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Friday Fast Facts – Kansas State Week
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Leading off …
— “T.I.P.S” … Our weekly preview postings are available for your review and comment. My weekly written preview, along with my predictions for CU’s first game against a ranked team this season can be found here. The CU at the Game Podcast Review/Preview, looking back at the UCF game, and previewing the Kansas State game, can be found at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and … the podcast can also be found here.
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The Big Picture …
— A last minute sellout … It took until a few days before kickoff, but on Wednesday, CU announced that the Kansas State game was a sellout. The Prime Effect is real … Colorado sellouts 2023-24 seasons: 9 out of first 10 games. Sellouts from 2003-22: 9 out of 113 games The only other time CU had nine sellouts in a 2-season period: 1992-93;
— Counting road games, Saturday will be the 16th time in 18 games under Coach Prime that Colorado has played in front of a sold-out stadium. The only exceptions were at Washington State last year and this year’s home opener vs. North Dakota State (just shy, with 49,438 in attendance for the game against the Bison, with Folsom holding 50,318);
— Six-for-six to become seven-for-seven … The Colorado/Kansas State game will be broadcast nationally by ESPN, marking the sixth time in as many games in which the Buffs will play a national game. Next week’s game will be broadcast nationally by Fox, making it seven-for-seven for CU, with at least one game on ABC, Fox, CBS, NBC and ESPN. The next game, however, a home game against Cincinnati, may break the streak. Every Big 12 is required to have one home game on ESPN+ during the season, and the contest against the Bearcats is the most likely candidate;
— Not so hot … While the Buffs will play in pleasant 60-degree weather during the Big 12 After Dark game against Kansas State, the mid-afternoon game in Tucson next week looked to be a major heat problem for Colorado. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m., MT, next Saturday, in a city which has already endured over 100 100-degree days in 2024. But … as we speak, the forecast high for next weekend’s game against the Wildcats? A far more tolerable 83-degrees!;
— The ESPN Power Index … sees the CU/Kansas State game as a toss-up. The Buffs are given a 47.9% chance of winning; the Wildcats 52.1%. For a point of reference … The Buffs were given only a 17.8% chance of defeating UCF. In CU’s last home game, the Buffs were given an 55.8% chance of beating Baylor;
— The game will be telecast nationally by ESPN, with Mark Jones on the play-by-play, Roddy Jones on color, and Quint Kessenich on the sidelines. 850 KOA radio will have Mark Johnson with the play-by-play, and former CU head coach Gary Barnett as the analyst.
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Getting to Know the Wildcats …
— Not your grandfather’s Kansas State … Before Bill Snyder came to Manhattan in 1989, the Wildcats had posted only four winning seasons in the past 53 years. In over half of those seasons – 27, to be precise – the Wildcats lost at least eight games. Snyder inherited a 27-game winless streak when he came on board (KSU did manage a tie against Kansas in 1987), a streak which was stretched to 30 games before the Wildcats won their first game for Snyder, a 20-17 win over North Texas. It would prove to be the Wildcats’ only win in 1989;
— More K-State misery … On the all-time list for losing streaks, Kansas State appears four times. The Wildcats hold the third longest streak ever, 28 games (1945-48), but also appear with streaks of 18 games (1961-62), 17 games (1964-66), and 16 games (1987-89). (BTW … Colorado State has the 6th-longest losing streak of all time, 26 straight games, running from 1960-62);
— Stolen Nickname … Kansas State teams were known as was the “Aggies” in the early years, then were known as the “Farmers”. In 1920, coach Charles Bachman arrived from Northwestern (also named the “Wildcats”), and the new name was applied;
— Quirky Tradition … The Wildcats have a quirky tradition of the band playing “Wabash Cannonball” after every kickoff following a KSU score. The tradition originated in tragedy. In 1969, the KSU music department burned down just before a football game. The only music salvaged was in the band director’s briefcase, where there was sheet music for “Wabash Cannonball” was found. The band played the song early and often the next week, and a tradition was born.
