(QB Shedeur Sanders – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Shedeur Sanders, WR/KR Jimmy Horn Jr., WR Travis Hunter, OC Hank Zilinskas, OG Kareem Harden, DT Amari McNeill, LB LaVonta Bentley, LB Trevor Woods, NB Travis Hunter, FS Shilo Sanders, SS Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, PK Alejandro Mata, and PT Mark Vassett.
Key Players Departing:
RB Dylan Edwards (Kansas State transfer), RB Anthony Hankerson (Oregon State transfer), WR/PR Xavier Weaver, OG Jack Bailey (Northwestern transfer), OT Isaiah Jatta (Yale transfer), OT Savion Washington (Syracuse transfer), DE Tajih Alston, LB Jordan Domineck, LB Marvin Ham II (Arkansas State transfer), CB Omarion Cooper (FSU transfer), and SS Rodrick Ward.
(OT Jordan Seaton – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: OL Jordan Seaton (Bradenton, Florida).
4 Star Recruits: WR Dreion Miller (Silsbee, Texas), ATH Kamron Mikell (Statesboro, Georgia), DE Samuel Okunlola (PITT transfer), DL Quency Wiggins (LSU transfer), DE BJ Green (Arizona State transfer), WR Will Sheppard (Vanderbilt transfer), DE Rayyan Buell (Ohio transfer), OL Tyler Johnson (Houston transfer), and DS Preston Hodge (Liberty transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 @ #17 TCU W 45-42
G02 NEBRASKA W 36-14
G03 COLORADO STATE W (2OT) 43-35
G04 @ #10 Oregon L 6-42
G05 #8 USC L 41-48
G06 @ Arizona State W 27-24
G07 STANFORD L (2OT) 43-46
G08 @ #23 UCLA L 16-28
G09 #16 OREGON STATE L 19-26
G10 #21 ARIZONA L 31-34
G11 @ Washington State L 14-56
G12 @ Utah L 17-23
Team Info:
2023 Overall: 4-8 (12th in PAC-12)
Home: 2-4
Away: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
P12: 1-8
Non-P12: 3-0
Head Coach: Deion Sanders
Colorado: 4-8
Career: 31-14
Bowls: 0-0
(WR Jimmy Horn Jr. – CU Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Shedeur Sanders (298-430, 3230 yards, 69.3%, 7.5 avg., 27 TD, 3 INT)
Rushing: Charlie Offerdahl (2 car., 11 yards, 5.5 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Jimmy Horn Jr. (58 rec., 567 yards, 9.8 avg., 6 TD)
TD’s Scored: Jimmy Horn Jr. (6)
Sacks: LaVonta Bentley (5)
Tackles: Shilo Sanders (70)
Interceptions: Travis Hunter/Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig (3)
Pass Deflections: Travis Hunter (5)
Tackles For Loss: LaVonta Bentley (11)
Forced Fumbles: Shilo Sanders (4)
Kick Returns: Jimmy Horn Jr. (7 ret., 183 yards, 26.1 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jimmy Horn Jr. (7 ret., 18 yards, 2.6 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Alejandro Mata (10-12 fg/fga., 83%, 26-27 xp/xpa., 56 pts.)
Punting: Mark Vassett (64 punts, 2845 yards, 44.5 avg., 22 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 2 Shedeur Sanders (SR/TR)
RB: 44 Charlie Offerdahl (RS JR)
WR: 14 Will Sheppard (GR/TR)
WR: 12 Travis Hunter (JR/TR)
WR: 5 Jimmy Horn Jr. (SR/TR)
WR: 81 Sam Hart (GR/TR)
LT: 77 Jordan Seaton (FR)
LG: 56 Tyler Brown (RS SR/TR)
OC: 58 Hank Zilinskas (SO)
RG: 66 Justin Mayers (RS SR/TR)
RT: 67 Kahlil Benson (RS JR/TR)
KR: 5 Jimmy Horn Jr. (SR/TR)
PK: 16 Alejando Mata (JR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 35 BJ Green II (SR/TR)
NT: 97 Chidozie Nwankwo (SR/TR)
DT: 99 Shane Cokes (GR/TR)
DE: 50 Dayon Hayes (RS SR/TR)
LB: 20 LaVonta Bentley (GR/TR)
LB: 43 Trevor Woods (SR)
NB: 12 Travis Hunter (JR/TR)
CB: 8 DJ McKinney (RS SO/TR)
CB: 24 Preston Hodge (SR/TR)
FS: 21 Shilo Sanders (GR/TR)
SS: 7 Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig (SR/TR)
PR: 5 Jimmy Horn Jr. (SR/TR)
PT: 15 Mark Vassett (SR/TR)
(FS Shilo Sanders – Getty Images)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/31 NORTH DAKOTA STATE BISON | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | Colorado trails the series 21-49-2. Last season’s 36-34 win was the first meeting between schools since 2019.
09/14 @ Colorado State Rams | Colorado leads the series 68-22-2. The Buffaloes are 6-1 since 2014, and their last series loss (17-31) was in 2014.
09/21 BAYLOR BEARS | Colorado leads the series 9-7. The Buffaloes lost (25-31) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
09/28 @ UCF Knights | First meeting between schools.
10/12 KANSAS STATE WILDCATS | Colorado leads the series 45-20-1. The Buffaloes won (44-36) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
10/19 @ Arizona Wildcats | Colorado leads the series 16-10. The Buffaloes are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (34-0) was in 2021.
10/26 CINCINNATI BEARCATS | Colorado won (56-14) the only prior meeting between schools in 1972.
11/09 @ Texas Tech Red Raiders | The series is tied. The Buffaloes lost (24-27) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
11/16 UTAH UTES | Colorado trails the series 32-35-3. The Buffaloes are 1-9 since 2014, and their last series win (27-22) was in 2016.
11/23 @ Kansas Jayhawks | Colorado leads the series 42-23-3. The Buffaloes lost (45-52) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
11/29 OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS | Colorado leads the series 24-3-1. The Buffaloes won (24-0) the last meeting between schools in 2009.
Predictions:
Home: 6-0
Away: 4-2
Neutral: 1-1
B12: 7-2
Non-B12: 4-1
Overall: 11-3 (2nd in Big XII/Big XII Champion/12th Seed – Eliminated in First Round)
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