When it comes to the Colorado Buffaloes, every clash feels like the next episode in a quest for the College Football Playoff. But their road to playoff glory is paved with Texas-sized hurdles, the biggest one yet being Texas Tech’s powerhouse running game. From the start, Colorado has the belief that it could be a good (or great) football team. And the #21 improved Buff will be looking to show that why.

This weekend, Pete Thamel and Stanford Steve dove into the upcoming matchup on ESPN College Football Live, where they pointed out Colorado’s glaring Achilles’ heel. A run defense that’s letting opponents through like the express lane on a Texas freeway. And with Texas Tech’s star running back Tahj Brooks revving up, Deion Sanders and his Buffs may be facing a night of turf-grinding patience from the Red Raiders.

The Buffaloes have leveled up across the board this season. Offensively, Shedeur Sanders has shown his mettle, while the Buffs’ lines on both sides of the ball have grown more robust with each game. As ESPN Insider points out, “Colorado’s improved they’ve improved on offense they’ve improved on both lines their run defense is still a little bit susceptible.” But despite these strides, Colorado’s defense has struggled to plug the gaps into their run game. They rank 72nd in the nation and have given up 155 yards per game.

On top of that, they will now face Tech’s Tahj Brooks, who’s a certified game-changer, averaging a jaw-dropping 13.9 yards per carry and already racking up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with double-digit touchdowns to his name. In other words, Brooks spells trouble for the Buffs. Even more daunting is his ability to control the clock, a skill that’s invaluable in Big Ten-style shootouts. With his power runs, Texas and Brooks will try to eat up valuable game time, keeping Sanders and Colorado’s offense on the bench.

And the last thing Buffs want is a night spent watching from the sidelines. As Thamel pointed out, “The reason for the optimism of the Texas Tech side is Tahj Brooks.” If Tech stays patient with their ground game, it’s going to force Colorado to play on Texas Tech’s terms. Coach Prime’s ambitions to bring home a Big Ten title are clear. But each game becomes more critical—and more dangerous.

Thamel forgot one thing, Colorado Buffs carrying confidence into Lubbock

Out of the last six matchups, Colorado has only lost one. Their most recent wins are against Cincinnati (34-23) and Arizona (34-7) and the margin by which they won is enough to instill some confidence in them. Now, Deion Sanders and Co. have achieved bowl eligibility and aim for more. “Yeah, definitely, it feels great,” linebacker LaVonta Bentley said. You can’t blame the kid for that. Just keep the off-field controversies aside for a moment, and you’ll see how their hard work is paying off with victories. The Buffs are seeing more buy-in within the locker room each week.

As if Colorado didn’t have enough on their plate, the stakes will only get higher with each game as they fight to keep their playoff dreams alive. Colorado will need to bolster their defensive front and dig deep to counteract Tech’s run game if they want to keep those playoff aspirations alive.

It’s safe to say, the Colorado-Texas showdown has all the makings of a make-or-break moment. The Buffaloes’ playoff hopes rest on whether they can stand up to Brooks’ relentless drive and turn Texas Tech’s time-of-possession advantage into just another statistic. If they can pull off a win, it’ll mark a turning point in their season, proving that they’re not just a contender but a winner too.