Where good news shines

The RMAC has a championship weekend ahead.

Five RMAC programs will compete in national tournaments Saturday and Sunday.

Here’s the lineup:

—NCAA Division II football, second round: Bemidji State at No. 2 Western Colorado, 1 p.m. Saturday, ESPN+

—NCAA Division II football, second round: Minnesota State at No. 1 CSU Pueblo, 1 p.m. Saturday, ESPN+

—NCAA Division II women’s soccer, third round: No. 2 Angelo State at No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 1 p.m. Sunday, RMAC Network

—NCAA Division II men’s soccer, third round: No. 6 Fort Lewis at No. 2 Midwestern State, 2 p.m. Sunday, LSC Network

—NCAA Division II men’s soccer, third round: No. 5 Cal State Los Angeles at No. 1 CSU Pueblo, 3 p.m. Sunday, RMAC Network

(“Colorado Sunshine” celebrates the good news in sports. Suggestions are welcome through sports editor Paul Klee at paul.klee@gazette.com.)

Colorado sent shockwaves through the recruiting world Thursday night when the Buffaloes landed 2025 commitments from IMG Academy defenders London Merritt and Alexander McPherson, offensive tackle Carde Smith and wide receiver Quentin Gibson, all in the span of 30 minutes.

The four prospects announced their pledges in consecutive live appearances on “Nightcap,” a nighttime talk show hosted by former NFL stars Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson.

Colorado’s flurry of late-night commitments came seven days after the Buffaloes secured a seismic pledge from five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, ESPN’s No. 2 overall prospect in 2025. With the additions, coach Deion Sanders holds 15 commitments in an incoming recruiting class that sits 50th in ESPN’s latest class rankings just days before the early signing period opens Wednesday.

Merritt, No. 52 in the ESPN 300, marks the highest-profile pledge among the newcomers bound for Colorado. ESPN’s No. 5 defensive end prospect, Merritt was the fourth-ranked member of Ohio State’s 2025 class before he pulled his pledge from the Buckeyes on Tuesday. Merritt now sits behind Lewis as the Buffaloes’ second-ranked commit in the cycle.

Merritt and McPherson took visits to Colorado earlier this month. McPherson’s commitment to the Buffaloes came one day after the 6-foot-3, 240-pound pass rusher decommitted from Oklahoma State.

Smith (No. 293 in the ESPN 300) is ESPN’s No. 32 offensive tackle prospect in 2025 and lands with Colorado after he pulled his pledge from USC on Nov. 20. The blocker from Mobile, Alabama, visited the Buffaloes multiple times this fall, and Smith now represents Colorado’s second top-300 offensive tackle pledge over the past two cycles, following five-star 2024 signee Jordan Seaton.

Gibson, a pass catcher from Fort Worth, Texas, also visited Colorado during the season and held offers from Illinois, Kansas State, Mississippi State and SMU, among others.

Sanders and the Buffaloes are closing strong in the 2025 cycle with seven commitments since Oct. 25. Colorado closes the regular season Friday with a visit from Oklahoma State at noon ET on ABC.

Data Skrive

Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes (8-3) are in action on Friday at 12 p.m. ET against the Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-8) at Folsom Field.

Tune in to ABC to see this matchup live.

Keep up with college football all season on FOX Sports.

Learn more about the Colorado Buffaloes and the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

How to Watch Colorado vs. Oklahoma State

• When: Friday, November 29, 2024 at 12 p.m. ET
• Location: Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado
• Live Box Score: FOX Sports

Read More About This Game

• Colorado vs. Oklahoma State Predictions

Colorado’s 2024 Schedule

Colorado 2024 Stats & Insights

• Colorado is compiling 390.9 yards per game on offense, which ranks 64th in the FBS. On defense, the Buffaloes rank 74th, giving up 372.5 yards per contest.
• Colorado ranks 62nd in pass defense this season (216.3 passing yards allowed per game), but has been thriving on offense, ranking eighth-best in the FBS with 317.1 passing yards per game.
• The Buffaloes are totaling 32.9 points per game on offense (32nd in the FBS), and they rank 61st defensively with 24 points allowed per game.
• While the Buffaloes’ run defense ranks 81st with 156.2 rushing yards allowed per game, they’ve been worse on offense, ranking worst (73.8 rushing yards per game).
• From an offensive standpoint, Colorado ranks 56th in the FBS with a 41.3% third-down conversion rate. Meanwhile, the team’s defense ranks 71st in third-down percentage allowed (156.2).
• With 20 forced turnovers (14th in the FBS) against 12 turnovers committed (33rd in the FBS), the Buffaloes’ +8 turnover margin is the 19th-best in college football.

Colorado 2024 Key Players

Oklahoma State’s 2024 Schedule

Oklahoma State 2024 Stats & Insights

• Oklahoma State ranks 59th in total yards per game (394.6), but it has been less effective defensively, ranking second-worst in the FBS with 503.5 total yards conceded per contest.
• While Oklahoma State’s pass defense has been stuck in neutral, ranking sixth-worst by ceding 272 passing yards per game, its offense ranks 15th-best with 281.7 passing yards per contest.
• The Cowboys rank 54th in points per game (29.6), but they’ve been less effective defensively, ranking 17th-worst in the FBS with 34.1 points ceded per contest.
• In terms of rushing, this season has been hard for the Cowboys on both offense and defense, as they are compiling only 112.9 rushing yards per game (18th-worst) and ceding 231.5 rushing yards per game (second-worst).
• Oklahoma State’s defense has been a bottom-25 unit on third down this season, allowing a 46.3% third-down conversion percentage, which ranks 14th-worst in the FBS. On the offensive side of the ball, it ranks 94th with a 46.3% third-down rate.
• After forcing 13 turnovers (87th in the FBS) and turning the ball over 19 times (105th in the FBS) this season, the Cowboys sport the 106th-ranked turnover margin of -6.

Oklahoma State 2024 Key Players

FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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