By John Meylor and Lincoln Roch
University of Colorado Season Kickoff at Folsom Field(Lily Wright | Radio 1190 News)
Following disappointing losses from both teams, Head Coach Deion Sanders’ CU Buffaloes host the rank 22 Iowa State Cyclones for a Saturday afternoon Big 12 showdown. The Buffaloes, staring down the barrel of an 0-4 conference start look to get on the board in conference play, while Cyclones Head Coach Matt Campbell looks to rally his squad off the back of an upset win allowed from the unranked Cincinatti last weekend. For game 7 of CU’s 2025 Men’s College Football season, stay tuned for more updates.
[Q1 11:59] First drive from scrimmage for the Cyclones starts with some momentum but is riddled with miscues in its latter stretch, including a holding penalty from TE Benjamin Brahmer[#18] negating a redzone first down and a pair of incompletions courtesy of QB Rocco Becht [#3] leads Iowa State to a relatively short punt on a long field. Scoreless to start.
[Q1 10:10] Colorado’s first offensive drive ended quick. Starting from their 5-yard line, Micah Welch ran the ball for a gain of just one yard. After a failed rush by Kam Mikell, Salter threw to Joseph Williams, falling three yards shy of a first down. Game remains scoreless.
[Q1 6:34 ] Iowa State’s responding drive generates no momentum, as a non contact injury to RB Ryvern Peppers[#22] and a short run from QB Brecht leads to a paltry 3 and out. CU tries to build energy despite the long field with a 6 yard run from QB Kaidon Salter [#2] but sputters out quickly leading to another punt from P Damon Greaves [#35], putting both the Cyclones and Buffaloes back where they started in as the game remains stunlocked 0-0.
[End of Q1 ] After a quick exchange of possessions, both ending in punts, the Buffaloes’ offense finally woke up at their 10-yard line. A 3rd down 13-yarder from Salter to Williams got things going, followed up by a 24 yard rush by the Quarterback. With the Buffs, the farthest down field they’ve been all game, they continued a steady push of first downs, settling at the Cyclone’s 8-yard line. Sophomore Micah Welch wrapped the 1st Quarter up with an eight-yard run into the end zone. Colorado leads 7-0.
[Q2 10:48 ] Iowa State shows embers rather than a full flame in their response to CU’s scoring drive, after 2 completions of 19 and 10 yards respectively from QB Brecht to WR Xavier Townsend [#4] lands the Cyclones offense to an all-too-familiar midfield position before firing off 3 plays for virtually no gain and being forced into their fourth punt of the game. Colorado’s subsequent drive sees a regression to the 3-and-outs that defined opening for the game for the Buffaloes. Colorado stays in front 7-0.
[Q2 5:15] Iowa state finally put up a response to Colorado’s first score. A 21 yard pass from Becht, followed by a 27-yard run by Abu Sama, marched the Cyclones down to the Buffs 19-yard line. The Buffs red zone defense proceeded to push them back to the 19, where the third string kicker Chase Smith got ISU their first points on the board. A 30 yard pass from Salter to Williams brought the Buffs to the Iowa States 46. But the ball was quickly punted away. Colorado leads 7-3.
[End of Q2] Starting from their own 6 yard line, Iowa State sees back to back promising throws from QB Becht turn into incompletions as a result of slips from their receivers. The drive ends as a short 3-and-out as the Cyclones run dry on a wet field. The following series, Colorado’s offense can’t muster up a hint of production, with good field position turning rotten as they hand in their own 3-and-out drive. The ensuing 41 yard punt from Damon Greaves, combined with an out of bounds blocking penalty on Iowa State, keeps their offense pinned at their 4 yard line. In the two minute drill the Cyclones moved the ball at will, with QB Becht exploding in the air and on the ground with a drive of 67 passing yards and 19 rushing yards. The following 1 yard touchdown handoff to RB Abu Sama III[#24] allowed Iowa State their first lead of the game. With one minute to go in the half, CU attempts to push for a scoring drive, but Kicker Alejandro Mata’s 57 yard field goal attempt barely misses. Iowa State leads 10-7 going into the half.
[Q3 9:56] After a slow first half, the third quarter is off to a fiery start. On the second play of the half, Salter threw a 70 yard dart to Omarion Miller, who ran it in 35 yards for a touchdown. Abu Sama countered for Iowa State, rushing for 8, then 38 yards. Two first downs later, with the Cyclones at CU’s 5, the running back took care of business. Iowa State leads 14-17.
[End of Q3] Colorado continued the second half light show setting the tone for their possession with an explosive kickoff return by specialist Quentin Gibson [#15] of 30 yards putting Colorado at midfield to start the drive. From there, QB Salter and RB Dallan Hayden [#7] delivered a relentless strike of plays to put Colorado in scoring position. A 3 yard touchdown strike on a scramble from QB Salter to WR Joesph Williams [#8] capped the drive and continued Colorado’s dynamic half. ISU WR Sama responded immediately with a ferocious run of 36 yards on the ensuing possession, breaking tackles and storming into the Colorado redzone. From there, an offsides penalty from Colorado against DT Anquin Barnes Jr. [#32] on what would have been 4th and 1 for Iowa State put the ball in a goal-to-go position with the clock dying in the 3rd quarter. Colorado leads a sudden shootout 21-17.