(Photo Credit: Imagn Images)
Key Players Returning:
WR Dre’lon Miller, OG Kareem Harden, OT Jordan Seaton, DE Samuel Okunlola, DE Keaten Wade, DE Arden Walker, DT Amari McNeill, CB/PR Colton Hood, CB DJ McKinney, NB Preston Hodge, FS Carter Stoutmire, and PK Alejandro Mata.
Key Players Departing:
QB Shedeur Sanders, WR/KR Jimmy Horn Jr., WR/CB Travis Hunter, WR Will Sheppard, WR LaJohntay Wester, OC Hank Zilinskas, OG Justin Mayers, OT Tyler Brown, DE BJ Green II, DE Taje McCoy, DT Shane Cokes, NT Chidozie Nwankwo, LB LaVonta Bentley, LB Nikhai Hill-Green, LB Trevor Woods, FS Shilo Sanders, SS Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, and PT Mark Vassett.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: QB Julian Lewis (Carrollton, Georgia), DT Jehiem Oatis (Alabama transfer), OT Carde Smith (Mobile, Alabama), OL Chauncey Gooden (Nashville, Tennessee), EDGE London Merritt (Bradenton, Florida), WR Adrian Wilson (Pflugerville, Texas), WR Quanell Farrakhan Jr. (Houston, Texas), DS Noah King (Kansas State transfer), WR Hykeem Williams (FSU transfer), and WR Sincere Brown (Campbell transfer).
2024 Results:
G01 NORTH DAKOTA STATE W 31-26
G02 @ Nebraska L 10-28
G03 @ Colorado State W 28-9
G04 BAYLOR W/OT 38-31
G05 @ UCF W 48-21
G06 #18 KANSAS STATE L 28-31
G07 @ Arizona W 34-7
G08 CINCINNATI W 34-23
G09 @ Texas Tech W 41-27
G10 UTAH W 49-24
G11 @ Kansas L 21-37
G12 OKLAHOMA STATE W 52-0
BOWL vs. #17 BYU L 14-36
Team Info:
2024 Overall: 9-4 (4th in PAC-12)
Home: 5-1
Away: 4-2
Neutral: 0-1
P12: 7-2
Non-P12: 2-2
Head Coach: Deion Sanders
Colorado: 13-12
Bowls: 0-1
Career: 40-16
(Photo Credit: CU Athletics)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: None
Rushing: Dallan Hayden (64 car., 196 yards, 3.1 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Dre’lon Miller (32 rec., 277 yards, 8.7 avg., 3 TD)
TD’s Scored: Micah Welch (4)
Sacks: Arden Walker (4.5)
Tackles: Carter Stoutmire (43)
Interceptions: Preston Hodge/Colton Hood (2)
Pass Deflections: Preston Hodge/Carter Stoutmire (7)
Tackles For Loss: Keaten Wade (8)
Forced Fumbles: 5 Tied (1)
Kick Returns: Colton Hood (6 ret., 119 yards, 19.8 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Isaiah Hardge (1 ret., 17 yards, 17.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Alejandro Mata (12-15 fg/fga., 80%, 55-55 xp/xpa., 91 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters:
QB: 3 Kaidon Salter (RS SR/TR)
RB: 29 Micah Welch (SO)
WR: 4 Omarion Miller (JR)
WR: 8 Joseph Williams (SO/TR)
WR: 6 Dre’lon Miller (SO)
TE: 85 Zach Atkins (RS JR/TR)
LT: 77 Jordan Seaton (SO)
LG: 72 Zylon Crisler (GR/TR)
OC: 58 Zarian McGill (SR/TR)
RG: 74 Aki Ogunbiyi (RS SR/TR)
RT: 00 Xavier Hill (GR/TR)
KR: 3 Colton Hood (RS SO/TR)
PK: 16 Alejando Mata (SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 53 Arden Walker (RS SR/TR)
NT: 90 Jehiem Oatis (RS JR/TR)
DT: 94 Tavian Coleman (SR/TR)
DE: 93 Samuel Okunlola (RS JR/TR)
LB: 50 Reginald Hughes (GR/TR)
LB: 37 Martavius French (RS SR/TR)
NB: 24 Preston Hodge (SR/TR)
CB: 3 Colton Hood (RS SO/TR)
CB: 8 DJ MicKinney (RS JR/TR)
FS: 23 Carter Stoutmire (JR)
SS: 9 Tawfiq Byard (RS SO/TR)
PR: 17 Isaiah Hardge (RS SO)
PT: 35 Damon Greaves (JR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: A
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/29 GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS | First meeting.
09/06 DELAWARE BLUE HENS | First meeting.
09/12 @ Houston Cougars | Colorado won (29-17) the only prior meeting between schools in 1971.
09/20 WYOMING COWBOYS | Colorado leads the series 24-3-1. The Buffaloes won (24-0) the last meeting in 2009, and they won (20-19) the prior meeting in 1997.
09/27 BYU COUGARS | Colorado leads the series 8-4-1. The Buffaloes lost (14-36) last season’s meeting, and they lost (17-20) the prior meeting in 1988.
10/04 @ TCU Horned Frogs | The series is tied 1-1. The Buffaloes won (45-42) the last meeting in 2023, and they lost (13-38) the inaugural meeting in 2022.
10/11 IOWA STATE CYCLONES | Colorado leads the series 49-15-1. The Buffaloes won (34-14) the last meeting in 2010, and they lost (10-17) the prior meeting in 2009.
10/25 @ Utah Utes | Colorado trails the series 33-35-3. The Buffaloes are 2-8 since 2015, and their last series loss (17-23) was in 2023.
11/01 ARIZONA WILDCATS | Colorado leads the series 17-10. The Buffaloes are 4-6 since 2015, and their last series loss (31-34) was in 2023.
11/08 @ West Virginia Mountaineers | The series is tied 1-1. The Buffaloes lost (24-35) the last meeting in 2009, and they won (17-14) the inaugural meeting in 2008.
11/22 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS | Colorado trails the series 4-10. The Buffaloes are 4-4 since 2015, and they won (27-24) the last meeting in 2023.
11/29 @ Kansas State Wildcats | Colorado leads the series 45-21-1. The Buffaloes lost (28-31) last season’s meeting, and they won (44-36) the prior meeting in 2010.
Predictions:
Home: 5-2
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 3-6
Non-B12: 2-1
Overall: 5-7 (13th in Big XII)
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