Colorado faces two formidable quarterbacks against Utah
The Colorado Buffaloes and Utah Utes have both used two quarterbacks this season.
One side had to bench a five-star freshman and shift to a backup. The other has used two simultaneously.
The Buffs face an unprecedented offense on Saturday and will try to stop Utah's duo of senior gunslinger Devon Dampier and sophomore wildcard Byrd Ficklin.
The Utes have deployed this pair in every win so far. Utah comes into Boulder undefeated, ranked No. 11 in the nation, with its smallest margin of victory this year being 14 points.
“It’s going to be a daunting task,” head coach Deion Sanders said in his weekly presser. “Offensively, they get after it. Defensively, they get after it … They’re a darn good football team. Probably the best team we’re going to face this season.”
This dual-threat game plan has worked seamlessly and effectively for Utah all season. First-year offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven, who adopted the dual scheme, has excelled at using each field general in selective situations and play calls.
Dampier is the starter. He transferred from New Mexico after his sophomore season in 2024 and had his first taste of the two-QB system last year. This season, he’s thrown for 1,134 yards in 2026 with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Dampier is under snap for nearly every play. He’s the traditional QB1 for Utah and has played it well.
Ficklin is where things get interesting.
He’s utilized more on the ground than through the air. The Utes will consistently bring
Ficklin and Dampier onto the field for the same play, keeping Ficklin in the backfield or slot. He has 18 pass attempts over five games, and 21 carries.
“Both [Ficklin] and [Dampier], some of their best plays are on the run,” new head coach Morgan Scalley said. “When both of our quarterbacks can run and throw, and do the things they do, and you put them in there together, teams are going to get really aggressive because they want to hit your quarterback. But you can also soften teams up knowing that anytime [Ficklin’s] in there, they’re thinking, ‘Okay, here comes a trick play; we got to be alert.’”
Utah makes it nearly impossible to know what’s coming next. The Utes average the most points per game in the Big 12 and the second-most yards per game.
This will be a unique and difficult test for Colorado's defense, which improved from last season but still has plenty of room to grow. Two weeks ago, against then-ranked No. 12 Texas Tech, the Buffs held the Red Raiders to 12 points through the first three quarters.
“We can’t give up the fight,” Sanders said about the defensive attitude headed into Saturday. “It seems as though late in games, when it’s not winnable, we give up … We got to stop the mindless penalties … So a lot of discipline-type things.”
In last season’s Rumble in the Rockies, the Utes led 43-0 at halftime. In his first career collegiate start, Ficklin threw for 140 yards and ran for 151.
Kickoff at Folsom Field is set for 8:15 p.m. MT (ESPN).
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