Isaac Wilson gave Colorado a reason to change quarterbacks. Now he has to give the Buffaloes a reason to believe the offense has changed with him.
Wilson is expected to start ahead of Julian Lewis against Texas Tech, CBS Sports reported Tuesday. His second-half appearance at Baylor supplied the case: 156 passing yards, a touchdown and a 95-yard scoring drive that tied the game early in the fourth quarter.
Colorado still lost 23–13. The Buffaloes left Waco 2–2, with a promising relief performance and a familiar problem: moving the ball without keeping enough drives alive.
The yards were there. The conversions were not.
Colorado outgained Baylor 363 yards to 337 but converted only three of 15 third downs and failed on both fourth-down attempts, according to the university’s game report.
Across those two downs, that is three successful conversions in 17 attempts, or 17.6%. It is not a count of separate drives—a third-down failure can lead to a fourth-down attempt on the same possession—but it shows how often Colorado came up short when it needed to keep the ball.
A quarterback change can help. It cannot erase a penalty, a sack or two unproductive early downs that leave the next play with too much to do.
A full week changes the challenge
Wilson’s relief appearance gave Colorado a spark against a defense that had prepared for Lewis to start. Texas Tech would have a week to prepare for Wilson if the reported change holds.
That makes the next start a different test. The Buffaloes need answers when the first throw is covered, along with enough early-down production to make third down manageable. Asking Wilson to rescue a series with a difficult play is a much harder way to sustain an offense.
His 95-yard touchdown drive showed what was possible at Baylor. The next question is how often Colorado can put together possessions like it, especially after the defense adjusts.
What to watch against Texas Tech
The Buffaloes host Texas Tech on October 3. CBS Sports’ report identifies Wilson as the expected starter; a separate official announcement was not verified for this article.
His passing total will draw attention, but the shape of Colorado’s drives should say more. Where do they start? What distance does the offense face on third down? When it gets within scoring range, what ends the possession?
Wilson earned this opportunity with the way he played in Waco. Turning it into a lasting change will mean keeping Colorado on the field when the next defense knows who is coming.
Colorado at Baylor: conversion opportunities
| Third down | 3 of 15 (20%) |
|---|---|
| Fourth down | 0 of 2 (0%) |
Official Colorado game statistics. Attempts are not unique drives; a possession may include both downs.
