BYU vs. Colorado: Game Day Preview Plus Score Prediction
Sep 27, 2025, 12:01 AM
BOULDER, Colo. – The week five college football schedule closes out with BYU vs Colorado in a late-night Big 12 Conference clash.
BYU football is off to a strong start this season. They enter Big 12 play with a perfect 3-0 record and are ranked No. 25 in the latest AP Top 25 rankings.
Colorado is 2-2 overall, 0-1 in Big 12 play. The Buffs had a strong bounce-back performance against Wyoming last week; however, they have yet to defeat a power conference opponent this season.
BYU is making its first appearance at Folsom Field since 1981. It’s the second meeting between these two programs in the past nine months.
BYU beat Colorado 36-14 in the Alamo Bowl last December.
Colorado leads the all-time series 8-4-1. These two bordering state programs are playing against each other as conference foes for the first time in the regular season since 1947, when they were members of the Mountain States Conference.
No. 25 BYU vs. Colorado
Location: Folsom Field
Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. (MDT)
TV: ESPN
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM) — Extended pregame begins at 6 p.m. from Boulder
Three Game Day Thoughts
1. Running back depth is thin for BYU
The Big 12 player availability reports revealed that BYU will be without second-string running back Sione Moa. BYU boasts one of the top rushing offenses in the country, averaging 265.7 yards per game on the ground.
Most of that is led by star running back LJ Martin, but Moa played a role.
What direction does BYU go without Moa as the second-team back?
No. 25 BYU at Colorado 🏈
Radio coverage schedule for Saturday on @kslnewsradio. pic.twitter.com/MvbtNAzJNa
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 26, 2025
Veteran running back Enoch Nawahine made his season debut last week in the win at East Carolina. Nawahine played a significant role last year in BYU’s first month of the season, earning the start in a win at Baylor.
They also have speedster Jovesa Damuni and former safety converted to running back Preston Rex.
Does BYU give LJ Martin the bellcow treatment and run him more than 20 times, and then sprinkle in some designed quarterback runs with Bear Bachmeier?
Colorado has one of the worst run defenses in the Big 12 this year, allowing 214.8 yards per game, and the Buffs are going to be without one of their top defensive tackles, Anquin Barnes, for the first half due to a targeting foul he was called for last week in the win over Wyoming.
2. Watch for Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter’s ability to run
It appears that Colorado is moving forward with former Liberty signal-caller Kaidon Salter at quarterback.
Salter passed for 304 yards in the win, but he also rushed for 86 yards on 11 carries.
He popped off a 35-yard run in their victory.
Salter is the best running quarterback that BYU’s defense will have faced to date this season. If Salter can extend plays and move the chains with his feet, that could give the Buffs a chance to pull off the upset, possibly.
3. BYU needs to finish red zone appearances with touchdowns
BYU has scored on 16 of its 17 red zone appearances this season. The Cougars are scoring when they get in the red zone; that’s a good thing. If you want to get nitpicky, and that’s what we’re here to do, BYU needs to finish more of its red zone appearances with touchdowns.
Out of the 16 scores inside the red zone, six are settling for field goals. BYU senior kicker Will Ferrin is elite, which is a great luxury to have, but let’s see the Cougar offense cap off red zone appearances with touchdowns against the Buffs.
Colorado is 47th nationally in scoring allowed to opponents inside the red zone at 80%.
Two BYU vs Colorado Questions
1. Will BYU dominate Colorado in Alamo Bowl-like fashion?
BYU crushed Colorado last year in San Antonio. The Cougars jumped out to a 27-0 lead with 20 minutes remaining in the game. What’s striking when you look at the final box score from last year is that BYU’s passing numbers were pedestrian, even with former starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff.
Retzlaff passed for 151 yards, zero touchdowns, and had two interceptions.
Yet, everything else around the passing attack, along with BYU’s physicality, suffocated the Buffs.
Colorado is still searching for its identity this season. They are bigger along the offensive and defensive lines this season, with guys like Illinois transfer Zy Chrisler along the offensive front, and Alabama transfer Jahiem Oatis on the defensive side.
But will the Buffs match the physicality of BYU? If they don’t, BYU could pounce on CU as they did nine months ago, and this time, I wouldn’t expect BYU to have zero passing touchdowns to two interceptions.
2. How many BYU fans will show up to Folsom Field?
According to Colorado’s official ticket office website, tickets are still available for tonight’s game. BYU, as the road opponent, can be concerning for a home team, as Cougar fans will show up and try to do their part to make it a pro-BYU crowd.
Last week, BYU had 7-8,000 fans show up to watch the Cougars take down East Carolina in Greenville, North Carolina. Don’t be surprised if a similar number of fans roll into Folsom Field, a venue BYU hasn’t played in since 1981.
One Score Prediction for BYU vs Colorado
BYU is the better team in this matchup. Don’t be surprised if Bear Bachmeier has his best day passing as a BYU Cougar. It’s hard to picture Colorado stopping LJ Martin from the streak that he has been on this season.
Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter and the new wrinkles the Buffs throw at running back will do everything they can to keep this interesting, but BYU opens Big 12 play with a strong victory in Boulder.
Score Prediction: BYU 31, Colorado 17
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
