One-third of the way through the season, there are certainly signs of progress for the Colorado football team.

In particular, the Buffs have been much better on defense than they were a year ago. A big part of that is an improved run defense.

CU’s ability to stop the run will be significantly tested on Saturday, though, when the Buffs (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) visit Central Florida (3-0, 1-0) in Orlando, Fla. (1:30 p.m. MT, Fox). UCF leads the country with 375.7 rushing yards per game.

“We know they’re No. 1 in the nation, so we need to match up to that,” CU defensive lineman Shane Cokes said. “We need to play that level. Be physical up front, be gap sound, be disciplined, and play with the competition.”

Last year, the Buffs were 110th in the nation, allowing 175.4 rushing yards per game (and 4.7 yards per carry). This year, they are 83rd, allowing 150.8 yards per game (and 4.0 yards per carry).

Statistically, it’s not a dramatic jump from 2023, but it’s certainly made a difference. A year ago, six teams rushed for at least 200 yards against CU. So far this year, Baylor’s 166 on Saturday are the most allowed by the Buffs.

“I think we just all understand, like, what the mindset is,” Cokes said of the difference in the D-line room. “It’s excellence every single day. … Everybody has to step up. Everybody comes to play every day, every week, no matter who’s hurt, no matter who’s not playing.”

The Buffs have been fairly effective in stopping running backs, allowing just 395 yards on 101 carries (3.9 per rush). Nebraska’s Dante Dowdell had the best game against CU, with 74 yards and two touchdowns on his 17 carries.

Quarterbacks, meanwhile, have averaged 4.2 yards per carry against CU, with North Dakota State’s Cam Miller (16 for 81) and Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson (nine for 82) doing most of that damage.

UCF will present a bigger challenge than any of CU’s opponents to this point.

RJ Harvey is one of the top running backs in the country, having rushed for 448 yards and eight touchdowns through the Knights’ first three games. Harvey’s 149.3 yards per game ranks fourth nationally. A year ago, he was 10th in the country with 108.9 yards per game, as he finished with 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Harvey is averaging 7.6 yards per carry while his backups, Peny Boone (6.6) and Myles Montgomery (7.1) are chewing up yards in chunks, too. Boone was the MAC offensive player of the year in 2023, rushing for 1,400 yards at Toledo.

“They run the ball extremely well,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said. “We gotta load the box up and pray to stop the run. I feel good about our scheme. I feel good about what I saw at practice (Tuesday). I feel good about what we’ve been accomplishing versus the run defensively.”

Part of that scheme will focus on slowing down a dual threat quarterback in KJ Jefferson, who has rushed for 135 yards and thrown for 563 yards.

“Big quarterback, strong guy that could not only throw the football, but he could run as well,” Sanders said. “So we got our work cut out for us.”

Cokes said the Buffs know UCF is going to see that other teams have found success with QB draws and try to duplicate that success. And, he knows the Knights, who have run the ball on 73% of their offensive snaps, are going to give the Buffs a heavy dose of the run game in general.

“We know what’s coming. They know they want to do it,” Cokes said. “So, point is to stop it. See it in practice.

“We know the challenge is up, so we just got to face it.”