Best and Worst Case Scenarios for Colorado, Deion Sanders Next Season

The Colorado Buffaloes enter the 2026 season with mixed expectations. The program is coming off of a disappointing 3-9 finish in 2025, but hires like offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve had brought some excitement to Boulder, Colorado.

With a new-look coaching staff as well as roster for the upcoming season, what are the best and worst case scenarios for Colorado coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes program?

colorado buffaloes best worst case scenarios betting odds deion sanders julian lewis transfer portal brennan marion — Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Legendary football and baseball player and father of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders on the sidelines prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Colorado's Best Case in 2026

Any signs of progress from last year's 3-9 record will be a welcome sight for Colorado, but the best case for "Coach Prime" and company is to become a serious contender in the race for the Big 12 Championship.

Oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook have set Colorado's win total at 4.5 games, meaning the Buffaloes would have to literally beat the odds just to be in the conversation for a Big 12 title. Winning the conference and making the College Football Playoff is obviously a lofty goal, but if Colorado can stay in contention in October and November, clear progress will have been made.

In 2025, Colorado lost its first three conference games which ultimately derailed the entire season.

The Buffs defense will need to turn things around if the team wants to improve upon a 1-8 Big 12 record that was the second worst in the conference. Colorado responded by bringing in 12 transfers on the defensive line as part of the 43 new Buffaloes that joined the team via the portal.

The expectations for Sanders and company are not to win the Big 12, but making a dark horse run at the conference crown would give the program some much-needed positive momentum.

Colorado's Worst Case Scenario in 2026

On the contrary, what would things look like for Colorado if the Buffaloes are not able to create any positive momentum?

The worst case scenario for Colorado would include losing quarterback Julian Lewis to the transfer portal. Perhaps even more specifically, the absolute worst case is if Lewis proves he has taken the next step in his development as a quarterback, but the rest of the Buffaloes roster has not improved enough to keep him in Boulder.

While Lewis is still an unproven commodity at the college level, his decision to stay in Colorado signaled the faith he has in the Buffaloes coaching staff to turn the program around. However, Lewis could choose to enter the transfer portal if little progress is shown.

The Buffs start off the season against Georgia Tech again, but early conference games against Baylor, Texas Tech, and Utah should provide a litmus test for Colorado's competitiveness in 2026.

Sanders and company brought in a group of wide receiver transfers highlighted by Danny Scudero, Kam Perry, and DeAndre Moore, and if Lewis does take the next step in his development, the Buffaloes offense could in fact hit the benchmark set for them by "Coach Prime": 30 points per game.

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