BOULDER — Colorado finally flipped the script on Utah last year. 

After the first six meetings between the Buffaloes and Utes in the Pac-12 from 2011-16 were all decided by seven points or less, the more recent history hadn’t been as kind to the team in Boulder. In the seven-game winning streak from 2017-23, Utah beat CU by an average of 22 points. 

But things have been different since Deion Sanders was hired.

While the Buffs coach has all the admiration and respect in the world for Utes coach Kyle Whittingham, he hasn’t backed down from the challenge. Without Shedeur Sanders in 2023, Coach Prime and the Buffs were competitive in a 23-17 loss at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Last year, in the first meeting between the two programs as Big 12 foes, it was CU that got to lay the smackdown in a 49-24 rout — the Buffs’ biggest margin of victory over the Utes since 1955.

It doesn’t matter that the stars from that win are gone, the effects have carried over as CU heads west to Salt Lake City again Saturday (8:15 p.m. ESPN).

“You believe. The thing about it (is) we played this team a year ago and we were successful. Let’s start right there. We believe,” Sanders said this week. “It’s not like we’re going into that game not believing that we can win because we’ve done it. We’re gonna try our best to do it again with a greater margin. That’s the game plan. That’s how we go about it. They’re a good team, well-coached team (and) I love everything about them, but we’re going in there with one thing in mind and that’s to come out dominant.”

There’s a reason Coach Prime is that confident in his team.

For one, the last time out two weeks ago against then-No. 22 Iowa State, they finally found a breakthrough in a 24-21 win that featured the team’s best second-half performance of the season. After losing three games in which they led by double digits, the Buffs finally closed out a win.

Since, CU has had a chance to heal up during the first of two bye weeks this fall. It is healthier, rejuvenated and even more motivated heading into the final five games of the season.

“I’m happy with the young men that choose to do right when wrong is so present,” Sanders said. “I’m happy with the way they’re practicing, the way they are in meetings, how attentive they are and I’m seeing some changes of personalities just in the practice habits of how physical they are and what they’re going through in practice.”

There would be no better way to build off the momentum from a signature win than to pick up an even more momentous one — which is exactly what a victory over the Utes (who are nearly a two-touchdown favorite) would be. It’s a good thing Coach Prime has never wavered in his belief that his current Buffs team has exactly what it needs to be successful.

“You know what we could be, but I know what we should be. Am I ecstatic right now with where we are? No, but I’m not upset either because I know what we have in that locker room and on this coaching staff,” Sanders said.

They’ll get another chance to prove they’re better than their record suggests in a late-night clash on the other side of the Rocky Mountains.

King’s Prediction

Utah 31, Colorado 21

History says this game will go one way or the other. Seven of the past 14 meetings between the Buffs and Utes have been decided by a touchdown or less. Of the other seven, five have been by margins of 21 points or more. This game features to be much closer to the former, despite the large spread in favor of Utah. With a chance to get a big stop on third down and get the ball back down by three late in the game, the Buffs defense will allow a big touchdown by Utah that all but seals the win for the home side.

King’s Players to Watch

Colorado: WR Dre’lon Miller, DT Amari McNeill

The Buffs’ lengthy injury list is much shorter after a bye week and they’re set to get back a key offensive weapon in Dre’lon Miller, whose versatility and ability to play both out wide and out of the backfield will be a big benefit to Pat Shurmur. Defensively, McNeill has responded after losing his starting role this offseason with a few strong games in a row. He made the big fourth-down stop against Iowa State two weeks ago and he’ll be needed to play a big role if the CU defense is able to slow down the explosive Utah rushing attack.

Utah: RB Daniel Bray, DE John Henry Daley

Speaking of that Utes run game, even if dual-threat quarterback Devon Dampier isn’t able to play Saturday, stopping the run will still be the emphasis for the Buffs and that’s because Utah has multiple players capable of having a big game. Bray is one of them. The freshman had 10 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown last week at BYU. On defense, the Utes have one of the top sack getters in the country in Daley, who has nine in seven games. He’ll likely be matched up against star Buffs left tackle Jordan Seaton much of the game and that battle could go a long way toward deciding the winner.