Analysts Predict Colorado Buffaloes Win Total This Fall

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The Colorado Buffaloes are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season that resulted in just three wins. According to the team's projected win total from DraftKings Sportsbook, another losing season in Boulder is to be expected.
The Cover 3 Podcast on Monday went over Big 12 win totals. What did they have to say about the Buffaloes?
Colorado Predicted To Go Under Win Total

DraftKings has Colorado’s win total for the 2026 season at 4.5. The odds on the over are +134 while then under is -160, and Tom Fornelli of the Cover 3 Podcast is taking the under.
“I’m on the under here. Colorado is tough to predict because there is so much turnover on the roster. This is a huge portal class,” Fornelli said. “I have no idea what to expect from this team on defense…On offense, there’s returners on the offensive line, but you lost your best offensive lineman. Julian Lewis I think is talented, I just didn’t see enough from him last year to have me truly buy in.”
Colorado has 43 incoming players from the transfer portal, bringing a lot of unknowns to the table this season. On offense, Fornelli referenced how they are returning some of their key offensive lineman, but also how they lost their top player that position to the portal this offseason in offensive tackle Jordan Seaton. Seaton is now at LSU.

Fornelli is on the fence about Buffs quarterback Julian Lewis. Lewis played in four games last season for Colorado and is now a redshirt freshman. He threw for 589 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions.
As for the schedule, Colorado has a difficult non-conference slate before Big 12 play even gets underway. The Buffs will have to go on the road to play the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets of the ACC and then a few weeks later they will play another road game against the Northwestern Wildcats of the Big Ten. These are by no means games that can be chalked up as wins.
Former NFL quarterback and Cover 3 Podcast host Danny Kanell also weighed in on leaning towards the under.

Deion Sanders' Two New Coordinators
The reality with this Colorado team is there is so much new, it is hard to envision how the season may go. In addition to a revamped roster is a new-look coaching staff.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders made hires this offseason at both offensive and defensive coordinator.

Coach Prime hired former Sacramento State Hornets coach Brennan Marion as offensive coordinator. Marion was at Sac. State for just one season in 2025, leading them to a 7-5 record one year removed from a three-win season. Marion’s offense averaged 33.8 points per game. He will bring his go-go offensive style to Boulder. This is an uptempo style offense that primarily features the quarterback in the shotgun with two running backs.
On defense, Sanders hired Chris Marve as defensive coordinator. Marve was promoted from linebackers coach this offseason before even coaching for Colorado a game due to former Buffs defensive coordinator Robert Livingston leaving for an NFL assistant coaching job following the 2025 season. Marve was previously the defensive coordinator for the Virginia Tech Hokies from 2022-2024.
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Cory Pappas is sports writer for USC Trojans On SI, Oregon Ducks On SI and Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Since starting in March of 2024, he has been writing breaking news stories, game previews, game recaps, and more across College Sports, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympics for Total Apex Sports. In addition to writing, Cory is also a sports data scout for Sportradar. He covers live sporting events ranging from college athletics to semi-pro and professional. Before joining the industry, Cory graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022. He ran track for Oregon's club Track and Field team. Before Oregon, he played varsity basketball and track and field in high school in Walnut Creek, CA. Cory is using his lifelong passion for sports and writing together.
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