Massive List Of Injured Players Expected To Miss Colorado's Game At Utah Utes

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Despite coming off a bye, a massive list of Colorado Buffaloes players are expected to miss Saturday's matchup against the Utah Utes due to injury.
Seventeen Buffs were listed as out on Wednesday's player availability report, one is doubtful, three are questionable and six probable. Meanwhile, Utah listed only three players as questionable, including starting quarterback Devon Dampier. If Dampier can't go, coach Kyle Whittingham is expected to give freshman Byrd Ficklin the starting nod under center.
Below is the first of four daily injury reports heading into Saturday's Big 12 football matchup between Colorado and Utah:
Colorado Buffaloes Injury Report

OUT
- Wide receiver Hykeem Williams
- Safety Terrance Love
- Running back DeKalon Taylor
- Safety TJ Branch
- Cornerback Kyle Carpenter
- Running back Simeon Price
- Tight end Sav'ell Smalls
- Wide receiver Carson Westbrook
- Offensive lineman Phillip Houston
- Offensive lineman Tyler Brown
- Offensive lineman Yahya Attia
- Offensive lineman Cooper Lovelace
- Offensive lineman Aki Ogunbiyi
- Wide receiver Jack Hestera
- Defensive end Samuel Okunlola
- Defensive tackle Tavian Coleman
- Defensive tackle Gavriel Lightfoot
DOUBTFUL
- Cornerback RJ Johnson
QUESTIONABLE

- Defensive end Nikhil Webb Walker
- Defensive tackle Anquin Barnes Jr.
- Defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas
PROBABLE
- Cornerback Teon Parks
- Safety Carter Stoutmire
- Cornerback Braden Keith
- Linebacker Reggie Hughes
- Defensive tackle Amari McNeill
- Defensive tackle Brandon Davis-Swain
Fortunately for Colorado, the vast majority of the 27 players listed above aren't starters for coach Deion Sanders. Still, the Buffs are lacking some depth on the interior defensive line with Coleman, Lightfoot, Barnes and Thomas all either out or questionable.
Offensively, Colorado will notably be without five reserve linemen and the running back duo of Price and Taylor.

Those expected to return after missing Colorado's last game against the Iowa State Cyclones include defensive end Arden Walker, wide receiver Dre'lon Miller and safety Carter Stoutmire (probable).
"One thing that I really love about our guys, you don't see our guys laying around on the field," Sanders said. "They get up and they get off the darn field regardless of how hurt they are. That's something that us coaches implemented. We don't want to see you laying on the field because we have a rule: If you lay down there, we come out there to get you. You ain't going back in."
MORE: Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes Poised for Injury Comeback Week vs. Utah
MORE: Shedeur Sanders Proves Leadership Still Strong With Sideline Support for Dillon Gabriel
MORE: Utah Announces Major Injury News Before Playing Colorado Buffaloes
Utah Utes Injury Report

QUESTIONABLE
- Quarterback Devon Dampier
- Wide receiver Tobias Merriweather
- Defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi
According to Whittingham, Dampier was "beat up" during Utah's loss to the BYU Cougars on Saturday.
"When Devon's hobbled, that obviously causes you to rethink some of the QB run game," Whittingham said Monday, per Utah. "You don't completely go away from it, but when it's a could go either way situation, you might opt to not do it because of his mobility. He got beat up in this game (BYU) pretty good."
Kickoff between the Buffs and Utes is set for 8:15 p.m. MT on ESPN.

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.