Editor’s note: Fourth in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2025.
The last time the nation as a whole, and the BYU Cougars specifically, saw the Colorado Buffaloes they were slowly sauntering off the field after the Alamo Bowl at San Antonio’s Alamodome, their collective tails between their legs.
Coach Prime’s team — America’s Team, as it were — was humiliated to the tune of 36-14, and it could have been worse if BYU coach Kalani Sitake hadn’t called off the dogs, and if BYU’s offense hadn’t started giving the ball away.
The bad news for the Buffs is that they lost a lot of key players off that 9-4 team that had finished in a four-way tie for first place in the Big 12 with a 7-2 record, most notably Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
If Deion Sanders’ program expects to keep the momentum rolling in Boulder, it will have to find adequate replacements for those generational players, particularly Hunter. There have also been questions regarding the coach’s health as he enters his third season running the show at Folsom Field.
The 57-year-old Sanders has dealt with several health issues recently, causing some to wonder how long he will remain at CU now that his two sons — defensive back Shiloh Sanders is also moving on — have left the program.
After missing some football camps in Boulder in June, Sanders posted on X that “everything is OKAY” and he was “truly blessed for the abundance of well wishes, for all the thoughts and all the prayers.” ESPN reported that Sanders was ill and recovering in Texas and that the recent issues were not related to having two toes on his left foot amputated in 2021 due to blood clot issues while he was coaching at Jackson State.
At the Big 12 football media days last week, Sanders confirmed that he is feeling much better and is fully prepared to guide the Buffaloes in 2025.
On the field, Sanders has other pressing issues to solve, most notably the utter lack of a rushing attack in 2024. For all the good that Shedeur Sanders, Hunter, Jimmy Horn, LaJohntay Wester and Will Sheppard did in 2024, the Buffs still had the worst running game in the country.
The pass protection was not good either, as BYU proved in the bowl game by mercilessly forcing Shedeur Sanders into one mistake after another.
Speaking of BYU, the Buffaloes will get another shot at the Cougars — and soon. After hosting Georgia Tech and Delaware the first two games, CU opens its second season in the Big 12 on the road at Houston. The Buffs will get another tuneup game on Sept. 20 when Wyoming visits, and then should be champing at the bit to welcome BYU to Boulder on Sept. 27 for a rematch, and possibly some revenge.
The likely replacement for Shedeur Sanders is Liberty transfer quarterback Kaidon Salter, who is entering his fifth college football season. Salter threw for 1,886 yards and 15 touchdowns last year for the Flames, and enters CU having thrown for nearly 6,000 yards in his college career.
True freshman quarterback Julian Lewis might have a higher upside, however, coming in as a four-star recruit. Sanders said at the Big 12 media days that he isn’t against playing both guys this season.
“Yeah, as long as they’re doing their jobs and we’re winning, we definitely want to continue to develop JuJu, but Kaidon is unbelievable. Kaidon is off the chain. He’s been there, done that. He can get the job done. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t trust him,” Sanders said. “But JuJu is coming around the mountain when he comes.
“And I love him. I love what he brings to the table. I don’t know how it’s going to play out as long as it plays out. We can’t lose either way. With either of those two.”
As usual, Coach Prime hit the transfer portal hard, perhaps remembering the Alamodome disaster a little too much. He brought in another outstanding group of receivers to complement returners Drelon Miller and Omarion Miller, guys such as Sincere Brown (Campbell), Hykeem Williams (Florida State) and Joseph Williams (Tulsa).
Running backs coach Marshall Faulk has some talent to work with in Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch and transfer DeKalon Taylor (Incarnate Word).
After placing 130th in the nation in total defense in 2023, Colorado improved immensely on that side of the ball in 2024. The Buffs led the Big 12 in sacks, tackles for loss and takeaways.
This year’s defense should be able to continue to wreak havoc on opposing offenses, especially if Alabama transfer Jaheim Oatis can bolster a depleted defensive line and linebackers Arden Walker and Samuel Okunlola continue to develop. Walker had 4.5 sacks last year.
Martavius French, a transfer from UTSA, will headline an improved secondary.
Bottom line, Sanders said, is that the Buffs don’t expect to fall back into mediocrity.
“We want to win. We want to win at all costs. We want to be in that championship game. ... That’s what we want to do and that’s what we’re gearing up for,” he said. “That’s all we playing for. We play to win. We don’t just play to compete”
Colorado Buffaloes 2025 preview
2024 record: 9-4 (7-2 Big 12)
Utah ties
• BYU offensive tackle Isaiah Jatta transferred in from Colorado
2025 schedule
- Aug. 29 — Georgia Tech
- Sept. 6 — Delaware
- Sept. 12 — at Houston
- Sept. 20 — Wyoming
- Sept. 27 — BYU
- Oct. 4 — at TCU
- Oct. 11 — Iowa State
- Oct. 18 — Open
- Oct. 25 — at Utah
- Nov. 1 — Arizona
- Nov. 8 — at West Virginia.
- Nov. 15 — Open
- Nov. 22 — Arizona State
- Nov. 29 — at Kansas State