Colorado (1-1) at Colorado State (1-1), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Colorado by 7.
Series record: Colorado leads 68-22-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
It's a second straight rivalry game for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes. It might even be must-win, too. They try to put the sting of a 28-10 loss at Nebraska behind them as they face a Colorado State team coming off a 38-17 win over Northern Colorado. For the first time since 1996, the Rocky Mountain Showdown will be played in Fort Collins. Last season, Colorado trailed by eight with two minutes remaining when Shedeur Sanders led a 98-yard scoring drive and connected on a two-point conversion to tie the game. The Buffaloes won 43-35 in double overtime. This will be the last time the teams face each other on the football field until Sept. 15, 2029.
KEY MATCHUP
Colorado receiver Travis Hunter vs. CSU safety Henry Blackburn. In the game a year ago, Hunter was running a deep route in the first quarter when he was hit by Blackburn shortly after the ball sailed by him. Blackburn drew a penalty on the play as Hunter stayed down on the turf. Hunter eventually left to go to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a lacerated liver. The two players put the incident behind them by meeting up for a conversation and to go bowling.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado: Defensive back Carter Stoutmire figures to play a big role with Shilo Sanders sidelined at least two weeks with a broken forearm suffered at Nebraska. Stoutmire’s father, Omar, played in the NFL from 1997-2007.
Colorado State: Center Jacob Gardner and the rest of the offensive line. They’ve allowed just one sack this season. Colorado State surrendered only 14 sacks last season.
FACTS & FIGURES
Colorado has won six straight over the Rams in the series. ... The last time Rams beat the Buffaloes on their home field was 1955. They were Colorado A&M then and changed to Colorado State in 1957. The contest was played at the home of the Denver Broncos for many years. ... Since the series resumed in 1983, Colorado leads 25-8. ... The Buffaloes are averaging 37.5 yards rushing per game, which is at the bottom of the nation. They figure to be without banged-up running back Dallan Hayden. The Rams’ defense is allowing 148.5 yards rushing per game. ... Hunter has been targeted just six times over 128 defensive snaps so far this season.
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Deion Sanders and the scuffling Colorado Buffaloes travel to Fort Collins to face Colorado State
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, left, talks with former Nebraska and NFL player Mike Rozier, right, before an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz)
Deion Sanders and the scuffling Colorado Buffaloes travel to Fort Collins to face Colorado State
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Stone had a goal and two assists and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Seattle Kraken 6-2 on Saturday night.
After falling behind 1-0 less than three minutes into the game, the Golden Knights scored three unanswered goals in the first period and never relinquished the lead.
After Keegan Kolesar tied the game at 1-all, Brett Howden took Jack Eichel’s pass from behind the net and beat Philipp Grubauer at the doorstep to give Vegas a one-goal edge. Nic Hague's goal later in the period put Vegas up, 3-1.
William Karlsson and Noah Hanifin also added goals in the third and Ilya Samsonov stopped 21 shots to improve to 8-3-1. Eichel finished with two assists.
Vince Dunn and Jaden Schwartz scored for Seattle while Grubauer made 29 saves and fell to 3-10-0.
Kraken: Center Chandler Stephenson made his first return to Vegas since signing with Seattle as a free agent during the offseason. Stephenson is the only NHL player to hoist the Stanley Cup twice in Vegas, winning inside T-Mobile Arena with Washington in 2018, and again with the Knights in 2023.
Golden Knights: Vegas has won three straight and seven of eight in December. With the win, the Knights (47) are now four points in front of Los Angeles (43) in the Pacific Division and two points shy of Western Conference-leading Winnipeg (49).
Trailing 1-0, Kolesar took a cross-ice pass from Victor Olofsson that led him perfectly on a breakaway. Kolesar’s snipe over Grubauer’s glove gave him his career-high eighth goal of the season.
Seattle is now 1-17-1 when trailing after two periods while Vegas improved to 12-1-0 when leading after the first 40 minutes.
The Knights host the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. The Kraken visit the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Vegas Golden Knights centers Brett Howden (21) and Jack Eichel (9) celebrate after Howden's goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde (37) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) and right wing Cole Schwindt (22) celebrate after Kolesar's goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
Seattle Kraken center Yanni Gourde shoots against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
Seattle Kraken center Chandler Stephenson (9) shoots against Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Ilya Samsonov (35) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Keegan Kolesar (55) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Seattle Kraken during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)
