Buffs Beat

What Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes Players Are Saying About Iowa State

Ahead of Saturday's matchup with No. 22 Iowa State, Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders, running back Dallan Hayden and defensive end Keaten Wade all shared their thoughts on the Cyclones. Iowa State is coming off a loss but remains dangerous.
Jack Carlough|
Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Colorado BuffaloesIowa State Cyclones

BOULDER — A talented yet vulnerable Iowa State Cyclones team will face off against the reeling Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday at Folsom Field.

Still ranked No. 22 in the AP Poll, Iowa State won its first five games of the season before falling to the Cincinnati Bearcats last weekend, 38-30. The Cyclones, much like Colorado, have dealt with countless injuries over the past few weeks and will need their depth to shine against the 2-4 Buffs.

Heading into Saturday's Big 12 Conference matchup in Boulder, CU coach Deion Sanders, running back Dallan Hayden and defensive end Keaten Wade all shared their thoughts on Iowa State.

Deion Sanders Praises Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell

What Deion Sanders Colorado Buffaloes Players Saying Iowa State Cyclones Dallan Hayden Keaten Wade Big 12 Football Folsom CU
Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell reacts after a call during the second quarter against Iowa in the Cy-Hawk Series at Jack Trice Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Coach Prime" opened his Tuesday press conference with a nod to Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, who's looking for his 70th win at the Cyclones' helm.

"Coach Campbell, at ISU since 2016, the guy is good, man," Sanders said. "Seven winning seasons in his nine with the Cyclones... Good coach. Born leader. Defensive lineman. Got that dawg in him. Three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year, now that is admirable. God bless his four wonderful children as well. A lot of respect, well-coached team. Physical team. Disciplined team. Look forward to the matchup."

More Praise For Iowa State

"They're good, man," Sanders said. "They've been good for a long time. They are consistent. There are some blemishes that we can take advantage of, and I am pretty sure they are seeing the same thing. But I feel like it is going to be a good contest. What we are working on right now, we have been getting out to strong starts and relinquishing those leads. That is not going to happen, prayerfully, this week."

Dallan Hayden Reveals Colorado's Mindset For Iowa State

What Deion Sanders Colorado Buffaloes Players Saying Iowa State Cyclones Dallan Hayden Keaten Wade Big 12 Football Folsom CU
Oct 26, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Dallan Hayden (7) carries the ball in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Coming off a strong performance at TCU last weekend, running back Dallan Hayden said the Buffs are focused on putting together better practices in hopes of finding more success on game day.

"We're trying to change some habits that we might see in practice because, like coach always says, they show up in the game," Hayden said. "We're right there, we just gotta finish."

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Keaten Wade On Slowing Iowa State's Offense

What Deion Sanders Colorado Buffaloes Players Saying Iowa State Cyclones Dallan Hayden Keaten Wade Big 12 Football Folsom CU
Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Delaware Fightin Blue Hens running back Jo Silver (27) scores a touchdown past Colorado Buffaloes defensive end Keaten Wade (27) in the second quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Defensive end Keaten Wade will play a key role in slowing Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht and the Cyclones' talented running back duo of Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III.

"I've seen a lot of gap scheme, (they're) a zone run team," Wade said. "They play a lot of 12 personnel, so we got to get ready to stop the run, for sure. But that's what we asked for as defensive players, to stop the run so we can get after the passer."

Kickoff between the Buffs and Cyclones at Folsom Field is set for 1:35 p.m. MT on 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.

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