No. 25 Colorado hopes to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive as it hosts Oklahoma State on Black Friday. The Buffaloes fell to 8-3 after losing 37-21 to Kansas, in which their defense allowed 331 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
After being picked among the league leaders, Oklahoma State has suffered the worst season of the Mike Gundy era. The Cowboys missed a bowl for the first time since 2005 and are at risk of going winless in conference play for the first time since 1994, when the Cowboys were members of the Big Eight Conference.
Colorado and Oklahoma State have vied only once since the Buffaloes left the Big 12. The Cowboys decimated Colorado 38-8 in the 2016 Alamo Bowl, the only non-pandemic bowl appearance for the program since 2007. Phillip Lindsey had 166 all-purpose yards in the loss, while Biletnikoff-winner James Washington exploded for 171 yards and a touchdown.
Colorado vs. Oklahoma State: Need to know
Heisman hopeful: Colorado athlete Travis Hunter is one of the most electrifying players in college football history and could be making his closing Heisman statement against OSU. Hunter has cleared 80 catches, 1,000 yards and 12 all-purpose touchdowns for the Buffs, and added nine passes defended, three interceptions and a game-winning forced fumble. If he captures the Heisman, he will become the first defender since Charles Woodson in 1997 to win the award.
Messy running game: Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II entered the season as perhaps the top offensive player in the Big 12 and returned the vast majority of his blocking production. Instead of capitalizing, the Cowboys have fallen apart. In one year, Gordon has fallen from No. 2 to 39 in rushing yards as the Cowboys have dropped to 11th in the Big 12. With the offensive struggles, Oklahoma State’s nation-worst defense has nowhere to hide. Freshman quarterback Maealiuaki Smith played well in his first start with 316 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to beat Texas Tech.
Big 12 title odds: After losing to Kansas last week, the Buffs have a tough path to reaching the Big 12 title game. However, some scenarios remain alive. If all the two-loss Big 12 teams win this week (Arizona State, BYU, Iowa State), the Buffaloes are out. Two of their opponents losing and Colorado winning puts them into the game. In addition, if Colorado gets into a three-way tie, they need BYU to lose to Houston and Texas Tech to beat West Virginia. Needless to say, Colorado needs to beat Oklahoma State to even begin the conversation.
How to watch Colorado vs. Oklahoma State live
Date: Friday, Nov. 29 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Folsom Field — Boulder, Colorado
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Colorado vs. Oklahoma State prediction, picks
Colorado boasts one of the best offenses in the Big 12 and Oklahoma State defends worse than anyone. This will be a pride game for the Cowboys as they try to avoid a winless conference slate against a highly touted opponent, and freshman quarterback Maealiuaki Smith showed real promise to open up the running game for Ollie Gordon. The Buffs have to much firepower for OSU to pull off the upset, but expect plenty of scoring. Pick: Over 65.5
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