Colorado Football Preview 2024: Biggest games, crucial players, predictions and more
With Deion Sanders in town, Colorado has become the most talked-about 4-8 team in the history of college football. But in his second season in Boulder, Deion hopes to improve the mark. The Buffaloes have made plenty of headlines, with Sanders running off and bringing in players at a previously unseen rate. How will it all go?
Here are some thoughts on the upcoming Colorado season.
Colorado's biggest games in 2024
The Buffs moved to the Big 12, but that league lost much of its mojo with Texas and Oklahoma jumping to the SEC. A season ago, Colorado was favored in four games and won exactly that number. They'll probably have a better situation in 2024.
A Week 2 game at Nebraska could be huge for both programs. In the early 1990s, it would have been unthinkable for the two teams to come in off losing seasons with the best hope at a bowl coming from beating the other. If Colorado can win, they have a reasonable shot at starting the season 5-0.
The other biggest games come at the back end of the schedule. Colorado plays Utah at home on Nov. 16 and then closes the regular season with a Friday game on Nov. 29 at home against Oklahoma State. Those two teams figure to be two of the most potent offenses and will be the best opportunities for a big upset for Colorado in 2024.
Key Colorado Players to Watch in 2024
#1. Shedeur Sanders, QB
The son of the coach, Shedeur was a revelation in 2023. Transferring over from Jackson State with his dad, the new QB threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns. He managed to throw just three interceptions in 430 pass attempts.
Sanders loves to throw the deep ball and with an influx of more talent and depth at the receiver spot, he could put up a statistically huge season. The next issue will be his leadership and ability to make plays late in close games.
#2. Travis Hunter, CB/WR
Hunter followed Deion Sanders to Jackson State as the No. 1 overall player in his high school recruiting class. He has continued to improve and was a two-way impact player at Colorado last year. He caught 57 passes for 721 yards and five scores. Defensively, the 6-foot-1 speedster is even better.
In 2023, Hunter had 30 tackles and defended eight passes, including three interceptions. His NFL future could be on either side of the ball, but he's a must-see showstopper at Colorado.
#3. LaJohntay Wester, WR
If Shedeur Sanders is going to throw for a ton of yards, somebody has to make the catches. Wester, who transfered in from Florida Atlantic, caught 108 passes for 1,168 yards and eight scores in 2023. At 5-foot-11, he's more of a slot guy than Hunter or Vandy transfer Will Sheppard.
Wester has the chance to put up an All-Big 12 season in Boulder this fall. He's another significant weapon for a potent Colorado passing attack.
Predictions for Colorado football in 2024
On offense, this Colorado Buffaloes team is potent. They'll likely top the 28.2 points and 364 yards per game of a year ago. They certainly need to improve on the FBS's worst rushing stats (69 yards per game, 2.3 yards per carry).
Defense remains the question mark. Colorado allowed 34.8 points and 453 yards per game defensively. New coordinator Robert Livingston has a little more talent to work with, but it's far from clear how much different Colorado will be on defense.
The first issue for Colorado should be reaching six wins, something they haven't done since 2016. A strong start seems likely, but the last month will be pretty challenging. There's six wins in there for Colorado, but there's probably no shots at many more.
What do you think of Colorado's chances for next season? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.