This weekend is the final regular season week of the Division I college football season, and it will be a somewhat anti-climatic end of the year for Colorado’s Division I teams.
For the first time since 2018, none of Colorado’s three Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams (Air Force, Colorado, Colorado State) will be going to bowl games. Therefore, this means it will be all of these teams’ final games of the season this weekend.
Colorado was projected to win around six games and get to a bowl, but the Buffaloes have struggled at quarterback and on defense. Air Force and Colorado State were also both projected to win around six games and get to bowl games, but both teams have struggled throughout the year.
Therefore, there’s not much on the line other than pride for those three times. One positive note is that at least one Colorado school will finish its season with a win as Air Force and Colorado State are playing each other.
Here’s a look at what matchups Colorado Division I college football teams have this week:
Where: Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins
How to watch: FS1
Records: Air Force is 3-8 overall and 2-5 in the Mountain West Conference after its 20-3 loss vs. New Mexico on Saturday. Colorado State is 2-9 overall and 1-6 in the Mountain West after its 49-21 loss at Boise State on Saturday.
Line: Air Force is a 2.5-point favorite.
Notes: It has been a disastrous end to the season for Colorado State. The Rams have lost their last five games by an average of 20.6 points. Colorado State only has one win against a Division I FBS opponent this season. The Rams are 0-4 since they fired head coach Jay Norvell in late October. To make matters worse, quarterback Darius Curry and offensive lineman Liam Wortmann have been suspended for the Air Force game for spitting on Boise State players during the second half of the Rams’ loss.
There has been some positive news to come out of the program recently. Jim Mora was announced as the next head coach of Colorado State on Wednesday as the school joins the revamped Pac-12 Conference next season. Mora has been the coach of UConn since 2022 and led the program to bowl games in three of his four seasons; the Huskies are 9-3 overall this season. Mora was also the head coach of UCLA from 2012-2017. His career coaching record is 73-53 overall.
The Rams could use Mora right away after their 49-21 loss to Boise State. The Broncos had a 27-7 lead at the half and never looked back. Boise State had 279 rushing yards and six rushing scores, while Curry finished with 293 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions for the Rams.
Air Force’s offense in its 20-3 loss to New Mexico was a struggle to say the least. The Falcons had 161 yards of offense and didn’t score until the fourth quarter. New Mexico didn’t light up the scoreboard with 277 yards, but it was enough for a comfortable win.
Last season, Colorado State beat Air Force, 21-13.
Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas
How to watch: FS1
Records: Colorado is 3-8 overall and 1-7 in the Big 12 Conference after its 42-17 loss vs. Arizona State on Saturday. Kansas State is 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the Big 12 after its 51-47 loss at Utah on Saturday.
Line: Kansas State is a 17 or 17.5-point favorite depending on the sportsbook.
Notes: The Buffaloes’ end of their season has been rough, with Colorado losing its last four games by an average of 28.25 points. With nothing to play for other than pride, head coach Deion Sanders has decided that freshman quarterback Julian Lewis will not play against Kansas State to preserve his redshirt. Lewis started the last three games, and Kaidon Salter will start against the Wildcats.
Colorado’s game against Arizona State was a close one through three quarters as Arizona State only led 21-17 going into the fourth. Then, the Sun Devils scored 21 unanswered in the fourth to blow out the Buffaloes.
Arizona State running back Raleek Brown dominated Colorado, finishing with 22 carries for 255 yards and a touchdown; Arizona State finished with 355 rushing yards. Lewis finished the Arizona State game 19/38 passing for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Kansas State was involved in a wild, back-and-forth game with Utah that saw the Utes take the lead and win with a rushing touchdown with 56 seconds. Utah outscored Kansas State, 30-16, in the second half. Kansas State running back Joe Jackson finished with 24 carries for 293 yards and three touchdowns; the Wildcats rushed for 472 yards and five scores. Utah was much more balanced with 259 passing yards and 292 rushing yards.
