Sep 203 min read

Familiar Foes: Bears, Buffaloes Reunite in Big 12 Opener

Buffaloes | Travis Hunter, Colorado — ©Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Following a strong 28-9 rivalry win, head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes welcome the Baylor Bears to Boulder, Colo., on Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. EST. This is the teams' first meeting in 14 years. With both sides going 2-1 in nonconference play, earning a hard-fought victory to begin the Big 12 Conference could be just what the doctor ordered.

Series History

Dating back to 1959, Colorado and Baylor have faced off 16 times with the Buffaloes holding a narrow 9-7 series lead. In 2010, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III of Baylor combined for 371 all-purpose yards in a nail-biting 31-25 Bears triumph.

Run, Ralphie, Run

Entering the 2024 season, college football fans were eager to see what a bolstered Colorado offensive line would look like in Year 2 of the "Coach Prime" era. So far, it has already been a rollercoaster ride for the Buffs. Through CU's first two games, the Buffaloes mustered up a lousy 75 combined rushing yards. However, it appeared that Colorado took a necessary step in the right direction as the rushing attack tallied a season-high 109 yards on 19 carries in the Buffaloes' 28-9 win over Colorado State.

As it stands, halfback Dallan Hayden may miss his second consecutive contest due to a high ankle sprain. So it will be up to youngsters Micah Welch and Isaiah Augustave to carry the rock to succeed again. If the CU offensive line gets enough of a push up front, then it will take the pressure off of quarterback Shedeur Sanders and his plethora of weapons.

Bear the Brunt

Playing on the road in a conference matchup is never easy, regardless of the opponent. On Sept. 21, Baylor will face a Colorado team brimming with offensive talent on the perimeter. This will likely be Baylor's toughest challenge for its secondary early in the season, but there are reasons to believe they can slow down CU's pass-heavy attack. The Bears are currently allowing just 75.7 passing yards per game, the best mark in college football. Yes, you read that right. However, Baylor just faced an option offense at Air Force and played a Utah team missing star quarterback Cam Rising for a half. Ultimately, this will be a stiff test for the Bears, but if they can withstand a few haymakers from the Colorado offense and keep it close, then watch out.

Key Players: Colorado Buffaloes

Jordan Seaton, OL

Offensive lineman Jordan Seaton is ranked as the top offensive tackle in his class as a five-star prospect. Seaton was a ginormous get for a Buffaloes team that was greatly hurting in the trenches. As expected, there have been some growing pains in his first taste of college football. However, he delivered his best performance yet against Colorado State, playing a key role in keeping Sanders clean in the pocket and enabling an efficient run game. Clearly, the sky is the limit for Seaton and his untapped potential. He’s a name to watch as he continues to protect Shedeur’s blind side.

Nikhai Hill-Green, LB

Linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green is helping Colorado's defense to prove that it is the real deal. In fact, the Buffaloes have allowed only 9 points in their previous 6 quarters of play. Obviously, this is a much-improved unit than last year's squad that ranked an unfathomable 130th in total defense. Fast forward nearly 12 months later, and Charlotte transfer Hill-Green is the hard-nosed linebacker that Colorado so desperately needed. Against the Rams, Hill-Green accounted for 6 total tackles including a pair of tackles for loss.

Key Players: Baylor Bears

Bryson Washington, RB

Running back Bryson Washington helps Baylor in running the rock. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Bears try to get Washington involved in the ground game for a second straight week. Against the Air Force Falcons, the freshman tailback from Texas burst onto the scene with 106 rushing yards on just 12 carries, averaging an impressive 8.8 yards per carry. Baylor would be wise to keep feeding their hot hand in the backfield.

Matt Jones, LB

Linebacker Matt Jones is at the heart of the Bears' defense. Jones is a tackling machine. On Sept. 14, the senior recorded 11 tackles, marking his sixth double-digit tackling game of his college career. Facing an unproven Colorado running game, the Sept. 21 game presents a great opportunity for Jones to make an impact.

Final Thoughts

CU enters this Big 12 opener as 1.5-point favorites, and Folsom Field is sure to be rocking for Colorado's return to the conference. This matchup between familiar faces is expected to be closely contested, but the Buffs will benefit from home-field advantage, a host of electric playmakers on offense and a stingy defensive game plan.