The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats begin the second half of the season against the Primetime-led Colorado Buffaloes.ÌýHere's a look atÌýstarting lineups, key matchups and a prediction from Star reporter Justin Spears.Ìý
Colorado (4-2) at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ (3-3)
When:ÌýSaturday, 1 p.m.
Where:ÌýÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Stadium
Watch:Ìý¹ó´Ç³æ/11
Radio:Ìý1290-AM, 107.5-FM
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, right, confers with quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the first half of last Saturday's game against Kansas State in Boulder, Colo.
Colorado Buffaloes
Record:Ìý4-2 (2-1 Big 12)
WHEN COLORADO IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):Ìý
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[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
WR | 14 | Will Sheppard | 6-3 | 205 | Sr.
TE | 31 | Sav'ell Smalls | 6-3 | 260 | Jr.
LT | 77 | Jordan Seaton | 6-5 | 285 | Fr.
LG | 56 | Tyler Brown | 6-3 | 310 | Sr.
C | 51 | Hank Silinskas | 6-3 | 285 | So.
RG | 55 | Kareem Harden | 6-5 | 315 | Jr.
RT | 54 | Phillip Houston | 6-5 | 250 | Jr.
WR | 5 | Jimmy Horn Jr. | 5-10 | 170 | Sr.
WR | 12 | Travis Hunter | 6-1 | 185 | Jr.
QB | 2 | Shedeur Sanders | 6-2 | 215 | Sr.
RB | 7 | Dallan Hayden | 5-10 | 205 | So.
WHEN COLORADO IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 93 | Samuel Okunlola | 6-4 | 245 | So.
DT | 97 | Chidozie Nwankwo | 5-11 | 290 | Sr.
DT | 99 | Shane Cokes | 6-3 | 275 | Sr.
DE | 59 | B.J. Green II | 6-1 | 270 | Sr.
ILB | 41 | Nikhai Hill-Green | 6-2 | 230 | Sr.
ILB | 20 | LaVonta Bentley | 6-0 | 230 | Sr.
NB | 24 | Preston Hodge | 6-0 | 195 | Sr.
CB | 9 | Marquee Collins | 6-2 | 190 | So.
SS | 7 | D.J. McKinney | 6-0 | 200 | R-Jr.
FS | 21 | Shilo Sanders | 6-0 | 195 | Sr.
CB |Ìý0 | Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig | 5-10 | 185 | Sr.
CU 2024 SCHEDULE
August
29 |ÌýNORTH DAKOTA STATEÌý| W, 31-26
September
7 |Ìýat Nebraska |ÌýL, 28-10
14 |Ìýat Colorado State |ÌýW, 28-9
21 | BAYLORÌý| W, 38-31 (OT)
28 |Ìýat UCFÌý| W, 48-21
October
12 | No. 18 KANSAS STATE | L, 31-28
19 | at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
26 | CINCINNATI
November
9 |Ìýat Texas Tech
16 |ÌýUTAH
23 |Ìýat Kansas
29 |ÌýOKLAHOMA STATE*
Home games inÌýBOLD;Ìý*=Friday game
COLORADO 2024 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Sanders | 172-237-4 | 2,018 | 17 | 69
Staub | 0-2-0 | 0 | 0 | 0
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | Per carry | Per game]
Augustave | 27 | 127 | 1 | 4.7 | 25.4
Welch | 23 | 113 | 3 | 4.9 | 22.6
Hayden | 32 | 96 | 1 | 3 | 24
Offerdahl | 14 | 46 | 0 | 3.3 | 7.7
Miller | 3 | 11 | 0 | 3.7 | 1.8
RECEIVING
[Name | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Per catch | Per game]
Hunter | 49 |587 | 6 | 12 | 97.8
Horn | 26 | 347 | 1 | 13.4 | 57.8
Sheppard | 22 | 330 | 2 | 15 | 55
Wester | 26 | 318 | 7 | 12.2 | 53
Miller | 10 | 216 | 1 | 21.6 | 36
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Hill-Green | 45 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0
Silmon-Craig | 45 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0
McKinney | 41 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0
Bentley | 21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1
Sanders | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Stoutmire | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Hodge | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ football coach Brent Brennan exchanges high fives with fans on his first Wildcat Walk as the team heads into ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Stadium for the season opener against New Mexico on Aug. 31, 2024, in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats
Record:Ìý3-3 (1-2 Big 12)
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON OFFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
XWR | 4 | Tetairoa McMillan | 6-5 | 212 | Jr.
