“T.I.P.S.” for CU v. Arizona State

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Colorado v. Arizona State: “T.I.P.S.” for CU’s Senior Day

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Colorado football is in need of some positive mojo.

The Buffs have lost five of their last six games. Taking Peggy to a bowl game for her 101st birthday is no longer a possibility (Peggy’s birthday, btw, is today, November 19th).

But, for Senior Day, it’s a new day and a new opportunity. Colorado is a touchdown underdog against defending Big 12 Conference champions Arizona State, but hope springs eternal that the Buffs are ready to turn the page.

The Sun Devils (7-3, 5-2), unfortunately, still have something to play for. They can still return to the Big 12 title game, but will need some help (defeat CU and Arizona; get a loss from both Utah and BYU). The Buffs, meanwhile, have … little to play for other than pride.

The game will be the first home start for freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, so the Buffs have that going for them … which is nice.

Will the Buffs come out with fire, or will they quickly wilt like they did in their last home game against Arizona?

Let’s find out …

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“T.I.P.S” for Colorado v. Arizona State – Saturday, 6:00 p.m., MT, ESPN2

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T – Talent

In an odd turn of events, the visiting team’s quarterback has more starts in Folsom Field than does the home team’s quarterback.

While Julian Lewis will be making his first start at home, Arizona State quarterback Jeff Sims has started a game in Boulder against the Buffs before … just not as a Sun Devil.

In 2023, Jeff Sims was the starting quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, with Coach Prime making his Folsom Field debut as CU’s head coach. On that day, Sims had a disastrous game, going 9-of-15 for 106 yards, with an interception and two costly fumbles which helped the Buffs cruise to a 36-14 victory.

CU fans can only hope for a repeat of Sims’ 2023 performance.

Sims stepped into the starting role for Arizona State two games ago, when Sam Leavitt was lost for the season. Sims had an impressive debut – with his legs – against Iowa State. Sims threw for 177 yards and a touchdown in a 24-19 win over the Cyclones, but he also ran for 228 yards and two touchdowns.

Last weekend, in a 25-23 win over West Virginia, Sims was a more traditional quarterback, throwing for 207 yards and three touchdowns.

In other words … Sims is playing better than the last time he came to Folsom.

ASU’s leading receiver is another name familiar to CU fans, Jordyn Tyson. The former Buff was well on his way to All-Big 12, and perhaps All-American honors, earlier in the season, with 628 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. Tyson, though, has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. Unfortunately for the Buff Nation, Tyson has been pointing towards the CU game for his return … clearly looking to have a big game in his return to Folsom Field.

Furthering hampering CU’s chances at an upset is the ASU rushing attack. The Sun Devils are 29th in the nation in rushing, going for over 180 yards per game.

CU’s rushing defense, is well, you know … awful.

Any good news for the Buffs? Well, the Arizona State passing defense is below average, giving up over 225 yards per game through the air (79th nationally).

Paging Julian Lewis …

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I – Intangibles

Mind games? … What will be the mindset of the Buffs as they come out for Senior Day?

With Julian Lewis making his first home start, and with a bye week to get healthier, will the team play with renewed spirit and enthusiasm?

Or, will the Buffs, as they did against Arizona in their last home game, come out flat, and fall behind again 17-0 before recording a first down?

Meanwhile, over on the other side of the field, Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham has been associated with several vacant head coaching positions, specifically Auburn and LSU. Dillingham served as an offensive coordinator at Auburn, and, at least on betting site, Dillingham is the favorite to wind up at LSU.

For his part, Dillingham, an ASU alumnus, has pledged his loyalty to Arizona State, but the chance of Dillingham leaving could be (might be?) a distraction.

Oh, and the Twitter/X world has stories of quarterback Sam Leavitt shopping around for a new team in 2026.

The Buff Nation can only hope that their team has their heads together … while the Sun Devils are playing distracted.

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Bye Week Blues … Colorado under Coach Prime hasn’t fared well when given extra time to prepare.

In 2023, the Buffs had one bye week. After its week off, the Buffs lost, 28-16, to UCLA.

In 2024, the Buffs had two bye weeks. The first post-bye game was a 31-28 loss to Kansas State; the second was a 41-27 win over Texas Tech.

In 2025, the Buffs came off of their first bye week a month ago, traveling to Utah, only to get mauled, 53-7.

So far, the extra week of preparation hasn’t helped CU … here’s hoping the fifth time’s a charm.

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P – Preparation/Schedule

Territorial Cup … Last season, Arizona State ruled the state of Arizona. The Sun Devils made it to the College Football Playoff as the Big 12 champions, while rival Arizona was struggling to a 4-8 record under first year head coach Brent Brennan. In the Territorial Cup last Thanksgiving, Arizona State mauled Arizona, 49-7.

