Colorado Receiver Danny Scudero's Most Important Matchups This Season

Following a season where the Colorado Buffaloes struggled to find success on offense, coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs placed an emphasis on finding talent on the perimeter through the transfer portal. Sanders was able to bring in one of the top receivers in the country with the addition of San Jose State wide receiver Danny Scudero.

Heading into next season, Scudero seems to be one of the top targets for redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who is projected to be the starter for Colorado. With a weapon like Scudero, Lewis could take a major step forward as he enters his first season under offensive coordinator Brennan Marion.

So, with Scudero seeming to be a crucial part of the Buffaloes' offense, here are three key matchups for him and Colorado’s passing game in 2026.

Key Matchups Colorado Buffaloes Receiver Danny Scudero Georgia Tech Texas Tech UCF Big 12 Coach Deion Sanders Brennan Marion — Sep 27, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Danny Scudero (10) catches the ball for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

In the first game of the season, Colorado gets a tough test right away as they go on the road to play against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

However, Colorado could have an opportunity to find success in the passing game against Georgia Tech. Last season, the Yellow Jackets allowed 235.2 passing yards per game, which ranked 98th in the country.

A major reason why the Buffaloes struggled on the offensive side of the ball last season was the inability to have reliable quarterback play, as well as struggling to establish the run. With Marion, Colorado should be able to have a more balanced offense with his desire to get the ball in space to playmakers and establish a physical rushing attack.

Against Georgia Tech, if the Buffaloes can establish the run, Scudero should be able to find openings and give Lewis easier throws to get the offense in a rhythm and in a position to have a great performance.

With Lewis still being a young quarterback, Scudero’s ability to give him easy completions could help Lewis to gain confidence and potentially form one of the more consistent quarterback-receiver duos in college football.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

A few weeks later, Colorado has a massive Big 12 matchup at home against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, who could be the favorites to win the conference.

In a game like this, Scudero may have to step up for Colorado to be one of the top options on the outside against what should be a great Texas Tech defense. Last season, the Red Raiders allowed 190.1 passing yards per game, ranking them 26th in the country.

With a younger quarterback like Lewis, Colorado must limit mistakes to keep his confidence high, but also allow themselves to win this game. Featuring a receiver like Scudero, who can take over a game, could be part of the formula that the Buffaloes choose to use against Texas Tech.

With Colorado playing against the Red Raiders, generating simple completions like screens and underneath passes to Scudero could help Lewis get in a rhythm and put the Texas Tech defense in tough positions all game long.

UCF Knights

In the final game of the season, the Buffaloes have another matchup against a solid defense as the Buffaloes match up against the UCF Knights.

During the 2025 season, UCF did a great job against opposing pass attacks, as they allowed 185.1 pass yards per game and ranked 22nd in the nation. While the Knights did struggle to be successful as a team last season, the pass defense was no doubt a strength and something that UCF could lean on next season.

For Colorado, this game against the Knights is the last game of the regular season, which could bring a lot of pressure depending on where they sit heading into it. With the schedule the Buffaloes have, this is a game that could determine whether or not Colorado is bowl eligible, which could put a lot of pressure on Coach Prime and the Buffaloes.

In a game with this kind of magnitude, Scudero must take over regardless of how the UCF defense tries to cover him. For Scudero, Marion could go a long way in helping him to take over with the ability to line up Scudero all over the field. Previously, Marion has talked about his offense being positionless and the fact that receivers will line up in a variety of ways in offensive formations, which often creates tough matchups for opposing defenses.

With a player like Scudero, his precise route running, consistent hands, and solid speed are all factors that could help him to be a great target, whether it be on the outside or in the slot.

While Marion may use Scudero in different ways throughout the season, this game specifically could be the difference between Colorado’s offense being productive or struggling against what seems to be a solid UCF defense.

As Scudero prepares for this game later in the season, his ability to produce all over the field and create mismatches for Lewis to exploit could be exactly what the Buffaloes need to secure the second-winning season under Coach Prime and potentially become bowl eligible once again.

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