More than ever, the Buffaloes need to find a way to win on Saturday.
It doesn’t have to be flashy or light up the scoreboard, but with a five-game losing skid, they need a change in energy. Colorado (2-5, 0-4 Big 12) will host Kansas State (4-3, 1-3 Big 12) for a Halloween showdown that will shape the season's fate.
All three phases of the Buffs game will need to be on point, from special teams to offense and defense. Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders was adamant about finding a victory this weekend.
“We want to win, for everybody at CU, for the tremendous fan base, for Miss Peggy [Coppom], for Rick [George] who brought me here, and as well as Fernando [Lovo] and everybody involved,” Sanders said. “ So we do want to do that. It's just not going that way right now.”
Welcoming in a Wildcats team that is uncertain who may start at quarterback and has shown vulnerability with three losses, Colorado has focused on itself. Their result will be determined by the execution of the players on the field.
The Buffs’ head coach outlined where he feels his unit needs to come together on Saturday.
“We just gotta continue and be consistent in [special teams]. Defensively, offensively, running the ball, throwing the ball, create turnovers,” Sanders said. “Eliminating the penalties. You got to have some kind of consistency. That's the only thing we're consistent in. That doesn't make sense to me. But we gotta do better. We gotta prepare much better.”
During Tuesday’s press conference, team leaders also addressed their belief in the possibility of beating K-State.
After giving up 598 total yards and 57 points against Oklahoma State, the defense is one area Colorado will be focused on improving. Linebacker Gideon Lampron, who wears the ‘D’ on his uniform, echoed similar messages to his head coach about finishing this week.
“We just need to be disciplined, not shooting ourselves in the foot, jumping off sides,” Lampron said. “Can't miss 29 tackles like we did, and I think we'll be good.”
The offensive side of the ball was equally as disappointing in the second half of the OSU game, getting blanked. But they did tie their season high of 24 points against a P4 team in the first. Still, finding a way to put it all together will be the biggest question mark for the offense.
Receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. kept it blunt on what they need to do to win.
“Play hard, strain to finish, play with relentless effort and don't give up,” Moore Jr. said. “ We do those things, we win the game.”
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