How to watch, storylines, predictions

No. 18 Kansas State (4-1, 1-1) at Colorado (4-1, 2-0)

When/where: 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Folsom Field

TV/Radio: ESPN/850 AM

BetMGM Line: CU +4, O/U 56.5

Weather: 69 degrees and mostly clear

Series History: CU leads 45-20-1 (last game: a 44-36 Buffs win in Boulder, 2010)

Three storylines

Travis Hunter Factor. What will No. 12 do next? The Buffs’ Heisman candidate turned in another extraordinary performance in CU’s rout of UCF two weeks ago, with nine catches for 89 yards and a TD on offense and a pick, pass breakup and two tackles on defense. He has 46 catches for 561 yards so far, along with two interceptions. Throwing his way is a dangerous proposition for any quarterback, while his game-breaking ability on offense is opening up plays for fellow wideouts Will Sheppard, LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr.

CU’s D front. UCF entered its matchup against CU as the country’s top rushing team, but CU’s front won the battle of the trenches while holding the Knights to 177 rushing yards. CU also had five sacks for 21 yards and 13 tackles for loss for 40 yards as 13 different players had at least a half-tackle for loss. The Buffs will face another accomplished rushing attack on Saturday, with Kansas State bringing the seventh-best run game in FBS (252.2 yards per game) to Boulder. DJ Giddens (621 yards, 2 TDs) gets the lion’s share of the work, but old friend Dylan Edwards (204 yards) can pop at a moment’s notice, too.

Talented QBs. While CU senior QB Shedeur Sanders needs no introduction, and has picked defenses apart when given adequate protection, KSU sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson is also playing well in his first full season as a starter. He’s one of only eight QBs in the country and the only Big 12 player with at least 800 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this year. It will be up to the CU secondary, which gets safety Shilo Sanders back from an arm injury he suffered in the Nebraska game, to keep the lid on the Wildcats’ offense. An improved Buffs pass rush, which produced half of their season sack total two weeks ago, could help.

Predictions

Kyle Newman, sportswriter: Kansas State 31, CU 24

This is a tough one. It’s hard to pick against the Buffs after the way they demolished UCF, but my gut tells me the offensive line will revert to its porous form on Saturday. Shedeur Sanders has an array of impressive plays and Travis Hunter records another highlight-reel interception, but Sanders is sacked six times and the Buffs’ defense finally turns in a sloppy third quarter. CU’s last-minute drive to try to force OT, as happened in the dramatic win over Baylor via a converted Hail Mary, ends in heartbreak instead of jubilation.

Sean Keeler, sports columnist: CU 36, Kansas State 30 (OT)

If you want to say North Dakota State is the only genuinely “good” team CU has beaten, I won’t argue. CSU (1-1), Baylor (0-2) and UCF (0-2) have had some messy moments since late September. If you want to contend that K-State presents the first “real” defense CU’s seen since Nebraska, can’t disagree. And yet … remember the Stanford game a year ago, and how CU could just never get right after that? I’m starting to wonder if the Mile High Miracle over the Bears is having the exact opposite effect. And at the perfect time.