By Lincoln Roch
Colorado’s live mascot Ralphie runs at Folsom Field. The Buffaloes upset No. 22 Iowa State Saturday. (Remi Krupinski/Sko Buff Sports)
Kaidon Salter faced chants of “We Want JuJu” from the student section Saturday as the Colorado Buffaloes (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) punted away their first few drives. When the clock struck zero, those same students were storming the field.
Salter led CU to topple the No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones (5-2, 2-2) 24-17, earning its first conference win of the year. Along the way, the quarterback silenced any questions of whether he should remain at the reins for the Buffs.
Salter put on a show, aided by a career high 128 receiving yards from sophomore Joseph Williams and a defense that dominated the red zone. He went 16-for-25, throwing for 223 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing another 57 yards. The game was Colorado’s first ranked win since defeating TCU in coach Deion Sander’s debut.
After a dull start from both teams that saw five possessions end in punts, the Buffs’ offense finally woke up at its 10-yard line. A 13-yarder on third down from Salter to Williams got things going, followed by a 24-yard rush by the quarterback.
The Buffs continued a steady push of first downs, settling at the Cyclones’ 8-yard line. From there, sophomore running back Micah Welch wrapped the first quarter up with an 8-yard run into the end zone.
The Cyclones countered in the second quarter. A 21-yard pass from quarterback Rocco Becht, followed by a 27-yard run by Abu Sama, marched the Cyclones down to the Buffs’ 13-yard line.
But the defense made the first of several important stands, pushing ISU back to the 19, where third-string kicker Chase Smith gave ISU its first points on the board. Before the half was over, Sama would run for a touchdown to bring the score to 10-7.
A lively second half started with a 70-yard dart from Salter to Omarion Miller, who ran it in 35 yards for a score. Sama countered for Iowa State, rushing for 8, then 38, then into CU’s end zone. Salter reclaimed the lead with a 14-yard pass, 13-yard scramble and a 3-yarder to Williams for a touchdown.
“It was great knowing that last week I didn’t play my best, and coming out this week and doing what I had to do for us to win this game. We knew this was a big game for us,” Salter said after the game.
With Iowa State just 2-yards from the end zone, Colorado’s red zone defense struck again. A set of tackles pushed the Cyclones back 5-yards and forced a third-and-long, where safety Tawfiq Byard snatched his first interception as a Buff. It was the defense’s first turnover since week 2.
“All week in the backend, we were making plays and getting interceptions. So for it to come out on Saturday for you guys to see was amazing,” Byard said.
After a Colorado punt, the Cyclones found themselves at their 18-yard line. A fourth-and-1 attempt was stopped in its tracks by the defensive line, allowing kicker Alejandro Mata Jr. to put the game’s final score through the uprights.
The team’s clock management troubles this season faded away with a nearly four-minute drive that ended with fans pouring over the barricades — a spectacle Sanders welcomed with open arms.
“I love it. I wanna see the kids rush the field. I absolutely love it,” Sanders said.
The Buffaloes now head into a bye before facing Utah on the road on Oct. 25.