Colorado Falls 24–14 at Kansas State, Closes Season With Effort but Missed Opportunities
The Colorado Buffaloes entered their final matchup of the year with one last chance to flip the script on a difficult season. A road trip to Kansas State offered Colorado an opportunity to spoil the Wildcats’ bowl hopes and finish with positive momentum.
But in frigid, snowy conditions at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Colorado’s offense never heated up. Despite a gritty defensive performance, the Wildcats leaned on running back Joe Jackson in the fourth quarter to power past the Buffs 24–14 and secure postseason eligibility.
Here are three main takeaways from Colorado’s final game of the season.
Takeaway 1: Colorado’s Defense Fought, Even as Injuries Piled Up
The Buffs didn’t leave Manhattan with a win, but their resolve was impossible to overlook. Kansas State opened the game with a 14-play touchdown drive, yet Colorado’s defense immediately responded. Despite missing multiple key players — including cornerback Tawfiq Byard, who entered the game heavily wrapped and exited after one series — the Buffs repeatedly forced punts and kept the Wildcats from building an early cushion.
Offensively, Colorado broke through late in the second quarter with an 11-play, 84-yard scoring drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown from running back Micah Welch. Fellow back Dallan Hayden also sparked the Buffs’ offense with several big chunk plays, providing the CU offense with its best rhythm of the afternoon.
Colorado kept fighting deep into the fourth quarter. Another one-yard score from Welch would cut the deficit to 17–14 and set up a potential comeback, but Kansas State answered behind Jackson, who scored his third touchdown of the day to seal the win.
After the game, Deion Sanders praised his team’s effort:
“You got a team that won three darn games, and with five minutes left, you’re right there to win again.”
The Buffs showed this season that they can compete with quality opponents. The next step — and Sanders acknowledged this — is finding a way to finish those games with wins.
Takeaway 2: Kaidon Salter Closed the Year, But JuJu Lewis Remains the Program’s Centerpiece
While Colorado showed grit, the most significant piece of their future didn’t even take the field. Freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis, the former five-star and current centerpiece of Colorado’s rebuild, sat out to preserve his redshirt season. In his place, Kaidon Salter finished with 172 passing yards but struggled in key moments, including a costly interception that ended a Buffs drive and flipped momentum.
At times, Lewis’s absence was a reminder of just how central he will be to Colorado’s future. Still, the Buffs’ offense found a way to move the ball — wide receiver Omarion Miller delivered a standout performance with seven catches for 120 yards — but couldn’t find separation in the red zone. Those are situations where Lewis’s poise, processing, and accuracy are expected to make a real difference next season.
With Lewis stepping into the starting role in 2026, the Buffs anticipate a much higher ceiling — and far better execution.
Colorado showed flashes of offensive capability all season, but with Lewis at the helm full-time, they believe those flashes can turn into long-standing results.
Takeaway 3: A 3–9 Record Doesn’t Reflect Colorado’s Foundation for the Future
The Buffs finish the season 3–9, winless on the road, and riding a five-game losing streak. But their performance in Manhattan showed something Sanders has insisted on all year: his team hasn’t stopped competing.
Now, attention shifts to a critical offseason — one that Sanders himself has repeatedly emphasized the importance of.
“If anybody’s built to reconcile and get this thing back on course, it’s me,” Sanders told the media after the game. “And I’m going to do it if it’s the last thing I do on earth, trust me when I tell you.”
Colorado heads into the next chapter with a strong young core, highlighted by Lewis, Miller, Hayden, and a group of underclassmen expected to return. Add the arrival of another portal cycle — one Sanders has vowed to handle differently — and the Buffs’ path forward is more defined than their record suggests.
A 3–9 season isn’t where Colorado expected to be. But the fight, flashes of growth, and the promise of a new era built around Lewis give the Buffs real reason to believe better days are coming.