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Buffs v. Wildcats …
— Buffs dominant … Colorado has a commanding 45-20-1 lead in the all-time series with Kansas State, including a ten-game winning streak (1954-63), and an eight-game winning streak (1985-92). In games played in Boulder, The Buffs have a 28-5 advantage;
— Fit to be tied … The 1993 game between the Buffs and the Wildcats was played to a 16-16 tie (ironically enough, with the Buffs ranked No. 16 in the nation at the time). With the introduction of overtime to NCAA football in 1996, the CU tie with Kansas State in 1993 continues to stand as the last tie game in Colorado football history;
— If the CU offense has a big day, series records could fall. The most passing yards by a Buff quarterback against Kansas State? 314 yards by John Hessler in 1995. The most receiving yards? 139 yards by Javon Green in 1999 (on only three catches);
— The Buffs won the most recent game between the two teams, a 44-36 victory in Boulder in November, 2010 (see below). Until CU opened the 2024 Big 12 campaign with wins over Baylor and Central Florida, the win over Kansas State stood as the Buffs’ most recent victory as a member of the Big 12;
— Wildcats a good luck charm? … CU used wins over Kansas State in 1976, 1989, and 1990 to polish off regular season Big Eight titles. In 2001 and 2002, the Buffs used conference play opening wins over KSU to start runs to Big 12 North titles;
— K-State’s losing legacy … Kansas State’s all-time record is almost 100 games under .500 (574-672-41, with the 574 wins 83rd on the all-time list), while Colorado’s all-time record is almost 200 games over .500 (727-545-36; with the 727 wins ranking CU 30th all-time);
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Stats Worth Noting …
— Better than 2023 … Last season, there were 14 100-yard rushers or receivers against Colorado. This season: 0. At present, CU is one of only 6 FBS teams that have yet to allow a 100-yard rusher or receiver, along with Army, Louisiana Tech, Northern Illinois, Ohio State and Oklahoma …
— Third quarter dominance … CU’s scoring has been fairly well spread out by quarters in the first four games of the season. The Buffs have 35 first quarter points, with 40 in the second, 38 in the third, and 35 in the fourth (with a much appreciated seven points in overtime). CU’s opponents, though have had a great deal of success in the first half (37 points in the first quarter; 52 in the second), but have been stymied in the second (seven points in the third quarter; 19 in the fourth … and, of course, 0 in overtime);
— Field goal misses … Colorado kicker Alejandro Mata has fared better of late, but is still only 5-of-7 in his field goal attempts to date, with misses from 29 (blocked) and 44 yards out. Meanwhile, CU opponent kickers have been good on only 4-of-8 field goal attempts through the first five games of the 2024 season;
— Bye Week Blues (For Kansas State) … Dating back to the 2012 season, CU has gone 6-6 in games following a bye. The Buffs have been better of late, going 3-1 in the last four years. Meanwhile, dating back to the 2018 season and excluding the 2020 pandemic season, K-State has lost its last five games following an off week.
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Player Notes …
— On offense, Travis Hunter had his school-record streak of five consecutive games with over 100 yards receiving broken against Central Florida (ten receptions for 89 yards). But the game did represent the second game this season (v. CSU being the other) in which Hunter had a touchdown reception and an interception in the same game;
— Freshman left tackle Jordan Seaton this week was named to the On3 Sports Midseason Freshman All-American team;
— LaJohntay Wester is No. 3 in the NCAA in career receptions among current players, with 273;
— Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has 1,630 yards passing after five games this season, 10th in the nation. Sanders is the only current quarterback in the NCAA with over 100 touchdown passes (111) and 20 or fewer interceptions (20).
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Big 12 Notes …
— Four Big 12 teams ranked … Iowa State, BYU, Utah and K-State are all ranked in the top 18 of this week’s AP Poll, marking the first time four Big 12 teams have been in top 18 of the poll during the regular season since 2018;
— When the season started, Colorado was scheduled to play five ranked teams: No. 12 Utah; No. 17 Oklahoma State; No. 18 Kansas State, No. 21 Arizona; and No. 22 Kansas. Since then, Arizona, Kansas and Oklahoma State have fallen out of the Top 25 … which means that Colorado, after facing six ranked teams in 2023, could wind up facing only two ranked teams in 2024 (No. 18 Kansas State and Utah, currently ranked 16th. There is a possibility that Texas Tech, currently 5-1, 3-0, could join the rankings before the Buffs travel to Lubbock on November 9th);
— Big 12 Week Seven – Game times and odds …
From DraftKings.com …
Friday, October 11th …
- No. 16 Utah at Arizona State … 8:30 p.m., MT, ESPN … Arizona State is a 6.0-point home underdog …
Saturday, October 12th …
- Cincinnati at UCF … 1:30 p.m., MT, ESPN2 … UCF is a 3.0-point home favorite …
- Arizona at No. 14 BYU … 2:00 p.m., MT, Fox … BYU is a 4.0-point home favorite …
- No. 11 Iowa State at West Virginia … 6:00 p.m., MT, Fox … West Virginia is a 3.0-point home underdog …
- No. 18 Kansas State at Colorado … 8:15 p.m., MT, ESPN … Colorado is a 6.5-point home underdog …
- … The rest of the Big 12 conference, six teams in all, have byes this weekend …
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The Last time …
November 20, 2010 – Boulder Colorado 44, Kansas State 36
Colorado came back from a 14-3 deficit to build a two score halftime lead, then fought off a series of Kansas State challenges to post a well-earned 44-36 victory over Kansas State. Junior running back Rodney Stewart ran for career-high 195 yards, caught two passes for 49 yards, and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Toney Clemons in leading the Buffs to their second consecutive victory over a Big 12 opponent for the first time since 2007.
… Continue reading story here …
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