Six Colorado Buffaloes Trending Up and Down After Baylor Loss

The Colorado Buffaloes' loss to the Baylor Bears loss shifted six individual players' stocks, with a quarterback change and costly mistakes shaping the biggest moves.

Colorado coach Deion Sanders watched the Buffaloes fall 23-13 at Baylor as several individual roles shifted. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Saturday's disappointing 23-13 defeat to the Baylor Bears dropped the Colorado Buffaloes to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in Big 12 play, but the final score did not move every player in the same direction. Colorado outgained Baylor 363- 337 and pulled even at 13-13 early in the fourth quarter before the Bears snatched the final 10 points. 

Inside that loss, a halftime quarterback change gave the offense a spark, several players strengthened their cases for bigger roles, and a few costly mistakes gave Baylor openings Colorado could not afford.

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Isaac Wilson (16) drops back to pass against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Here are three Buffaloes rising and three falling after Week 4.

Rising: Quarterback Isaac Wilson

Colorado quarterback Isaac Wilson, a Utah transfer, came on at halftime with the Buffaloes down 10-3 and steadied the offense. He finished 12 of 25 for 156 yards and a touchdown, then led the 12-play, 95-yard drive that tied the game at 13.  His numbers were far from perfect, but Colorado finally finished a long drive in the end zone with Wilson directing it.

Wilson also took two sacks and drew an intentional grounding penalty late. Still, a sideline clip shared after the game captured teammates rallying around him before he entered.

“Go be legendary. I know you gonna pop it. Go be you. Have fun. Just like practice. We got your back. Be that guy,” teammates can be heard telling Wilson.

Rising: Wide Receiver Joseph Williams

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) scores a touchdown against the Baylor Bears during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado wide receiver Joseph Williams gave both quarterbacks a reliable answer. He caught 11 passes for 127 yards and the 17-yard touchdown that tied the game. His 11 receptions tied for the ninth most in a game in Colorado history.

Williams also threw the 49-yard trick-play pass to Colorado wide receiver Quanell Farrakhan Jr. and converted third and 17 with a 20-yard catch on Wilson’s first full drive.

Rising: Linebacker Gideon Lampron

Colorado linebacker Gideon Lampron did not show up on many highlight reels, but he showed up everywhere else. Lampron finished with eight tackles, seven solo, one tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. 

Only Colorado linebacker Liona Lefau had more tackles with nine. Lampron also followed a 10-tackle game at Northwestern with another active afternoon, giving Colorado some consistency in the middle of the defense.

Lampron broke up a first-quarter deep throw intended for Baylor wide receiver Hawkins Polley and later shared a hurry of Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway. He kept appearing around the ball while Colorado’s defense kept the game within reach.

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears running back Caden Knighten (11) carries the ball against Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Gideon Lampron (44) during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Falling: Running Back JaQuail Smith

Colorado running back JaQuail Smith had 33 yards on 10 carries, but two attempts became costly. Baylor stopped him for a 1-yard loss on fourth and 1 at the Colorado 49 in the second quarter. The Bears used the short field, helped by two Colorado defensive penalties, to score their first touchdown.

With 4:04 left and Colorado down 23-13, Smith then fumbled at the Colorado 45. Baylor recovered, ending Colorado’s last realistic comeback chance.

Falling: Defensive Back Cree Thomas

Colorado defensive back Cree Thomas was flagged twice for defensive pass interference and once for holding. The three penalties totaled 37 yards, and each gave Baylor a first down.

His first interference penalty came immediately after Smith’s failed fourth-down run and helped Baylor’s touchdown drive. His third quarter holding penalty extended a possession that ended in a field goal. For a team still trying to clean up its penalty problem (those were expensive snaps).

Falling: Quarterback Julian Lewis

No player’s stock took a bigger hit than Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis. The 19-year-old completed 11 of 16 passes for 75 yards, but the Buffaloes scored only three first-half points, and Lewis took three sacks before Wilson replaced him at halftime.

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) is sacked by Baylor Bears defensive lineman Kamren Washington (96) during the first half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lewis deserves some patience here, because the protection around him struggled and Colorado’s run game rarely gave him easy downs. Even so, the offense managed just three first-half points.

During Saturday’s postgame press conference, Colorado coach Deion Sanders was asked why he made the change. Sanders said the decision involved more than what was visible from the stands, then put the responsibility on himself.

“It’s not oftentimes what you guys may see on the field that determine things,” Sanders said. “We’re on the headset and it’s a lot of things you guys don’t know, a lot of things that you’re not privy to, we don’t want you to be privy to. But it was a decision that we made. I’ll take the blame for that. Not the blame, I’ll take the responsibility. It’s a decision that I made because I was trying to get us going. We gotta get going, we gotta score some points.”

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