5-15 in the Last 20, the Same as Dorrell's Finish: Why Halloween Against K-State Is a Must-Win for Coach Prime

By Cam Sutton, RF Sports Radio Colorado voice

Buffs fans, here is the number that should keep everybody in Boulder up at night: 5-15. That is Colorado's record over its last 20 games, and as the Denver Gazette pointed out this week, it is the same record as the final 20 games of the Karl Dorrell era.

The facts

Colorado (2-5, 0-4 Big 12) hosts Kansas State (4-3, 1-3) on Saturday, Oct. 31, at noon Mountain, 1 p.m. Central, at Folsom Field. The game airs on TNT and truTV and streams on HBO Max, per Buffaloes Wire.

The Buffaloes are coming off a 57-24 loss at Oklahoma State that included 37 unanswered points allowed, per the Gazette. Colorado is the only Big 12 team without a conference win, and Deion Sanders is 18-25 in his fourth season. Take away the 9-4 season in 2024, the Gazette noted, and the Buffs are 9-22.

"It's definitely not what I'm used to," Sanders said Tuesday. "Pain is pain. I hate losing because I don't consider myself one." He added that the team has not put special teams, offense and defense together "in one wonderful moment and that's called kickoff."

Kansas State has lost three of its last four, including last week at Arizona State, per Buffaloes Wire, which reported that the Wildcats have been dealing with injuries to every quarterback on the roster, including their emergency quarterback. K-State owns the Big 12's best pass defense at 147 yards allowed per game, but its run defense ranks third-worst in the conference. Buffaloes Wire calls K-State only a slight favorite.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: if Colorado does not win this game, I do not know where the next win comes from. A K-State team with a wounded quarterback room, coming to altitude, with a soft run defense? That is the most favorable setup the Buffs have had since Weber State.

The game plan writes itself. Run the ball. K-State takes away the pass, so do not fight it. Pound it, keep the ball away from a shaky Wildcats offense, and do not give away free yards on penalties, which Sanders admitted have been a constant problem.

And yes, the Dorrell comparison stings. Coach Prime came to Boulder promising this would never look like the old days. Right now, by the record, it does. One win does not erase that, but a loss on Halloween at home would make the questions louder.

What to watch next

K-State's quarterback announcement, Colorado's rushing attempts, and the penalty count. For Coach Prime taking the blame, read our Oct. 28 Coach Prime accountability column, and follow the Buffs on our Colorado Football page.

Radio question: is Saturday a must-win for Deion Sanders, or is the season already about 2027?

Sources: Denver Gazette - Deion Sanders: 'Hurts' to see losses piling up at Colorado; Buffaloes Wire - TV channel, kickoff time for Colorado vs. Kansas State; CUBuffs.com - Coach Prime Weekly Press Conference: Kansas State.