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By Jordan Sigler
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The Colorado Buffaloes stayed in the chase to make an appearance in the Big 12 championship until the final weekend of the 2024 campaign in the final season of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.
The Buffaloes finished with a 9-4 record in 2024, a huge turnaround from the 4-8 record they had in 2023, Deion Sanders' first season as head coach. Colorado took a step back last season, going 3-9.
Deion is 16-21 in his first three seasons with Colorado, and 2026 will be a huge opportunity to prove he can build a program that can win without his sons on the roster.
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Per OurLads, the Buffaloes are projected to start all 11 players on defense from the transfer portal. Colorado should start six transfers on offense, including three offensive linemen. How Colorado plays this year will depend on quarterback Julian Lewis, a five-star commit from the 2025 class.
Here are the three games that will define Sanders' fourth season with Colorado.
Colorado at Georgia Tech (Sept. 3)
Georgia Tech beat Colorado 27-20 at Folsom Field in Week 1 last season.
The Yellow Jackets could backtrack this season after losing quarterback Haynes King to the NFL and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner to the Florida Gators, though the Buffaloes are going through plenty of changes of their own this offseason.
The Buffaloes would earn credibility by beating an ACC program on the road in their season opener.
Texas Tech at Colorado (Oct. 3)
Lewis and the offense will struggle at home against a stout Texas Tech defense. The Red Raiders reloaded after sending six defenders to the 2026 NFL Draft.
However, the Red Raiders' chances to repeat as Big 12 champions took a hit when it was decided quarterback Brendan Sorsby would not play this season after admitting to having a gambling addiction. An upset of TTU would be huge for Sanders and Colorado.
Houston at Colorado (Nov. 13)
Head coach Willie Fritz made a big leap with Houston in his second season, finishing 10-3 with the Cougars and beating LSU in the Texas Bowl.
The Cougars are a trendy darkhorse to win the Big 12 this year, and could be ranked when Colorado hosts them in mid-November. Cincinnati and UCF await Colorado at the end of the season, but this contest against Houston will be Sanders' last best shot to beat a quality contender in the conference.
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