Colorado beat Kansas State 27-24 in overtime at Folsom Field on Saturday, October 31, 2026, ending a five-game losing streak and earning the Buffaloes their first Big 12 win of the season in one of the wildest finishes of the college football weekend. Quarterback Isaac Wilson found tight end Charlie Williams for an 11-yard touchdown on third-and-nine in overtime, moments after Kansas State had taken a 24-21 lead on a field goal, and a Halloween crowd of 46,325 watched costumed fans storm the field in Boulder.
Colorado looked to have the game won in regulation. The Buffaloes led 21-14 early in the fourth quarter after Richard Young scored his second touchdown of the day, a 22-yard run that capped a 10-play, 96-yard drive. But Kansas State, playing without starting quarterback Avery Johnson for a second straight game, refused to go away. Taking over at its own 38-yard line with 55 seconds remaining and no timeouts, the Wildcats marched down the field behind fourth-string quarterback Blake Barnett. Barnett completed passes of 23 and 31 yards, then found senior tight end Garrett Oakley for an eight-yard touchdown with two seconds on the clock. Kansas State coach Collin Klein initially kept his offence on the field, apparently considering a two-point attempt for the win, but after Colorado called a timeout and several stoppages, the Wildcats settled for the extra point and overtime.
In overtime, Kansas State had the ball first and stalled at the Colorado 7-yard line, settling for a 25-yard field goal from Luis Rodriguez and a 24-21 lead. Colorado answered with four straight running plays to reach the Kansas State 11, then Wilson, on third-and-nine, threw to the middle of the field where Williams hauled in the touchdown. The stadium erupted, and fans dressed as Mike Wazowski, Mario and Luigi, Scooby-Doo and members of KISS poured onto the field to celebrate a win Colorado had been waiting more than a calendar year to taste in Big 12 play.
Colorado entered Saturday desperate for a win. Head coach Deion Sanders had watched his team lose five straight games, and the Buffaloes had not won a Big 12 game in over a year. Earlier in the week Sanders had promised Alabama transfer running back Richard Young a bigger role, and Young delivered. The Buffaloes had also been searching for stability at quarterback, and Wilson, making another start, produced his first start of the season without a turnover, throwing for 174 yards in the Denver Sports account and 185 yards in the Deadspin box-score summary. The difference between the two figures reflects the fast-moving live reporting on the night; what every account agrees on is the decisive play, the final score and the overtime sequence.
Kansas State, meanwhile, arrived in Boulder missing its top two quarterbacks. Sophomore Dillon Duff earned his first career start but directed three consecutive three-and-out possessions to open the game. Barnett, the fourth quarterback Kansas State has used in three weeks, replaced him and finished 18-of-28 for 224 yards and three touchdowns to three different receivers, adding 40 yards on the ground on 16 carries. It was a gutsy performance that very nearly stole a road win, and it underlined why the Wildcats, despite falling to 4-4, remain a dangerous opponent in the Big 12.
The running game was the story for Colorado. The Buffaloes rushed for 209 yards, their most in a game all season and the most by a Colorado team in the Deion Sanders era. Young carried 24 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns, his first two as a Buffalo, including a two-yard score in the first quarter and the 22-yard fourth-quarter run that briefly looked like the winner. JaQuail Smith added eight carries for 63 yards and a score, including a 47-yard touchdown in the third quarter that electrified the home crowd and gave Colorado a 14-7 lead. DeKalon Taylor added 30 yards on his only carry.
That ground game took pressure off Wilson, who did not need to win the game alone. Joseph Williams caught five passes for 89 yards, and Charlie Williams, the hero of overtime, finished with the touchdown that mattered most. For Kansas State, Josh Manning amassed 73 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Linkon Cure and Oakley each added a receiving touchdown. The Wildcats' problem was not effort or late-game nerve; it was a slow start, with Duff's three opening three-and-outs, and a defence that entered the game ranked third-worst against the run in the Big 12 and then gave up 209 yards on the ground.
USA TODAY's live coverage captured the mood in Boulder, noting that Deion Sanders and Colorado had secured their first Big 12 win of the season on Halloween and their first conference win in over a calendar year. Denver Sports put it simply: the Buffaloes finally have a Big 12 win during the 2026 season. The DNVR analysis was more blunt, calling it a must-win game for Sanders and noting that although the squad snapped a five-game losing streak, it did not feel like a typical victory because of the circumstances, with Kansas State missing its top two quarterbacks and still taking Colorado to overtime.
Kansas State's own report praised Barnett's gutsy effort, describing how the backup quarterback, the fourth different signal-caller to play for the Wildcats, connected on the eight-yard touchdown to Oakley to tie the score at 21-all with two seconds left after taking over at his own 38 with 55 seconds remaining. The report also noted the crowd of 46,325 at Folsom Field, a reminder that even in a difficult season, Colorado's home support has not wavered.
For Colorado, the win matters far beyond one Saturday in late October. A five-game losing streak can break a season, and a first conference win can reset it. The Buffaloes are now 3-5, still with work to do to reach bowl eligibility, but they have a formula that worked: run the ball, protect the football and let Wilson make one decisive throw when it counts. Young's emergence gives Sanders a running back he can build around, and the sight of fans storming the field on Halloween suggests the belief around the programme has not gone away.
For Kansas State, the loss is a second straight defeat and drops the Wildcats to 1-4 in the Big 12, but Barnett's performance gives Klein something to build on while Johnson recovers. The Wildcats showed remarkable resilience, twice fighting back from deficits, and the late regulation drive will be remembered as one of the best two-minute drills of the season even though it ended in an overtime defeat. In the Big 12, where the standings are tight, both teams now face a November in which every game carries weight.
Colorado will try to build on the win and chase bowl eligibility in November, with the running game and Wilson's turnover-free form as the foundation. Kansas State will assess its quarterback situation, with Johnson's return timeline and Barnett's claim for more playing time both central to the week ahead. Both teams will also watch the Big 12 race, where the result shakes up the middle of the conference and gives Colorado a first conference victory to build momentum around.
What was the final score of Colorado vs Kansas State? Colorado beat Kansas State 27-24 in overtime at Folsom Field on October 31, 2026.
Who scored the winning touchdown for Colorado? Charlie Williams caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Isaac Wilson on third-and-nine in overtime.
How did Kansas State force overtime? Blake Barnett threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Oakley with two seconds left in regulation, capping a 55-second drive from the Kansas State 38.
What are Colorado's and Kansas State's records now? Colorado is 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12; Kansas State is 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12.
Who was Colorado's rushing leader? Richard Young rushed 24 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns, his first two as a Buffalo.
Read more on US News Pulse: Notre Dame beat Navy 35-13, Texas Tech beat Arizona 34-26 and Syracuse beat SMU 30-27.
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