Colorado Buffaloes safety Randon Fontenette has three regular-season games left in his college career, and he would love for at least one of them to end with the ball in his hands.

The last Colorado takeaway came against Utah on Oct. 17, and for a 3-6 team that now needs to win out to reach a bowl, the dry spell has the 6-2, 220-pound Vanderbilt transfer itching for the ball.

"Yeah, man, it's been on everybody's mind, my mind. It's kind of tough not getting the takeaways you feel like you set for yourself coming to the season. But it's all about the response and continue to work on it and continue to emphasize it. So we've been doing that, and I'm starving for a turnover," Fontenette said.

"Hopefully, well, it's gonna happen, not hopefully. It's gonna happen. We just gotta keep going and keep our head up and not let the moment get us down or not let us not getting takeaways in a moment persuade us that it's not gonna happen in the future. So just stay down and it's gonna come."

Houston visits Folsom Field on Friday night, though, and the menu doesn't look very generous.

Conner Weigman doesn't leave many crumbs

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman has thrown two interceptions on 257 attempts this season, and his last one came against Oklahoma State on the same Saturday Colorado picked off Utah twice for its most recent takeaways. Fontenette has heard about the former five-star recruit for years.

"Yeah, he's an older guy, he was class of '22, so he was from my area, so I heard about him a lot. Real experienced guy, played a lot of football, he's a winner," Fontenette said. "If you look at his record, has that dog mentality, he's willing to put the team on his back. So it's gonna be a good challenge, but I feel like we got the guys that can go make it happen. We gotta make it happen, we can't just talk about it, we gotta do it."

Fontenette's lone interception this season came against FCS Weber State in September, and as luck would have it, the fumble he forced against Utah bounced right back into the Utes' hands.

His first career pick, on the other hand, came off Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in 2024, a 29-yard return for a touchdown that put Vanderbilt ahead 13-0 on the way to a 40-35 upset of the top-ranked Crimson Tide.

“It was God’s gift,” Fontenette said of the play at 2025 SEC Media Days in Atlanta. “It (the ball) just came down to me, I saw the end zone, and I ran to the end zone. I just feel like it was one of those plays that comes from all the hard work you put in.” 

Randon Fontenette gets his hometown school in Boulder

Fontenette grew up in Freeport, Texas, starred at Brazosport High School and opened his college career at TCU before two seasons at Vanderbilt. Houston recruited him too, which adds extra seasoning to Friday's matchup.

"It means more just 'cause it's a Houston team. They offered me, but it just means more playing your hometown school. Every time I play a Texas school, even at my previous school, it's personal," Fontenette said.

"So it's gonna be fun to go out there, and then it's a late-night game, so I love those. It's gonna be fun to fly around and showcase my ability and get the win with the guys and trend upward, just get some going."

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