Utah (4-5, 1-5 Big 12) at Colorado (7-2, 5-1) When/where: 10 a.m. Saturday/Folsom Field TV/Radio: FOX/850 KOA BetMGM Line: CU -10, 47.5 over/under Weather: 52 degrees, partly sunny Series History: CU trails 32-35-3 and has lost seven straight Three storylines Third downs: The CU offense is converting on third downs 42.5% of the time, a middle-of-the-pack rate that has the Buffs ranked 53rd nationally. Big sacks on Shedeur Sanders on early downs, sometimes putting the Buffs into third-and-longs, have not helped. Meanwhile, the Utes defense is first in the country with a 23.8% third-down conversion rate allowed. So something’s got to give on pivotal downs when CU has the ball. If the Utah defense can maintain its stoutness Saturday, the visitors might be able to hang around. Stat padding: The Buffs have occasionally gotten greedy airing it out late in games this season when milking the clock should be a priority. It happened against NDSU in the season opener, and that trend appeared again in wins over CSU and last week at Texas Tech. Against the Bison and Red Raiders, it allowed CU’s opponent to have a chance late. The Buffs need to find a way to grind out tough yards on the ground, especially late. The tougher their opponents get during this run to the College Football Playoff, the more it will matter. Aerial battle: Utah has a decent pass D, allowing 175 yards per game, which is second in the Big 12 and 18th nationally. The Buffs, behind soon-to-be first-round pick Shedeur Sanders, are first in the Big 12 and eighth nationally with 320.2 yards per game — and have only gotten better as the season has progressed. Will Sheppard and LaJohntay Wester are threats, alongside Heisman Trophy front-runner Travis Hunter, and Jimmy Horn Jr. remains potent. The only way Utah has a shot at upsetting the Buffs is if it can find a way to keep Sanders from getting into a rhythm. A subpar sack rate of 1.78 per game suggests that might be a problem for the Utes. Predictions Kyle Newman, sportswriter: CU 34, Utah 17 Regardless of the Utes nearly pulling an upset over BYU last week, this Buffs team is on a roll, and a team that’s won one game in conference so far isn’t going to stop them. Will Sheppard reels in two receiving TDs as Utah pays too much attention to Travis Hunter, and on defense, the CU front continues to eat. Cherry Creek alum Arden Walker’s strip-sack in the second quarter is the turning point. Sean Keeler, sports columnist: CU 28, Utah 10 The Utes poured any petrol they could find into that BYU game … and still fell short. You come out of a November gut punch like that in one of two ways: with slumped shoulders and an eye toward the transfer portal, or swinging with whatever you’ve got left. Either way, whatever Utah’s got left — no Brant Kuithe, no Cam Rising, no Brandon Rose — won’t be nearly enough against a CU roster that can already smell a Big 12 title game weekend in Dallas cooking. Related Articles College Sports | Keeler: What has Deion Sanders meant to CU Buffs? Ask this fan who’s returning to Folsom Field for first time in 20 years College Sports | Women’s basketball: CU Buffs aim to fix shooting woes ahead of matchup vs. Nevada College Sports | CU football notes: Shilo Sanders’ heads-up play at Texas Tech big for Buffs, himself College Sports | Women’s soccer: CU Buffs earn NCAA Tournament berth College Sports | AP college football poll, Week 12: CU Buffs climb to No. 18, Oregon remains No. 1 Matt Schubert, sports editor: CU 28, Utah 13 The Utes are battered, bruised and beaten. A season that was supposed to end with a trip to the Big 12 championship game is two losses away from ending on Thanksgiving weekend. As well as CU has played since losing to Kansas State, it’s hard to imagine a freshman quarterback (Isaac Wilson) coming into a frothing Folsom Field Big Noon kickoff and leaving a winner. Unless senior running back Micah Bernard throws on a cape for the Utes, this one is over entering the fourth quarter. Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.