Kansas State Vs Colorado arrives Saturday with the Wildcats listed as a 2-point favorite, even though they face complete uncertainty at quarterback. CU will need a win to keep its bowl path from tightening further, because a loss would leave the Buffs needing to win out.
Deion Sanders is carrying a $10 million salary and a $26 million buyout into a matchup shaped by Colorado’s five-game losing streak. CU is 5-15 in its last 20 games overall and 2-15 against Power Four conference teams since December 2024, which is why Saturday has more weight than a normal late-season game.
Collin Klein and the quarterback issue
Collin Klein is in his first season and makes $4.1 million this season, but his team is dealing with a quarterback problem that changes how the game can be played. Avery Johnson is out, Jacob Knuth remains doubtful with an ankle injury, and Blake Barnett and Dillon Duff are the Wildcats’ little-used options to start.
That leaves Kansas State in a spot Colorado can plan for only in broad terms. If Johnson cannot go and Knuth is not available, the Wildcats would have to lean on an option with limited game experience rather than the usual setup that shapes a normal week.
Deion Sanders at Boulder
Sanders is still under pressure from Colorado’s run of losses, and the numbers around the program make the stakes plain. CU has dropped five straight, and a loss on Saturday would leave it with no margin in the bowl chase.
The comparison to the Broncos’ COVID-19 quarterback game against the Saints is useful only as a reminder of how quickly a game plan can change when the quarterback picture turns chaotic. Colorado does not need a perfect answer to the Kansas State uncertainty; it needs to avoid letting that uncertainty become the reason the Buffs fall behind early.
Saturday in Boulder
Saturday is now about the result, not the backdrop. Kansas State is favored, Colorado is chasing a stop to the slide, and the practical question for the game is simple: which quarterback actually takes the first snap for the Wildcats?