FWR | 2 | Jeremiah Patterson | 5-10 | 175 | Jr.
LT | 59 | Rhino Tapa'atoutai | 6-5 | 311 | R-Fr.
LG | 72 | Wendell Moe | 6-2 | 339 | R-So.
C | 75 | Josh Baker | 6-3 | 300 | Sr.
RG | 60 | Alexander Doost | 6-7 | 332 | R-Fr.
RT |Ìý71 | Jonah Savaiinaea | 6-5 | 336 | Jr.
TE | 88 | Keyan Burnett | 6-6 | 248 | Jr.
ZWR | 5 | Montana Lemonious-Craig | 6-2 | 194 | Sr.
QB | 11 | Noah Fifita | 5-10 | 188 | R-So.Ìý
RB | 7 | Quali Conley | 5-10 | 209 | Sr.
WHEN ARIZONA IS ON DEFENSE (PROJECTED):
[Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Yr.]
DE | 11 | Chase Kennedy | 6-3 | 220 | R-So.
DT |Ìý46 | Ta'ita'i Uiagalelei | 6-4 | 280 | Jr.
NT | 47 | Stanley Ta'ufo'ou | 6-2 | 274 | R-Sr.
DE | 3 | Tre Smith | 6-5 | 270 | R-Jr.
MLB | 5 | Jacob Manu | 5-11 | 228 | Jr.
WLB | 6 | Taye Brown | 6-2 | 225 | So.
STAR | 27 | Owen Goss | 6-2 | 202 | Sr.
CB | 23 | Emmanuel Karnley | 6-3 | 184 | R-Fr.
CB | 1 | Tacario Davis | 6-4 | 190 | Jr.
BS | 43 | Dalton Johnson | 5-11 | 202 | R-Jr.
FS | 12 | Genesis Smith | 6-2 | 203 | So.
UA 2024 SCHEDULE
August
31 |ÌýNEW MEXICOÌý| W, 61-39
September
7 |ÌýNORTHERN ARIZONAÌý| W, 22-10
13 | at No. 14 Kansas State | L, 31-7
28 | at No. 10 Utah | W, 23-10
October
5 |ÌýTEXAS TECHÌý| L, 28-22
12 | at No. 14 BYU | L, 41-19
19 |ÌýCOLORADOÌý(Homecoming)
26 |ÌýW. VIRGINIAÌý(Family Weekend)
November
2 | at UCFÌý
15 |ÌýHOUSTON*
23 | at TCU
30 |ÌýASUÌý(Senior Day)
Home games inÌýBOLD;Ìý*=Friday game
UA 2024 STATS
PASSING
[Name | Comp-Att-INT | Yards | TDs | Long]
Fifita | 136-231-9 | 1,636 | 8 | 78
RUSHING
[Name | Carries | Yards | TDs | Per carry | Per game]
Conley | 82 | 483 | 6 | 5.6 | 76.3
Reescano | 35 | 215 | 1 | 6.1 | 35.8
Croskey-Merritt | 13 | 106 | 1 | 8.2 | 106.0
Fifita | 22 | 41 | 0 | 1.9 | 6.8
Riley | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15.0 | 5.0
RECEIVING
[Name | Receptions | Yards | TDs | Per catch | Per game]
McMillan | 42 | 742 | 4 | 17.7 | 123.7
Burnett | 16 | 205 | 1 | 12.8 | 34.2
Lemonious-Craig | 17 | 172 | 1 | 10.1 | 28.7
Conley | 22 | 151 | 0 | 6.9 | 25.2
Patterson | 11 | 86 | 2 | 7.8 | 14.3
DEFENSE
[Name | Tackles | Sacks | INTs | FR | FF]
Manu | 43 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Brown | 38 | 2.0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Johnson | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1
Smith, T. | 28 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 1
Smith, G. | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1
Davis | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Stukes | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0
Head to Head
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ tight end Keyan Burnett (88) has a pat on the hat for teammate Tetairoa McMillan (4) after McMillan's fourth touchdown of the night against New Mexico on Aug. 31 at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Stadium.
