Big 12 title hopes at stake: Both teams are sitting in prime position to make a push for a spot in the Big 12 championship game Dec. 7 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. BYU is the lone undefeated team in league play at 5-0, while Iowa State and Colorado are both 4-1 and Texas Tech sits tied with Kansas State at 4-2. If the Cougars win out, that leaves the other four teams scrambling for the other spot in the game. A win by the Buffs is necessary to keep pace with Iowa State in the tiebreaker of comparing the teams based on win percentage against common conference opponents. The Cyclones' final four games are all common opponents with CU.
Travis Hunter Heisman watch: According to BetMGM's odds, CU's dynamic two-way star is the co-favorite to win college football's most prestigious award heading into the critical final month. Hunter's odds are +200, tied with Miami QB Cam Ward. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel (+300) and Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty (+450) are the other frontrunners. At minimum, Hunter is tracking to be a finalist for the award and earn an invite to New York City for the announcement on Dec. 14. Hunter needs to continue to rack up receptions (he has 60 for 757 yards with eight TDs), get a couple more picks (he has two) and produce another game-changing, show-stopping moment.
The trenches factor: Even with the improvement the CU O-line has shown this season following a disastrous 2023, the unit's still given up 26 sacks (second-worst in Big 12) for 204 yards (last). But considering Texas Tech only only 11 sacks on the season, this should be a confidence-building game for the Buffs' front. Only Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has more than two sacks, and nobody on their defensive line has more than one sack. On the other side of the ball, CU is second in the Big 12 with 22 sacks, though the Texas Tech offensive line isn't horrible, as it's given up 14 sacks on the season and might be able to limit the Buffs' defensive strength.
Kyle Newman, sportswriter: CU 38, Texas Tech 23
The Red Raiders can certainly score (second in the Big 12 with 446.9 yards per game), but their defense is porous (second-worst at 462.1 yards per game). That doesn't bode well against one of the country's top QBs, as Shedeur Sanders is capable of exposing weak defenses, especially when he has time to sit in the pocket and pick secondaries apart. If Isaiah Augustave and CU's running back corps can provide some balance, and the defense continues to play well, CU should have no problem cruising to another W.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: CU 35, Texas Tech 24
The Red Raiders are all kinds of fun, right? "Fun" won't beat the Buffs right now. While Texas Tech can convert third downs (45%, third in Big 12; CU's No. 2 at 46%) and extend drives, it also doesn't really run the ball in chunks (164 yards per game) and doesn't pile up sacks defensively (1.22 per game). If Tech forces takeaways, and we're talking a lot of takeaways, it might have a shot. BCFToys.com's analytics rate the Raiders as No. 83 nationally in defensive efficiency, or points allowed per drive -- that's among the nation's bottom 51 defenses. CU's already run into two sub-51 defenses in league play, both on the road, in UCF and Arizona. The Buffs averaged 41 points in those tilts.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: CU 41, Texas Tech 27
This and the trip to Kansas represent the two biggest hurdles remaining for a Buffs team eyeing a spot in the Big 12 championship game. The good news for the Buffs: The Red Raiders don't have the talent up front or in the secondary to stop, or even slow down, Shedeur Sanders & Co. So the question is whether CU's much-improved defense can get enough stops to outscore TTU. The answer here is yes ... with room to spare.