Buffs, Utes Meet for 16th Straight Season: Five Things to Know

SALT LAKE CITY – The well-rested Colorado Buffaloes head West over the Rockies this week to take on Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.

The matchup will be the 72nd all-time between the Buffs and Utes. Utah owns the slight edge in the all-time series, 35-33-3, but the Buffs took last year's meeting 49-24 in Boulder.

Colorado (3-4, 1-3) had a bye last week, following its 24-17 upset over No. 22 Iowa State. It was the second ranked win under the guidance of head coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders. The Buffs trailed 10-7 at the half, but outscored the Cyclones 17-7 in the second half, aided by a key fourth-quarter interception from Tawfiq Byard and a late fourth-down defensive stop. Offensively, Kaidon Salter connected with Josheph Williams eight times for a season-high 182 yards. Both players were named honorable mention selections for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Player of the Week, while Salter was also recognized as one of the Davey O'Brien Great 8 quarterbacks.

Five Things to Know

Ranked Win Notes: CU's 24-17 win over No. 22 Iowa State was the first win over a ranked team since 2023, the first home win over a ranked team since 2019 and the first win over a ranked conference foe since beating No. 21 Utah in 2016, a game that clinched the Buffs' only Pac-12 division championship.
Second-Half Statement: CU entered the ISU game with a -26-scoring margin in the second half and outscored the Cyclones 17-7. CU has been solid in the fourth quarter, holding four of seven opponents scoreless.
Dual Threat: Kaidon Salter produced his second 250-yard passing, 50-yard rushing game of the season, something only ASU's Sam Leavitt has done in the Big 12 this season.
Josheph Williams: The latest member of the WR room to step up big is Josheph Williams, who caught eight passes on eight targets for 128 yards and a touchdown, CU's highest output of the season and his fourth 100-yard game. His 38-yard catch on 3rd-and-16 late in the fourth quarter helped seal the win against Iowa State.
Red Zone TD% Efficient: Colorado converted 3-of-3 red zone opportunities against Iowa State with two touchdowns and a field goal. CU is now 16-of-18 (.889) in the red zone this season with 13 touchdowns, 72.2%. Conversely, CU has allowed 21 scores on 26 opponent red zone opportunities with 15 touchdowns allowed, just 57.7%.

Roy Philpott and Brock Osweiler will be in the booth, and Stormy Bounantony will be on the sideline for ESPN.

Voice of the Buffs Mark Johnson and former head coach Gary Barnett will have pregame coverage starting at 6:15 p.m. MT on the Colorado Radio Network, locally on 850 KOA (AM) and 94.1 FM.