This fall, both teams are 7-3, setting up a huge intra-state fight (after a short week) next Friday in Tempe.

The Buffs, meanwhile, will travel to Kansas State for their season finale.

CU’s Senior Day is this weekend.

Any chance that the Buffs might catch the Sun Devils looking ahead to their (bigger) game next week?

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Injury reports … Every Wednesday, at 8:00 p.m., MT, the Big 12 “Player Availability Reports” are posted. Each team is required to reports on player in the following categories: “Out”; “Doubtful”; “Questionable”; and “Available”. The CU/Arizona State injury report can be found here Wednesday night.

There has been a great deal of discussion as to the validity of these reports. The majority of players who are listed as “Questionable” by CU have ended up playing that weekend. Conversely, other teams have made a mockery of the reports by either having players make miraculous recoveries right before game time … or not playing after not being listed on the availability reports.

The system either needs to be improved and enforced – or eliminated.

In the meantime, this week’s reports are important for two reasons. First, to see if CU has used its bye week to get players healthy, with the ability to finish the season with a full roster. Second, Arizona State is one of the few other schools who have been given credit for being truthful in its reporting.

Arizona State’s leading receiver – and former Buff – Jordyn Tyson has missed the past two games. How Tyson will be listed Wednesday night will give everyone a clue as to his availability for the CU game (reports are that he is back practicing, but still limited by a hamstring injury suffered several weeks ago).

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S – Statistics 

CU’s rushing offense goes from absurd all the way up to poor … The last few seasons, watching Colorado struggle to try and not finish last nationally in rushing offense was a constant battle (a battle which was lost. Thanks in part to ridiculously high sack losses, the Buffs finished last in rushing in the nation in both 2023 and 2024).

This season, Coach Prime said CU was going to “run the durn ball”, but things haven’t worked out so well. CU has yet to have a 100-yard rusher in any game this season (quarterback Kaidon Salter came the closest, with 86 rushing yards against Wyoming).

With two games to play, CU has come close to doubling its rushing average per game numbers, all the way up to 122.1 yards per game.

That’s good enough for … 106th in the nation.

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Force a third down (pretty please?0 … Arizona State isn’t poor in too many statistical categories, but one stands out: third-down conversion percentage.

The Sun Devils are only converting third downs only about a third of the time (.349), good enough for 114th in the nation. Meanwhile, CU is above average in third down conversion defense (.363; 48th nationally).

So, if you are tracking stats during the game, keep an eye on third down conversions … if the Buffs can force them.

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Prediction … 

Coach Prime was asked at his Tuesday press conference how the team is preparing for the final two games of the season, now that a bowl game is out of the picture. “Game Day is the future”, was his response. “The preparation for these games shouldn’t be any different … Our record is not indicative of who these young men are … It is what it is right now, but we’re going to make the best of it. We’re not going to have a pity party”.

Cue up the CU haters, who can reply with the Bill Parcels quote: “You are what your record says you are”.

The Buffs are 3-7; Arizona State is 7-3.

Arizona State is 39th in rushing offense … Colorado is 131st in rushing defense.

Colorado is 110th in total offense … Arizona State is 46th in total defense.

The Buffs have lost five of their last six games … Arizona State has won three of their last four.

I’m excited to see what Julian Lewis can do with two weeks to prepare for his first home start. I’m going to have hope the Buffs will win until they show that they can’t.

Hopefully, my hope for victory will still be in tact well into the second half, with the Buffs pulling out a surprise victory.

But it’s hard to predict that happening …

Prediction … Arizona State 30, Colorado 20

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2025 Predictions (7-3 Straight up; 7-3 Against the spread) …

• Colorado 27, Georgia Tech 23 … Actual: Georgia Tech 27, Colorado 20
• Colorado 38, Delaware 13 … Actual: Colorado 31, Delaware 7
• Colorado 24, Houston 20 … Actual: Houston 36, Colorado 20
• Colorado 27, Wyoming 13 … Actual: Colorado 37, Wyoming 20
• No. 25 BYU 24, Colorado 20 … Actual: No. 25 BYU 24, Colorado 21
• TCU 34, Colorado 21 … Actual: TCU 35, Colorado 21
• Colorado 28, No. 22 Iowa State 21 … Actual: Colorado 24, No. 22 Iowa State 17
• Utah 31, Colorado 17 … Actual: Utah 53, Colorado 7
• Colorado 23, Arizona 20 … Actual: Arizona 52, Colorado 17
• West Virginia 28, Colorado 20 … Actual: West Virginia 29, Colorado 22

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2024 Predictions … (Straight up: 10-3; Against the Spread: 10-3) …
2023 Predictions … (Straight up: 8-4; Against the Spread: 7-5) …
2022 Predictions … (Straight up: 10-2; Against the Spread: 9-3) …
2021 Predictions … (Straight up: 9-3; Against the Spread: 7-5) …

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