating Iowa State.

Throughout a 2-4 start, the Buffs lost close games to three quality opponents (Georgia Tech, BYU and TCU), failing to hold late leads.

Saturday was a similar test and the Buffs passed it finally. It was the type of performance that could be a springboard into the final five games, starting with an Oct. 25 trip to No. 23 Utah.

“I hate to say it’s one win that can turn it around,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “We should have been winning, and we’re still upset with that. The locker room has a different vibe today, and it’s a different challenge given at the conclusion of the matter, but we’re better than what our record says.”

… Continue reading story here …

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This post, about the Utah game, from the 2025 Season, is filed under Article.
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