In preparing to face Utah this week, Colorado isn't sure which quarterback will start for the Utes.
Of greater concern to the Buffaloes, however, is stopping the vaunted Utah run game.
CU (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) will visit Utah (5-2, 2-2) on Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City (8:15 p.m., ESPN) hoping to slow down the nation's sixth-best rushing attack. Utah is averaging 245.0 rushing yards per game.
"Yeah, a lot of run scheme," CU defensive end London Merritt said. "Quarterback run, power, a lot of gap scheme, pullers. We're just gonna do our thing, stop the run, just play heavy hands, hit the pullers, stay home, don't let the quarterback outside, and then level rush, and we're gonna be straight."
That's the plan, but it won't be easy to execute against the Utes, who have been known for their physical run game throughout head coach Kyle Whittingham's 21 seasons at the helm.
Starting quarterback Devon Dampier is "questionable" to play against the Buffs after getting banged up against Utah last week. That could put redshirt freshman Byrd Ficklin into the starting lineup.
Regardless of who is behind center, the Utes aren't likely to change what they do.
"Right now our forte is running the football," Whittingham said. "We're in the top (six) in the nation. ... That's our bread and butter is running the ball, but you've still got to be able to throw. We did get some production throwing the ball (against BYU). Just weren't quite as sharp in the throw game as we have been in certain other games."
Although Utah lost to its rival last week, it still ran for 226 yards. That was Utah's second-lowest rushing total of the season, as it has hit 242 or more five times. Only 10 teams in the country have more rushing touchdowns than the Utes (20).
The only team to slow the Utah run game was Texas Tech, which held the Utes to 101 yards in a 34-10 rout.
"Right now we're just preparing for what they do well, and what they do well, they really do it well," CU head coach Deion Sanders said.
The Utes have been doing it well for years.
Before an injury-riddled 2024 campaign (when they were 98th nationally), the Utes had a top-40 run game five years in a row from 2019-23. They are on track to average at least 200 yards on the ground for the fourth time in seven years.
This year, Dampier has led the way on the ground, with 442 yards and five touchdowns, but running backs Wayshawn Parker (358 yards, three TD) and NaQuari Rogers (300 yards, six TD) have had good seasons, as well. Freshman Daniel Bray has contributed, as well, with 194 yards and a touchdown on just 18 carries (10.8 yards per carry) in three games.
Even if Dampier can't play, Ficklin will present challenges to the Buffs. In limited action, he's rushed 17 times for 111 yards (6.5 average) and three touchdowns - while also completing all nine of his passes for 138 yards.
"He's got a lot of self-confidence," Whittingham said of Ficklin. "He's got a lot of ability, just physical ability. He's an excellent athlete, a really good runner, throws a really good ball. ... He's a guy that has showed nothing but a lot of promise ever since he set foot on campus."
Paving the way for the Utah run game, as always, is a physical and talented offensive line. Since 2015, Utah has had eight offensive linemen drafted into the NFL, including current Denver Broncos tackle Garett Bolles.
Bolles is the only first-round pick in that group, but the current Utah squad features tackles Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu, who are both projected as first-rounders in the 2026 draft.
Guards Michael Mokofisi and Tanoa Togiai and center Jaren Kump are potential pros, as well.
CU will do its best to try to match the physicality of the Utes, but there's no question this will be a significant challenge. The Buffs rank 118th nationally in rush defense, giving up 188.0 yards per game.
Dual threat quarterbacks have burned the Buffs, but so have running backs Abu Sama III from Iowa State (177 yards) and Samuel Harris of Wyoming (126 yards).
"We've been physical all week," Sanders said when asked about dealing with the Utah run game. "We've been doing some things all week that prayerfully we prevent that and force them to be uncomfortable. They got a quarterback that can get it done through the air as well as on the ground, but prayerfully on the ground makes some good decisions back there. He don't really make a lot of mistakes. We got to force them into doing things that they're uncomfortable with doing."