Both Colorado and No.18 Kansas State are coming off their bye weeks with these programs now ready to renew an old rivalry.

The Buffs will be playing in front of their fifth consecutive sellout crowd on Saturday and the seventh straight nationally televised game this season. CU continues to be a hot topic across college football led by the conversation around Heisman frontrunner Travis Hunter and the recent take down of UCF as a 14-point underdog, but will the narrative shift against the Buffs as they face their first ranked opponent of the season?

Almost 14 years have passed since these two teams have faced each other and this matchup will showcase what the Buffs are capable of against one of the top 50 total offenses (43rd) and total defenses (47th) in the FBS. The Wildcats have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, but there is one thing that is working in the Buffs' favor as they come in as a 4.5-point underdog. Head coach Chris Klieman's team has lost four straight games following a bye week.

Of course this bye week stat won’t save CU from a loss, and head coach Deion Sanders and his Buffs have utilized their bye to prepare for what the Wildcats bring to the table. The field appears even between the Buffs and the Wildcats as both teams are 4-1, the Buffs are averaging 31.0 per game and K-State averaging 31.4 points per game and both teams are coming off their bye weeks.

Here’s what CU Sports Report's Nikki Edwards and Troy Finnegan are monitoring ahead of this late night (8:15 p.m. MT) kickoff.

Troy: The biggest concern for Colorado in this one is stopping the run, because that’s what Kansas State does better than just about anybody. DJ Giddens, Dylan Edwards and Avery Johnson give the Wildcats a three-headed monster that is very difficult to stop on the ground, and Kansas State has been effective this season with all different kinds of run concepts. It will hit you downhill with power and counter, mix it up with the option, and Giddens has good vision on zone runs. This variety of looks puts a lot on the plate of the CU front seven.