No. 16 Colorado (8-2, 6-1 in Big 12, ranked No. 16 in CFP) is set to face Kansas (4-6, 3-4) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST, airing on FOX.
Current betting odds from BetMGM favor Colorado by 2½ points.
The historical rivalry shows Colorado leading the series with a record of 42-23-3.
What’s on the line this Saturday?
With a conference record of 6-1, Colorado is tied with BYU for the top spot in the league standings, but trails the Cougars in overall performance as the season winds down with just two games remaining. A win against Kansas would put the Buffaloes in contention for the Big 12 championship. Conversely, a loss would complicate their chances, necessitating Arizona State and Iowa State to drop at least one game each, or for BYU to lose their final two games. Kansas is riding high after achieving back-to-back victories over ranked opponents, a first in their program’s history.
Key players to keep an eye on include Colorado’s Travis Hunter, who will be tested against Kansas’s formidable defense, specifically cornerbacks Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson. Hunter, a strong candidate for the Heisman Trophy, is noted for his dual-threat capability. However, he will face a tough challenge against two of the best coverage cornerbacks in the Big 12.
On the player spotlight, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is projected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft. He has recently shown impressive form, consistently passing for over 291 yards per game over the past three weeks, accumulating eight touchdowns against just a single interception.
For Kansas, running back Devin Neal has shone brightly with two touchdown runs in last week’s stunning upset against then-No. 6 BYU. He is just 74 yards shy of hitting the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season. Neal’s ability to effectively manage the game will be vital in keeping the explosive Colorado offense off the field.
Relevant facts and figures highlight the significance of this matchup. Colorado has returned to the Big 12 and will be competing against Kansas for the first time since November 6, 2010, when the Jayhawks secured a victory in Lawrence. The most recent win for the Buffaloes in this series was back on October 17, 2009. This matchup will also serve as Kansas’s final home game, and it marks the last scheduled appearance at Arrowhead Stadium while they undergo renovations on their home football venue.
Travis Hunter is on the brink of achieving 1,000 receiving yards for the season, needing just 87 more yards to reach that milestone. Meanwhile, Sanders is looking to break the single-season touchdown pass record for Colorado, needing just two more TDs to surpass Sefo Liufau’s record set in 2014.
Last week, the Buffaloes’ defense held Utah to a mere 31 rushing yards. They are currently leading the Big 12 in sacks, recording at least four in five out of the previous six games. Kansas’s defense also made headlines by allowing only 13 points against BYU last week, marking its fewest points allowed to a ranked foe since limiting No. 2 Oklahoma to 11 points in 1984. Notably, Dotson leads the Big 12 with five interceptions.