The Reason Why Colorado is Deserving of Low Big 12 Preseason Ranking

The Colorado Buffaloes won just three games in 2025 and will aim to have a big improvement in 2026.

Colorado Deserving of No. 14 Ranking in Big 12?

colorado buffaloes deion sanders preseason big 12 power ranking betting odds conference title win total transfer portal — Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Athlon Sports revealed their 2026 Big 12 preseason power rankings. They ranked Colorado No. 14. The Buffs finished last season No. 15 in the conference.

Here is their full list of Big 12 team ranked from 1-16.

1. Texas Tech Red Raiders
2. BYU Cougars
3. Houston Cougars
4. Utah Utes
5. Kansas State Wildcats
6. Arizona Wildcats
7. Arizona State Sun Devils
8. TCU Horned Frogs
9. Oklahoma State Cowboys
10. West Virginia Mountaineers
11. Kansas Jayhawks
12. Baylor Bears
13. Cincinnati Bearcats
14. Colorado Buffaloes
15. UCF Knights
16. Iowa State Cyclones

Is 14 a fair ranking for Colorado? It’s hard to argue it’s not until they prove otherwise.

Colorado went 3-9 in 2025, missing a bowl game for the second time in three years under coach Deion Sanders. While Coach Prime will be back on the sidelines, many of the coaches and players from last season won’t be.

The Buffs lost 36 players from last year’s team to the portal and on the flip side, have 43 incoming transfers. The good news for Colorado fans about having this much roster turnover is that last year’s team did perform well and there is an unknown about what these new players can bring to the table.

This transfer class is headlined by four star transfers: wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr., linebacker Liona Lefau, and safety Boo Carter. If those players are able to fit well and thrive, Colorado might end up proving this No. 14 preseason ranking wrong. The reason why 14 is a fair ranking for now is that this group has to first perform well on the playing field.

There are also new coaches with Brennan Marion taking over at offensive coordinator and Chris Marve at defensive coordinator. These are two hires that have had success at previous stops and now are going into year one in Boulder.

With all of this turnover, it’s impossible to tell just how good this Buffaloes team will be. If they hit on these incoming transfers and the coaching hires, Colorado could end up being one not the best turnaround stories of the 2026 season. If the buttons they pressed this offseason don't work out, then 2026 could end up looking a lot like 2025.

Colorado’s Betting Odds

The oddsmakers don’t like Colorado’s chances to show drastic improvement. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Colorado has a win total of 4.5, with odds of +134 on the over and -160 on the under.

When it comes to their odds to win the Big 12 conference championship game, their odds reflect Athlon’s preseason ranking. The Buffaloes have odds of +9000 to win the Big 12, which is the 14th best odds. The favorites are Texas Tech at -105.

The two teams with worse odds than Colorado is Cincinnati at +10000 and Iowa State at +11000.

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.

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