Scouting Utah: The Utes Hit 5-0 With a 41-24 Win Over Kansas, and Colorado Gets Them Next at Folsom Field

Buffs fans, Colorado didn't play Saturday. The team coming to Boulder next week did, and it looked like a contender.

No. 12 Utah beat Kansas 41-24 at a sold-out Rice-Eccles Stadium to go 5-0 and 2-0 in the Big 12, per UtahUtes.com. The game was moved up to 6 p.m. Mountain because of weather. The Utes have won all five games by at least 14 points, the fourth Utah team to do that (1953, 1994 and 2004 were the others). Their 11-game winning streak dating to last season is the longest active run in the Big 12. They've also scored 30 or more in 11 straight games, which Utah says is the longest streak in the nation.

Devon Dampier is the problem. He went 23-of-30 for 238 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, and he ran 17 times for 71 yards and another score. He is 15-2 as Utah's starter and has 1,041 rushing yards in two seasons. Running back Wayshawn Parker ran for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 90-yard score in the fourth quarter that put the game away. Utah went over 540 total yards, went 5-for-5 in the red zone and has scored a touchdown on every opening drive this season. Kansas had its chances. The Jayhawks cut it to 21-17 at halftime and to a three-point game after three quarters. Then Utah stopped quarterback Isaiah Marshall at the 1 on fourth down.

That puts a spotlight on Colorado's bye-week fix at quarterback. After the 29-7 loss to Texas Tech, Deion Sanders said, "We got one glaring problem," per CBS Sports, and called it an open competition with "three options." CBS notes Colorado hasn't scored more than 14 points against a Power Four opponent this season and has eight touchdown passes against six interceptions. The Buffs (2-3) will lean on a defense that's been their best unit. Against a Utah team that ran for more than 280 yards Saturday, tackling and run fits are the test.

Kickoff is Oct. 17 at 8:15 p.m. Mountain, 9:15 Central, on ESPN. Stay with the Colorado Football through the bye. Radio question: can Colorado's defense keep this game close enough for the offense to steal it?

Sources: UtahUtes.com — No. 12 Utah races past Kansas, moves to 5-0; UtahUtes.com — Postgame notes: No. 12 Utah vs. Kansas; KUAthletics.com — Jayhawks battle No. 12 Utah, fall 41-24; CBS Sports — Deion Sanders hints at Colorado QB issue.