3 teams that could beat Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes by double digits ft. Utah Utes
Deion Sanders is set to enter his second season as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes as the program returns to the Big 12 for the first time since the 2010 season. They will begin regular season play on Thursday, August 29 as they host the North Dakota State Bison.
Their first FBS matchup will come the following Saturday as they visit the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Colorado will kick off conference play with a September 21 home meeting with the Baylor Bears. The Buffaloes got off to a great 3-0 start in Sanders' first season at the helm, but they won just one of their final nine games.
While three of those losses came by at least 10 points, they will not face any of those opponents this season. Take a look at three new opponents who could beat Colorado by double digits in 2024 below.
3 teams that could beat Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes by double digits
#1: Utah Utes
The Utah Utes will join the Colorado Buffaloes in making the move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. While Colorado kept things close against Utah in 2023, losing 23-17, the Utes offense struggled in the absence of starting quarterback Cameron Rising, finishing the season ranked 98th out of 130 teams in scoring offense.
As he returns from a torn ACL, Utah's offense will likely look more like the unit that finished 11th in scoring offense in 2022. That could mean trouble for a Buffaloes defense that ranked just 121st in scoring defense last season.
#2: Oklahoma State Cowboys
The Oklahoma State Cowboys' offense is led by 2023 unanimous All-American Ollie Gordon II. He led the nation in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage en route to receiving the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back. Meanwhile, the Colorado Buffaloes struggled mightily against the run last season, ranking 107th in rushing yards allowed and 112th in rushing touchdowns allowed.
Gordon II, who had two games over 250 rushing yards and five games over 150 rushing yards last season, could be in line for a big game. If the Buffs are unable to shore up their run defense, they could be in position to lose by double digits.
#3: Kansas State Wildcats
The Kansas State Wildcats were strong on both sides of the ball last season, ranking 10th in scoring offense and 26th in scoring defense. They had an elite rushing attack that was led by DJ Giddens. Furthermore, they added Dylan Edwards, who led the Colorado Buffaloes with 321 rushing yards and ranked fourth on the team with 299 receiving yards last season, via the transfer portal.
Kansas State is expected to once again have a balanced roster. That could spell trouble for the Buffaloes if their defense does not take a step forward.