Colorado Buffaloes Face Steep Climb To Keep Bowl Aspirations Alive

The Colorado Buffaloes are fighting to keep their bowl hopes alive, but Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his team will have to win all three of their remaining games in order to reach the necessary six wins.

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the first quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes are in a rough spot, now 3-6 after last weekend’s blowout loss to Arizona. Bowl hopes aren’t dead, but they’re hanging by a thread. 

To keep them alive, Colorado needs wins against West Virginia, Arizona State, and Kansas State, a tough ask for any team, especially one still trying to get its groove back.

The numbers don’t do them any favors. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives them just a 3 percent chance of hitting six wins and projects a 4-8 finish. 

Oct 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on during a time out in the game against the Utah Utes during the second quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Colorado also dropped eight spots to No. 67 overall and 14th in the Big 12 — the biggest tumble in the conference this week. West Virginia, by comparison, jumped 10 spots to No. 75. On paper, it’s a matchup of two teams going in opposite directions.

Still, Deion Sanders shouldn’t be sweating the rankings. 

In the locker room, the message is simple: believe, stay focused, and take it one game at a time. Sanders has shown he thrives when people write his team off, and right now, that’s exactly where the Buffaloes are.

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Can Deion Sanders pull the Buffaloes back into bowl contention?

Nov 1, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The way the schedule is set up, it's no surprise that Colorado faces an uphill battle to get to a bowl game. Even if they win out, it won't be easy for Sanders and his team.

It's not a question of whether one can envision the Buffaloes knocking off West Virginia or even Kansas State. The bigger hurdle, though, is Arizona State, who coach Kenny Dillingham has rolling right now. Even without quarterback Sam Leavitt, the Sun Devils are strong across the board, especially on offense.

A lot of it will fall on true freshman five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, expected to take the reins the rest of the season for Colorado. And if indeed Lewis can live up to his billing, coupled with a sweep by the Buffaloes, then that will be quite a turnaround.

As steep as the road to a bowl looks, ultimately, the Buffaloes control their own destiny. If they win out, it’s on them — and with Sanders leading the way, anything is possible.

Does Starting Julian Lewis Help Or Hurt The Buffaloes Bowl Chances?

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Sanders made a bold call giving true freshman Julian Lewis the starting quarterback job for the rest of the season. It’s a risk, no doubt, but Sanders is clearly willing to roll the dice.

While the move is mostly about the future, it could help Colorado right now. Letting Lewis get real game experience might spark the offense and give the Buffaloes a shot at the wins they need to reach six.

Of course, there’s a downside. Mistakes are going to happen, and growing pains are part of the process. Sanders and his staff will be keeping a close eye on how Lewis handles it. 

How he plays in these last few games could decide not just Colorado’s record, but whether the Buffaloes get a chance to extend their season into a bowl.