Kansas State Coach Collin Klein Explains How Deion Sanders Impacted Overtime Decision

Kansas State coach Collin Klein credited several important Colorado moments that shifted Saturday’s tense overtime game in Boulder.

Jul 8, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Kansas State head coach Collin Klein speaks to reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kansas State coach Collin Klein gave the Colorado Buffaloes their flowers after Saturday’s narrow overtime loss in Boulder, crediting a defensive front that loaded the box, a long drive his defense couldn’t stop, and a timeout that talked him out of going for the win.

Klein used most of his postgame press conference to take the blame for his own team’s mistakes. Yet his comments about Colorado’s defensive pressure and late-game adjustments showed how the Buffaloes finally did enough to win a close game after five straight losses.

Oct 31, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the sideline during the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A Colorado timeout changed Collin Klein’s two-point call

Garrett Oakley’s 8-yard touchdown catch pulled Kansas State within 21-20 in the final seconds of regulation, and Klein sent his offense out to go for two and the win. Colorado called timeout and changed its look.

“They adjusted their alignment, called timeout,” Klein said. “You know, talking about a couple different options as a staff. Didn’t feel as good about it as we did the first one after their adjustment and decided to keep playing.”

Coach Deion Sanders’ staff won that chess match with one timeout, since Kansas State kicked the tying extra point and lost in overtime. Klein admitted backing off was a tough call.

“Oh, absolutely. I mean, absolutely. I wanted to do it,” Klein said. “We initially thought we had a chance, but we’ve got to be smart, too, and credit them and decided to just keep playing.”

Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Gideon Lampron (44) tries to bring down Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Caleb Hawkins (24) during a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Colorado Buffaloes at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Gideon Lampron and Colorado’s front earned Collin Klein’s respect

Asked what Colorado’s defense showed him, Klein started up front. 

“Well, I mean, they were definitely loading the box ... there was some, you know, some interior pressures, a couple defensive line movements and different things that, you know, we didn’t handle great,” Klein said.

“Had some answers as we kind of worked through the game. But, you know, that’s a good defensive front.”

Defensive coordinator Chris Marve’s group held Kansas State to 121 rushing yards on 39 carries with no rushing touchdowns. Linebacker Gideon Lampron finished with 15 tackles, four tackles for loss and two of Colorado’s five sacks, so Klein’s answers had to come through the air.

Collin Klein calls one Colorado drive a backbreaker

Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Caleb Hawkins (24) dives for the end zone on a play that was called back due to an offensive penalty during a college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys (OSU) and the Colorado Buffaloes at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. Oklahoma State won 57-24. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“We’re still missing some tackles and giving them some explosives and allowing them to continue their drives in some tough situations,” Klein said. “That 99-yard drive was a backbreaker. Have a couple chances to get the brakes put on and get it shut down. We don’t do that.”

Colorado’s official recap lists the drive at 96 yards over 10 plays. And it started right after Kansas State tied the game 14-14 late in the third quarter, and by Klein’s count, the Wildcats had a couple of chances to end it before Richard Young ran in the go-ahead touchdown.

Folsom Field noise set up Luis Rodriguez’s miss

On top of that, Klein blamed the Colorado crowd for two delay-of-game penalties.

“Play clock running down in a loud end zone, it’s going to take a little longer than, you know, normal,” Klein said. “And we weren’t able to get it off.”

One of those flags turned a fourth-and-4 into a fourth-and-9 in the fourth quarter, Klein said, so Kansas State kicked. Luis Rodriguez, who came in 11-for-11 on field goals this season, missed from 43 yards, and the Folsom Field crowd earned an assist.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.