Kansas rush offense vs. Colorado rush defense
Kansas gained some serious confidence in this department during the first half of last week’s game against Iowa State. The Jayhawks gashed the Cyclones up the middle for 100 yards in the first half, but finished with just 119, as the Cyclones made the adjustment to shut down KU’s power running game. Still, KU’s coaching staff was encouraged enough by what it saw to make this matchup an interesting one to watch this weekend. The Buffs give up an average of 140 yards and 4.4 yards-per-carry on the ground. The Jayhawks average 142 yards per game and 3.5 yards-per-rush.
Edge: Colorado
Kansas pass offense vs. Colorado pass defense
This is an example of stats not telling the complete story. Though the Buffs have given up an average of 272 yards per game through the air, their secondary also features this team’s top defensive players. Cornerbacks Jimmy Smith (6-2, 205, senior) and Jalil Brown (6-1, 205, senior) are among the best in the Big 12, and the Colorado defense is set up in a way in which these guys are free to make plays. With KU’s shaky situation at quarterback and Colorado’s talent and experience in the secondary, it’s hard to see this one going KU’s way. In addition to their secondary, CU’s front seven features five juniors or seniors and has recorded 16 sacks this season.
Edge: Colorado
Colorado rush offense vs. Kansas rush defense
KU defensive coordinator Carl Torbush pointed out earlier this week that CU tailback Rodney Stewart is the kind of player the Jayhawks have had the most trouble with this season. Stewart, 5-foot-6, 175 pounds, is shifty, fast, elusive and unpredictable. On top of that, he’s incredibly strong and runs with a low center of gravity that makes him tough to bring down. Through eight games, Stewart has gained 765 yards and tallied five TDs, while adding 19 receptions and two more TDs in the passing game. Though they’ve had moments where they’ve looked good against the rush, the Jayhawks have surrendered an average of 210 rushing yards per game, which includes 18 touchdowns and a 5.1 yards-per-carry clip.
Edge: Colorado
Colorado pass offense vs. Kansas pass defense
Starting quarterback Tyler Hansen is out for the season. That’s good news as far as the Jayhawks are concerned because, in last year’s upset of Kansas, Hansen completed 14 of 25 passes and tossed one touchdown, while rushing for another, to lead the Buffs past the Jayhawks, 34-30. The loss was the first of the current 11-game conference losing streak the Jayhawks are on. With Hansen out, senior Cody Hawkins takes over and brings a wealth of poise and experience to the huddle, but consistency has been a struggle.
Edge: Push
Same song, different verse for the Jayhawks in this area. Kansas has been bad in special teams all season long, giving up big plays, making bonehead mistakes and struggling to find consistency. Both teams average around 22 yards per kickoff return and both give up nearly the same number. Punt returns provide some separation as CU gives and gets about seven yards per return while the Jayhawks average just 3.8 yards for and 14.7 yards against.
Edge: Colorado
When Kansas has the ball
Kansas rush offense vs. Colorado rush defense
Even if Kansas University running back Jake Sharp can’t go today, the Jayhawks have a solid backup in true freshman Toben Opurum. In his two starts this season, he has rushed for a combined 207 yards and two touchdowns against Southern Mississippi and Iowa State and is averaging 83.6 yards per game despite coming off the bench in the team’s first three games. The Buffaloes, meanwhile, are giving up 170.4 yards per game on the ground, 11th in the Big 12, and a conference-worst 4.5 yards per carry.
Edge: Kansas
Kansas pass offense vs. Colorado pass defense
Quarterback Todd Reesing jumped to second in the Big 12 in passing yards per game (315.8) following last week’s career-high 442-yard performance. Receivers Kerry Meier (43 catches, 477 yards, five touchdowns) and Dezmon Briscoe (30 catches, 517 yards, three scores) have emerged as two of the nation’s top receivers this season. Colorado has been decent against the pass this season, ranking sixth in the conference in pass yards allowed per game, but Texas’ Colt McCoy completed 32 of 39 passes last week for 265 yards, and the team has struggled mightily with inexperience thus far.
Edge: Kansas
When Colorado has the ball
Colorado rush offense vs. Kansas rush defense
Behind starting running back Rodney Stewart, the Buffaloes are averaging just 83.4 yards per game on the ground, 112th out of 120 FBS teams. The team averaged just 1.2 yards per carry against the Longhorns and has scored just six rushing touchdowns so far this season.
With the exception of last week’s game, in which they gave up 219 rushing yards, the Jayhawks have been stout against the run, holding teams to just 91.2 yards per game this season. Before the Iowa State game, they had held opponents to just 59.3 yards, third best in the country.
Edge: Kansas
Colorado pass offense vs. Kansas pass defense
The Buffaloes enter today’s game with a unenviable situation at quarterback. Tyler Hansen, who will replace Cody Hawkins as the team’s starter, it was announced last week, completed just three of five passes for 17 yards against Texas and will be seeing his first extensive action since last season. But the Jayhawks are coming off their worst defensive outing of the season, giving up 293 passing yards to Iowa State’s Austen Arnaud and ranking just 118th nationally in pass defense.
Edge: Colorado
The Buffaloes feature two dangerous return men in Darrell Scott (27.2 yards per kick return) and Brian Lockridge (26.6), though kicker Aric Goodman has connected on just four of eight field goals this year. The Jayhawks, meanwhile, rank among the middle of the pack in the Big 12 in kickoff returns and coverage, punt return average and field goals percentage, while lacking a big-time playmaker on special teams. Kicker Jacob Branstetter has hit three of five field-goal attempts this season, but missed an extra point in the first quarter of last week’s game against the Cyclones.
Edge: Colorado
