Buffs Beat

Colorado Buffaloes Receive Unfavorable Kickoff Time For Matchup at Utah

The Big 12 Conference announced Monday that the Colorado Buffaloes' Week 9 game against the Utah Utes will kick off at 8:15 p.m. MT and will be televised on ESPN. Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs will likely face a ranked team for the second straight game.
Jack Carlough|
Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders congratulates Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham after the Utah Utes victory over the Colorado Buffaloes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images
Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion 'Coach Prime' Sanders congratulates Utah Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham after the Utah Utes victory over the Colorado Buffaloes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

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Colorado BuffaloesUtah Utes

Fresh off a needed bye week, the Colorado Buffaloes will visit the No. 23 Utah Utes on Saturday, Oct. 25.

As announced by the Big 12 Conference on Monday, ESPN will televise the matchup at 8:15 p.m. MT. The game marks Colorado's eighth straight national television selection to begin the season and its third start time of 8 p.m. or later.

Utah, led by longtime head coach Kyle Whittingham, is currently 5-1 (2-1 Big 12) following a massive 42-10 win over the Arizona State Sun Devils this past weekend. In Week 8, the Utes will visit the No. 15 BYU Cougars in the highly anticipated "Holy War."

Colorado Buffaloes Utah Utes Game Kickoff Time Television Big 12 Football Week 9 Kaidon Salter Devon Dampier Deion Sanders CU
Oct 11, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Byrd Ficklin (15) celebrates scoring a touchdown against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the fourth quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Once again, Colorado coach Deion Sanders holds great respect for his counterpart in Whittingham.

"He is one of the pillars of the Big 12, (and) of course, he was like that with the Pac-12," Sanders said of Whittingham last year. "He's a legend, a true legend. What he's done consistently at Utah is unbelievable."

Colorado Buffaloes vs. Utah Utes Kickoff Time, TV Selection

Colorado Buffaloes Utah Utes Game Kickoff Time Television Big 12 Football Week 9 Kaidon Salter Devon Dampier Deion Sanders CU
Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) calls out in the first quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado received a less-than-ideal kickoff time for its Week 9 matchup at Utah.

"Who makes these 8 o'clock games? Dumbest thing ever. Stupidest thing ever invented in life. Who wants to stay up until 8 o'clock for a darn game?" Sanders said during the 2023 season. "What about the East Coast — do they even care about ratings? Is anyone watching it? What are we supposed to do with the kids all day until 8 o'clock? What are we supposed to do in the hotel?"

Last season, Colorado and Utah kicked off at 10 a.m. MT on Fox.

Updated 2025 Colorado Buffaloes Football Schedule

Colorado Buffaloes Utah Utes Game Kickoff Time Television Big 12 Football Week 9 Kaidon Salter Devon Dampier Deion Sanders CU
Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) celebrates his first down in the fourth quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

*All times Mountain

Aug. 29 vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (L, 27-20)

Sept. 6 vs. Delaware Blue Hens (W, 31-7)

Sept. 12 at Houston Cougars (L, 36-20)

Sept. 20 vs. Wyoming Cowboys (W, 37-20)

Sept. 27 vs. BYU Cougars (L, 24-21)

Oct. 4 at TCU Horned Frogs (L, 35-21)

Oct. 11 vs. Iowa State Cyclones (W, 24-17)

Oct. 25 at Utah Utes (8:15 p.m., ESPN)

Nov. 1 vs. Arizona Wildcats (TBA)

Nov. 8 at West Virginia Mountaineers (TBA)

Nov. 22 vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (TBA)

Nov. 29 at Kansas State Wildcats (TBA)

MORE: What Kaidon Salter Said After Colorado Buffaloes' Massive Win Over No. 22 Iowa State

MORE: Deion Sanders Gets Candid After Colorado's Upset Win Over Iowa State

MORE: Biggest Winners, Losers from Colorado Win Over No. 22 Iowa State

MORE: Colorado Buffaloes' MVP Turns Heads In Upset Win Over Iowa State

Big 12 Conference Announces Other Week 9 Kickoff Times, TV Picks

Colorado Buffaloes Utah Utes Game Kickoff Time Television Big 12 Football Week 9 Kaidon Salter Devon Dampier Deion Sanders CU
Texas Tech's Will Hammond (right) celebrates a touchdown with Mitch Griffis against Kansas during a Big 12 Conference football game, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kickoff times and television selections were also announced for six other Big 12 football games for Week 9 (Saturday, Oct. 25):

  • Oklahoma State Cowboys at Texas Tech Red Raiders (2 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU)
  • BYU Cougars at Iowa State Cyclones (1:30 p.m., Fox)
  • Baylor Bears at Cincinnati Bearcats (2 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU)
  • Houston Cougars at Arizona State Sun Devils (8 p.m., ESPN2 or ESPNU)
  • Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas Jayhawks (10 a.m., TNT)
  • TCU Horned Frogs at West Virginia Mountaineers (4 p.m., ESPN+)
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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.