Coach Prime’s Colorado squad has proven the doubters wrong in two straight seasons.
In Deion Sanders’ first year in Boulder, the oddsmakers set the Buffaloes’ win total at 3.5. It was a complete rebuild from a squad that was 1-11 the previous season. The transfer portal was used to remake the roster unlike anything we’d seen in the sport.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders looks on as a field goal drill is attempted in the Black and Gold Spring Game at Folsom Field in April.
After starting the season 3-0, the Buffs won a single conference game to finish 4-8. Whether you win four games early in the season, late in the season or spread them all out, you’re still over the win total.
Last season, Colorado’s win total was set around six but most often around 5.5 wins.
Colorado easily cleared that bar with a 9-3 record, winning multiple games in blowout fashion. The Buffaloes had a premier quarterback, and then they had the Heisman winner at receiver and cornerback. Both of those players are in the NFL, along with most of the offensive production.
Can Colorado prove the doubters wrong three straight seasons?
Colorado’s offense under offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was successful because of the players, not the scheme. It was evident during the pre-draft process, as people spent hours evaluating Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. It’s an offense with little creativity. Static formations, no tight end usage and very little to help the quarterback. No effort to run the football with any consistency and no core concepts that were staples for success.
Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter have both taken their talents from CU to the NFL.
It was an offense that succeeded because the players made plays. You can argue it was tailored to the players and that’s why it was designed in this way, but I don’t buy it. Plenty of creative offenses have successful quarterbacks.
Sanders is being replaced by either Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter or freshman Julian Lewis. Neither player is what Sanders was, and they’d need some help around them to make the offense function like last season.
The Buffs lose their top four receivers and hope to replace them with more transfer portal additions, but it’s difficult to replace all that production quickly. The offensive line was horrid for two straight seasons, mostly due to a quick-fix mentality. Instead of building that unit via high school recruiting, the Buffs went portal-heavy, outside left tackle. Their left tackle is legit and played well for a true freshman.
Along with Jordan Seaton, the offensive line will see four more starters via the portal. It’s just not a sustainable way of having any success on the offensive line. If they can’t block — in the run game or pass game — this offense will stall out. It’s not as talented as last season. That is my concern.
Shedeur Sanders’ draft fall ‘hurt’ — is Deion Sanders the problem?
Now let’s look at Colorado’s defense, because it was good last season, and it wasn’t talked about enough.
First-time college defensive coordinator Rob Livingston did a wonderful job of getting his unit better throughout the year. The Buffaloes were especially strong in the second half of games. They were ninth in the country in second-half points allowed, and it showed in much of their multiple touchdown games. They do lose some production from the defensive line and secondary, but after what I saw last season, I have to believe the defense will be ready to improve further in 2025.
They do not have Hunter at corner, which does change the defense. But if they can get some more pass rush and fire up the pressure packages, the defense should be able to maintain success.
The Buffaloes’ 2024 schedule did help their success. They played some of the worst teams in the conference and missed on most of the best quarterbacks. No Arizona State, BYU (in conference) or Iowa State. All three of those teams are on the schedule for 2025.
The Buffaloes travel to Utah, which should be far better than the injury-depleted team they faced in 2024. Road trips to West Virginia, TCU and Kansas State will be difficult. They will not be a favorite in many of those games.
The Buffs get Georgia Tech in Week 1, and the Yellow Jackets will look to punch them in the mouth over and over again for 60 minutes. With all the transfers, that’s probably not a great team to start with.
I’m going Under the Colorado win total this season.
I don’t trust the offense without Sanders at quarterback, and CU has lost so much production on that side of the ball. While I like the defense from last season, the Buffs play better quarterbacks this season. The team does not have much proven depth and any amount of injuries could derail the season quickly.
PICK: Colorado Under 6.5 regular-season wins
Geoff Schwartz is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He played eight seasons in the NFL for five different teams. He started at right tackle for the University of Oregon for three seasons and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection his senior year. Follow him on Twitter @GeoffSchwartz.
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