Rumble in the Rockies: Isaac Wilson Faces No. 11 Utah at Folsom as Colorado Tries to Snap a Three-Game Skid

By Cam Sutton, RF Sports Radio Colorado voice

Buffs fans, Family Weekend just turned into a national television stress test. No. 11 Utah is unbeaten, Isaac Wilson is starting against the program that used to employ him, and Folsom Field gets a late ESPN window.

The facts

Colorado (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) hosts No. 11 Utah (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 8:15 p.m. Mountain / 9:15 p.m. Central on ESPN at Folsom Field in a Family Weekend Rumble in the Rockies, per CUBuffs.com. The Buffs are coming off a bye after a 29-7 loss to Texas Tech on Oct. 3 and are trying to snap a three-game skid. Utah arrives off a 41-24 win over Kansas.

Isaac Wilson, who started seven games as a true freshman at Utah in 2024, will start for Colorado against his former team, per Deion Sanders' earlier confirmation and CU's road-ahead notes. In his first Colorado start against Texas Tech, Wilson set career highs with 26 completions, 290 passing yards and 42 rushing yards while throwing three interceptions. Utah has outscored opponents 68-3 in the first quarter and scored a touchdown on its opening drive in every game, while averaging about 502 yards of total offense, per CUBuffs.com. Utah leads the all-time series 36-33-3; Colorado is 18-14-1 at Folsom. Last Folsom meeting: Colorado 49-24 in 2024. Last meeting overall: Utah 53-7 in Salt Lake City in 2025.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: the revenge promo writes itself, and that is the danger. Wilson knows Utah's building and Utah knows Wilson's tendencies. A 5-0 ranked team that scores on the opening drive every week will punish early hero ball. Colorado's path is boring football: protect the ball, run enough to keep the pass rush honest, and survive the first quarter without trailing by two scores.

The Buffs' defensive front has been the bright spot — season-high 12 TFLs against Texas Tech, no 100-yard rusher allowed — and Santana Hopper's breakout tape is real. That unit has to win early downs or Utah's offense will turn Folsom into a track meet. Offensively, Joseph Williams on the Biletnikoff watch list gives Wilson a security blanket if the staff lets him take the easy throw.

My call: Utah 34, Colorado 20. Wilson is cleaner than the Texas Tech start with one interception or fewer, but Utah's opening-drive habit and depth win the second half. That is a prediction, not a report. If Colorado is within a score after three quarters, Folsom gets loud enough to make it interesting.

What to watch next

Kickoff is Saturday at 9:15 p.m. Central on ESPN. Watch Wilson's interception count, Utah's opening drive, and Colorado's early run-pass balance. For yesterday's revenge-week column, read yesterday's Colorado post on revenge week and Isaac Wilson, and follow the Colorado Football page.

Radio question: does facing his old team make Isaac Wilson sharper Saturday, or does Utah's first-quarter dominance decide it before Folsom can matter?

Sources: CUBuffs.com — The Road Ahead: Utah; USA TODAY — Deion Sanders reveals Isaac Wilson starts vs. Utah; CBS Sports — No. 11 Utah visits Colorado as Isaac Wilson faces former team.