Colorado played without two key defensive players and a top running back last week and could be without them again this week.
On Tuesday, CU head coach Deion Sanders said Taurean Carter is out for the foreseeable future, while Chidozie Nwankwo may also miss another game. Running back Dallan Hayden is also questionable for this week.
CU (2-1) will face Baylor’s (2-1) high-running offense on Saturday at Folsom Field (6 p.m., Fox). The Bears have kept the ball on the ground on 62.4% of their offensive snaps this season.
Nwankwo, who started the first two games, suffered a shoulder injury late in the third quarter of the Buffs’ 28-10 loss at Nebraska on Sept. 7. He did not play in the Buffs’ 28-9 win at Colorado State last Saturday.
Although Nwankwo is not ruled out for the Baylor game, his participation is questionable. He has three tackles and one sack this season.
Sanders said Carter had surgery and was “out,” but did not specify the injury or how long Carter would be out. Carter came off the bench and played a total of 28 snaps in the first two games, but was injured against Nebraska and did not play against CSU.
Although CU didn’t put up big numbers in the running game, Hayden played the majority of snaps at tailback the first two weeks and led the team with 52 yards on 14 carries. He suffered a foot injury against Nebraska.
“We don’t know how he is right now (health-wise) or what he wants to do,” Sanders said. “I want to see it in practice before I see it in the game. So if he can play, he’ll play.”
The Buffs will also likely be without safety Shilo Sanders, who broke his forearm against Nebraska and underwent surgery last week. A week ago, Coach Prime said his son would be out for two to three weeks.
Rain? What rain?
According to some weather services, there could be rain on Saturday night when the Buffs and Bears face off. Coach Prime was asked if his team was preparing for precipitation, but he disagreed with the forecasts.
“If you say 60% (chance of rain), I say 40% chance of it not raining,” he said. “We’re going to do everything we can to put our guys in the best situation possible. That may happen after practice, that may happen before practice, but we’re not going to take time in practice to do a drill based on something that may not happen.”
Weather.com is forecasting an 80% chance of rain in Boulder on Saturday. CU’s visit to Central Florida’s Orlando on Sept. 28 also has a 40% chance of rain.
Remarkable
The Buffs are 9-7 overall against Baylor, but the Bears have won their last two games in Boulder in 2006 and 2010. In 2010, quarterback Robert Griffin III led the Bears to a 31-25 victory over the Buffs. RGIII is a good friend of Coach Prime, who said he’s sure he’ll get a text this week. “I have nothing but love for RGIII, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be torn inside because he wants us to do our thing, but this is his alma mater,” Coach Prime said. “I’m pretty sure he’s leaning toward that; he’ll be wearing green and probably wearing a gold necklace.” … CU has lost three consecutive conference openers.
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