Five burning questions ahead of Colorado’s Friday night game vs. Stanford

In another battle of first-year head coaches, Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes are set to welcome Troy Taylor’s Stanford Cardinal to Boulder on Friday for an 8 p.m. MT kickoff under the Folsom Field lights.

The Buffs, who recently captured their fourth win of the season, are double-digit favorites against the 1-4 Cardinal. Although Coach Prime knows full well that his Buffs can’t afford to overlook another opponent. Colorado is only two wins away from securing bowl eligibility but with another slew of tough games coming up, beating Stanford is a must.

Below are five burning questions to ponder heading into CU’s final game before its bye week:

Will Trevor Woods and Travis Hunter play?

All of a sudden, it’s looking like Travis Hunter will return before the bye week. Coach Prime said on Tuesday that there’s a “tremendous chance” that Colorado’s two-way star is back on the field Friday night.

As for Trevor Woods, he was seen wearing a walking boot last week and did not play at Arizona State, although he did travel to Tempe. Coach Prime did not give an update on Woods during his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

Can Colorado handle being a heavy home favorite better this time?

The Buffs did not handle being a heavy home favorite in Week 3 against Colorado State, which would’ve beat Colorado if it weren’t for Shedeur Sanders’ late heroics.

Colorado isn’t favored by as much this week vs. Stanford, but this is still a game that the Buffs should win easily.

Is Anthony Hankerson the guy at running back?

Holdover Anthony Hankerson has slowly taken control of Colorado’s running back room. After rushing for a combined 82 yards in the Buffs’ first four games, Hankerson ran for 74 against USC and 58 at ASU.

Coach Prime, however, also expects Alton McCaskill IV to see some action this week. Dylan Edwards is another prominent back in the mix who should continue to be used frequently in the screen game.

Can Colorado start fast?

Slow starts have been an issue for Colorado dating back to near-loss to Colorado State. The Buffs are well aware of the issue and it was a known focus over the weekend in Tempe.

Especially as a big home favorite, the Buffs can’t give Stanford hope heading into halftime.

Can Colorado keep David Bailey quiet?

Stanford edge rusher David Bailey is the No. 1 player that Colorado’s offense needs to worry about. Through five games, Bailey leads the Cardinal in TFLs (five) and sacks (two). He’s also tied with Ernest Cooper for the most QB hits (two).

Colorado’s offensive line is certainly vulnerable with starting right tackle Savion Washington likely out again, so the Buffs better have a solid game plan to slow down Bailey.

Further reading

READ: Deion Sanders expecting Alton McCaskill IV to see action against Stanford

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Story originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire