Biggest Concern Nobody Is Talking About for Deion Sanders, Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes enter the 2026 season with a number of unknowns thanks to new pieces on both the roster and the coaching staff under Colorado coach Deion Sanders, but quarterback Julian "JuJu" Lewis is one of the few players remaining from 2025 expected to have a major impact in the coming fall.

"Coach Prime" has not yet named Lewis his starting quarterback, which is similar to how Sanders handled the quarterback competition a season ago, but it would be a major surprise if anyone but Lewis lined up under center for the Buffs in week 1 against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

colorado buffaloes biggest concern deion sanders brennan marion julian lewis isaac wilson four star quarterback recruit — Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis speaks with reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Why Julian Lewis Could Be Colorado Buffaloes' Biggest Concern

Lewis' return to Boulder was considered a major win for Sanders and the Colorado coaching staff, but what if the former four-star recruit doesn't take the next step in his development? How will the young quarterback navigate his first full season as the starting quarterback of a Power Four team?

Context is necessary when looking at Lewis' stats in 2025 considering he was somewhat thrown into the fire with former Buffs quarterback Kaidon Salter getting benched, and Colorado has also since parted ways with former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Still, Lewis showed some promise in four appearances, throwing for 589 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions, completing 55.3 percent of his passes.

In the three games that Lewis threw more than 10 pass attempts, Colorado finished 0-3.

Many have seemingly taken Lewis and his recruiting ranking for granted, assuming that the former four-star will take the next step as a redshirt freshman and lead Colorado to wins.

The Buffs have made plenty of moves to support Lewis, like hiring a new offensive coordinator in Brennan Marion who brings new energy and new scheme to Colorado. Additionally, the team added transfer wide receivers like Danny Scudero, DeAndre Moore Jr., and Kam Perry while returning Quentin Gibson, and the Colorado offense will also feature transfer running backs Damian Henderson and JaQuail Smith.

However, oddsmakers aren't particularly confident in the Buffaloes when it comes to winning in 2026. FanDuel Sportsbook has set Colorado's projected win total at 4.5 games with -162 odds on the under hitting.

The new pieces on the Buffs' offense will only go as far as Lewis takes them, and Sanders likely doesn't want to rotate quarterbacks as often as Colorado did in 2025.

The defense has its own questions under new coordinator Chris Marve, namely stopping the run, but quarterback play could be the biggest difference maker for the Buffaloes this fall.

Colorado Buffaloes Quarterback Room

While Lewis has not yet been announced as the starting quarterback, it feels like his job to lose with Utah transfer Isaac Wilson and freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne rounding out the quarterback room.

In the spring game, Wilson completed 6 of 12 passes for 65 yards and 1 interception. On the other hand, Lewis completed 6 of his 11 pass attempts for 60 yards and the game's only touchdown, a pass to Scudero.

Spring game performances and stats are easy to read into without seeing what the coaches see in practice every day, and Wilson will likely be used in a backup role to add necessary and valuable depth at quarterback for Colorado.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google