While Utah exposed the Buffs, and its rushing total was a figure not often touched, it was the latest example of Colorado’s struggles against the run.
Colorado defensive lineman Jehiem Oatis rushes Utah quarterback Byrd Ficklin during the second half an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City, Utah. From the start, Utah had no trouble running the ball against Colorado on Saturday.
No. 3 running back Daniel Bray had a 12-yard run on the first play of the game. Backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin, making his first start, had a 63-yard touchdown run on the second play. Throughout the game, leading rusher Wayshawn Parker added a 58-yard touchdown run, and Nate Johnson scored on a 56-yard run.Coach Prime’s Colorado Buffaloes embarrassed at UtahUtah embarrassed the Buffs with 422 rushing yards – the fourth-most allowed by CU in the last 40 years – in a 53-7 rout. Ficklin had 151 yards, Parker had 145 and Johnson 58. “We just didn’t play fast,” CU linebacker Jeremiah Brown said. “We didn’t show up. That’s as simple as it is. We didn’t come to play. We had a great week of practice, was physical all week at practice, and I guess we got complacent. When it came to game time, we didn’t show up.” While the Utes exposed the Buffs, and their rushing total was a figure not often touched, it was the latest example of CU’s struggles against the run. And, it’s an area that will remain a concern as the Buffs prepare to host Arizona on Saturday . CU ranks 134th out of 136 FBS teams in run defense, allowing 217.25 yards per game. Only five teams allow more per rush than the Buffs . Utah was the fifth team this season to finish with more rushing yards against the Buffs than their season average. And, the Utes were the fifth team to top the 200-yard mark against CU. The Buffs felt they made some progress against TCU on Oct. 4, holding the Horned Frogs to 94 yards on 35 carries. TCU is the worst rushing team in the Big 12, however.As Brown said, maybe the Buffs didn’t show up against the Utes, but injuries and inconsistency in the front seven have plagued the Buffs all year. Coming into the season, the Buffs’ defensive line seemed to be one of the most experienced and deep groups on the team. Of the nine players in the room, six are seniors and another is a fourth-year junior. One of those seniors, Gavriel Lightfoot, hasn’t played all year because of injury and he won’t return. Another, Tavian Coleman, had surgery before the TCU game it’s unclear if he’ll return. Another senior, Tawfiq Thomas, missed four straight games before returning against Utah. And, another, Taurean Carter II, has played just 23 snaps all season. Junior Jehiem Oatis came to CU as a transfer from Alabama and brought a lot of hype with him. His performance hasn’t matched that hype, though. He’s made just one start and his two most impactful plays came during a three-play stretch in the second quarter of the season opener against Georgia Tech. For the most part, CU has leaned heavily on seniors Anquin Barnes Jr. and Amari McNeill and redshirt freshman Brandon Davis-Swain. That trio has accounted for 15 of the 16 starts on the line, but they also have just 3.5 tackles for loss among them.“We got to be much more consistent at the linebacker position,” head coach Deion Sanders said last week before the Utah game. Brown, who played just two snaps in the opener, has become CU’s most reliable linebacker. Martavius French and Reginald Hughes have played a lot, too. All three have had struggles and been benched at one point this season, though. Among the regular players in the front seven, Hughes are French are CU’s two lowest-rated defenders this year, per Pro Football Focus.Arizona is just 85th nationally in rushing , but its top three running backs all average at least 4.9 yards per carry. After that, the next two opponents – West Virginia and Arizona State – are both top-50 in rushing. Kansas State, CU’s opponent in the finale, is 82nd.On Monday, the Big 12 announced that CU’s trip to West Virginia on Nov. 8 will be the first morning game of the season for the Buffs. The game in Morgantown, West Virginia, is slated for a 10 a.m. MT kickoff and will broadcast on TNT. It will be CU’s first-ever appearance on TNT. CU has appeared on national network TV or the flagship ESPN every game the last two years, but that streak could end with this week’s game against Arizona, if it remains on FS1. If the World Series does not go to seven games, the Buffs vs. Arizona would be on Fox. The streak would end for sure next week, however, with an appearance on TNT.Peyton Watson wanted to sign contract extension with Nuggets, but now he can ‘set his market’ in restricted free agency Peyton Watson wanted to sign contract extension with Nuggets, but now he can 'set his market' in restricted free agency Parker Gabriel’s 7 thoughts on Broncos’ blowout of Cowboys, including Troy Franklin giving WR2 vibes with breakout performance Parker Gabriel's 7 thoughts on Broncos' blowout of Cowboys, including Troy Franklin giving WR2 vibes with breakout performanceCoach Prime's Colorado Buffaloes embarrassed at UtahBroncos report card: Sean Payton, Bo Nix throw kitchen sink at Cowboys in blowout winAfter internal struggle, Colorado's Libertarians look to pivot. It could impact Congress.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Live Score Updates From Colorado Buffaloes' Huge Matchup at UtahLed by quarterback Kaidon Salter and a fast-improving defense, the Colorado Buffaloes will face off against the Utah Utes in a Saturday night Big 12 football matchup. Stay here for live updates throughout Colorado's Week 9 game in Salt Lake City.
Read more »
Colorado Buffaloes Debut New Uniform Combination Vs. UtahThe Colorado Buffaloes debuted a new uniform vs. the Utah Utes on Saturday night. Colorado wore gold tops with black helmets/pants. That did not help the Buffaloes in the first half, as they went into halftime down 43-0.
Read more »
What Kaidon Salter Said After Colorado Buffaloes' Embarrassing Loss At UtahQuarterback Kaidon Salter was just as frustrated as anyone else who watched the Colorado Buffaloes get stomped by the Utah Utes on Saturday night. Check out what the veteran had to say after an embarrassing performance in Salt Lake City.
Read more »
Deion Sanders Reacts To Colorado Buffaloes' Meltdown At UtahCoach Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes quit in Salt Lake City, falling apart en route to a blowout loss against the Utah Utes. 'Coach Prime' met the embarrassing defeat with appropriate malcontent postgame.
Read more »
Three Main Takeaways From the Colorado Buffaloes' Blowout Loss to UtahThe Colorado Buffaloes were blown out 53–7 by the Utah Utes on Saturday night, falling to 3–5 and making their path to bowl eligibility even steeper. Here are the three biggest takeaways from Colorado’s nightmare loss in Salt Lake City.
Read more »
Officers watch for evidence of poaching during prime Utah hunting seasonAndrew Adams is an award-winning journalist and reporter for KSL-TV. For two decades, he's covered a variety of stories for KSL, including major crime, politics and sports.
Read more »