No. 12 Travis Hunter vs. No. 4 Tetairoa McMillan
Along with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Hunter is a heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this season as a two-way star for the Buffaloes. Hunter, who suffered a shoulder injury last week, is a projected Top 5 five pick in the NFL Draft and has a chance to solidify — or improve — his draft stock as a defensive back with a matchup against arguably the top wide receiver in college football. Hunter and McMillan were both named Associated press midseason All-Americans this week (Hunter was selected both on offense and defense).
McMillan hasn't scored a touchdown since his record-setting performance in the season opener. Last season, McMillan had nine catches for 107 yards and a touchdown against Colorado. He currently leads college football wide receivers in forced missed tackles (19), according to Pro Football Focus. Colorado is second in the Big 12 in fumble recoveries, so ball security could be crucial for McMillan, who had a critical fumble late in the fourth quarter of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s loss to Texas Tech. A standout game against Hunter, McMillan could also improve his draft stock.Ìý
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ defensive back Tacario Davis celebrates with ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ fans in the stand after the win.
No. 2 Shedeur Sanders vs. No. 1 Tacario Davis
Sanders, the son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, leads the Big 12 in passing yards and touchdowns, and has emerged as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He completedÌý34 of 40 passes for 388 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in the Buffaloes' loss last week to Kansas State, and the accurate Sanders has completed just under 73% of his passes this season.Ìý
Davis is questionable for Saturday after suffering a first-half injury against BYU last week. Davis had five pass breakups in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s upset win over Utah on the road, but was matched up with the Utes' big-bodied tight ends. The Buffaloes run a spread offense with a variety of skilled wide receivers. If Davis has an impressive performance against a batch of NFL talent, his draft stock could see a bump.Ìý
The matchup
When ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has the ballÌý…Ìý
Considering the current state of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s defensive secondary, the path to victory for the Wildcats could be dominating time of possession and keeping Sanders and the high-powered Colorado offense on the sideline. The Wildcats bested Texas Tech in time of possession, but failed to score touchdowns. If ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ can figure out its issues whenever the offense gets inside the plus-30-yard line and play ahead throughout the entire game, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ could win.Ìý
When Colorado has the ballÌý…Ìý
Due to so many injuries in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s secondary, coupled with the Wildcats surrendering 42 points off six turnovers in the last two weeks, this could be a high-scoring game for the Buffaloes. The key for CU will be ball security and not giving the Wildcats extra possessions, along with protecting Sanders; the Buffaloes have given up the most sacks (24) in the Big 12 this season.Ìý
Prediction: Colorado 34, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ 28
In the last five games, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has 30 offensive possessions end in plus-territory, but only eight touchdowns — a 27% clip. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ quarterback Noah Fifita is coming off back-to-back career-worst performances, and the UA offense is trying to replicate the offensive firepower it had to start the season. Even though the offense could figure out its issues, the injuries in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s secondary will be tough to overcome. Cats keep it close, but Buffaloes escape Saturday with a win in "Coach Prime's" first visit to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.Ìý
Contact Justin Spears, the Star's ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com. On X(Twitter): @JustinESports
Justin Spears
Sports Reporter
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