There are no excuses for the Colorado football team this weekend.

Deion Sanders and the Buffs are in a must-win situation on Saturday when Kansas State (4-3) comes to Folsom Field. Colorado (2-5) is trying to snap a five-game losing streak, meanwhile, the Wildcats are trying to find out who will start at QB for them.

Kansas State starting QB Avery Johnson has already been ruled out for Saturday and his backup, Jacob Knuth (who started in place of Johnson last week), is listed as doubtful. The Buffs have QB issues of their own, but at least they know who will be under center. It’s likely the only reason why they’re 1.5-point favorites.

Here are three keys and a prediction for the Colorado football team’s game vs. Kansas State, which kicks off at 12 p.m. MT.

Protect Isaac Wilson

Colorado QB Isaac Wilson has struggled under duress this season. Since taking over as the starter for Julian Lewis, Wilson has eight turnovers in three games.

Most of those mistakes have been costly and most of them have come in the face of pressure. According to Pro Football Focus, Wilson is completing just 36% of his passes with one TD and four INTs when under pressure as a Buff.

He’s much better when he’s kept clean (66% completion, five TDs, three INTs) which is why he must be protected if the Colorado football team is going to snap its five-game losing streak. Wilson was sacked four times during last week’s loss to Oklahoma State in which he had three turnovers (two INTs, one fumble lost).

Coach Prime benched Wilson after his second INT of the game and explained why on Wednesday.

“It’s almost like you may be spiraling out of control,” Deion Sanders said of Isaac Wilson on the Colorado Football Coaches Show. “I took you out (vs. Oklahoma State) because I was trying to save you from yourself. That’s the conversation we had on the sidelines.

“I can see it in your eyes, it’s like you’re trying to get it all back at once and you can’t.”

Wilson was exceptional in the first half last week and has shown elite flashes at times this season, but his inconsistencies with decision making have overshadowed them. He’ll need to play a clean game to win on Saturday, and he’ll need a clean pocket to do it from.

Make Kansas State’s QB look like a backup

Kansas State’s available QBs have no starting experience at the collegiate level. That should be evident on Saturday.

Blake Barnett seems to be the likely starter for the Wildcats this weekend and the Erie native will be back in his home state. He has five career pass attempts and appeared in four games last season with his own package of QB run plays (40 rushing yards on 14 attempts).

Dillon Duff could also start (or at least split time with Barnett) but he’s even more inexperienced. The sophomore QB redshirted last year and was on track to be Avery Johnson’s primary backup this season until a lower-body injury in August pushed him down the depth chart. If Duff plays on Saturday, it’ll be his first snaps of college football.

The Colorado football team had been carried by its defense for weeks until it finally broke down vs. Oklahoma State. This is a golden opportunity for DC Chris Marve’s unit to dominate against an unproven QB.

It’ll likely be a run-heavy approach from Kansas State which plays right into the Buffs’ defensive strengths.

Play a four-quarter game

The Colorado football team won’t be able to beat anybody, even a team starting a third-string QB, unless it plays a complete game.

A strong first half last week vs. Oklahoma State (led 24-23 at halftime) was followed by a nightmare second half. The opposite was true the week prior when the Buffs were shutout in the first half vs. Utah before storming back with a 24-point second half.

“We have yet to play a complete game,” Deion Sanders said Wednesday on the Colorado Football Coaches Show.

Penalties have also contributed to the Buffs’ inconsistencies. They’ve had at least 80 penalty yards in all four their Big 12 games this season. A disciplined, three-phase game is exactly what Colorado football fans want to see on Saturday.

Colorado football vs Kansas State prediction

Colorado QB Julian Lewis experienced a medical emergency at the Colorado football facility on Wednesday and was taken to the hospital. His teammates have publicly shown support for him following a scary situation and it’s exactly the kind of thing that can galvanize a team.

The Buffs shouldn’t need any extra motivation after five straight losses, but they’ll take all they can get in a must-win game. There might not be any coming back from a loss to a third-string QB and a first-year head coach at this point.

Colorado wins 24-20.

Follow Colorado Buffaloes beat reporter Scott Procter on X.