(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/Getty Images)

It’s been 728 days…

…since the Buffs last won a game on the road. It was Oct. 27, 2007, Lubbock, Texas. Another early morning game. Colorado jumped out to a 14-0 lead against the Red Raiders, using four turnovers to preserve a 31-26 win.

Remember?

Since then—nothing. The next road game after the Texas Tech game was the epic meltdown in Ames. The Buffs turned a 21-0 halftime lead against Iowa State into a 31-28 loss (perhaps the game which will prove to be the defining moment of the Dan Hawkins’ era, as a win against the Cyclones would have given the 2007 Buffs an overall winning record). The Buffs had opportunities to break through on the road last season against Kansas, Texas A&M, and Nebraska, and certainly had their chances against West Virginia and Texas this season.

Still…

Back in August, the game against Kansas State appeared to be one of the best chances for a road win. Two weeks ago, as the Wildcats were being blown out, 66-14, by Texas Tech, the Buffs’ chances for victory appeared good. Then, last weekend, the Wildcats jumped out to a 38-0 halftime lead at home against Texas A&M, not allowing the Aggies to score until the rout was up to 59-0. The final score: Kansas State 62, Texas A&M 14. A 100-point turnaround—in one week.

Which Wildcat team will show up in Manhattan Saturday? Let’s take a look…

T: Talent

A name unfamiliar to most Big 12 fans is third in the conference in rushing. Daniel Thomas, a converted quarterback from Northwest Mississippi Junior College leads the Wildcats with 669 yards and eight touchdowns. Four of those touchdowns came in the first half alone last weekend against Texas A&M. Thomas leads the league with 145 carries, and he has posted 90 or more yards in five of Kansas State’s games this season. Overall, the Wildcats are second in the Big 12 in rushing, at 184.0 yards/game (the Buffs are 11th in the conference, at 94.0 yards/game).

The other main offensive weapon to keep an eye on is wide receiver Brandon Banks. The senior is a major part of the passing game, with 34 catches on the season, but that is not the main reason to be concerned.

Banks has three kickoff returns for touchdowns this season—already a Big 12 season record. True, two of the returns came against Tennessee Tech, but the other came against Texas A&M last weekend. The Buffs are doing well on kickoffs—on 27 kickoffs, the opponent has started inside their own 25 yard line 22 times—so this is a matchup to watch.

One player to watch on defense for the Wildcats is defensive end Jeffrey Fitzgerald. A transfer from Virginia, Fitzgerald has 4.5 sacks—two against Texas A&M—and has a 17-yard interception return for a touchdown to his credit. (Fitzgerald also forced a fumble and recovered another in the Texas A&M meltdown).

Overall, Kansas State registered six sacks against Texas A&M last Saturday, equaling their total for the entire season prior to the game. (The effort moved the Wildcats from 105th to 70th in the nation in that particular category.)

Overall, the Kansas State defense is fair to middling in most categories. In scoring defense, pass defense, rushing defense, and total defense, the Wildcats are ranked between 50th and 66th nationally. Granted, the Wildcats have played two of their games against FCS competition, but these are numbers the Buffs—at least at this point—can only dream about.

I: Intangibles

Colorado’s win last Saturday over preseason Big 12 North favorite Kansas, coupled by losses by co-favorite Nebraska and two time defending champ Missouri on the same weekend, had to give the Buff coaches and players a lift.

The mantra has been—especially since the 0-2 start—that the Big 12 North was still there for the taking. At 1-1 in Big 12 play—with every other North team having already suffered at least one loss—Colorado is definitely in the mix.

A 1-2 Colorado team would not be.

It’s hard to understate the importance of this game, both for the 2009 Buff players, and, I believe, for the present coaching staff. Colorado has not won back-to-back games since last September.

Both Colorado and Kansas State are on highs after big wins. Both teams held their opponents to negative rushing yards (-13 for Texas A&M; -8 for Kansas). Both teams have spent the week hearing about how their team, written off in the Big 12 North race, are now legitimate contenders.

Only one of the teams, though, is playing at home.

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