Colorado's Offensive Playbook Controversy Raises Concerns

The Colorado Buffaloes made a major mistake against the No. 11 Texas Tech Red Raiders, leaving their first-drive game plan in the hands of the public.

Oct 3, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders following a touchdown scored in the first quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Colorado Buffaloes’ first drive against the then-No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders was their most successful of the game, as it led to their only score. However, it easily could’ve been a complete disaster.

That is because the Buffaloes allowed their opening script to get into the hands of Texas Tech fans after reportedly leaving a copy of it in a hotel bar, per David Ubben of The Athletic. While The Athletic also reported that Texas Tech didn’t gain access to the playbook, this is a concerning situation for Deion Sanders and company.

The authenticity of the fans’ findings

Sacramento State Hornets head coach Brennan Marion listens to one of the assistant coaches yell at players on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The anonymous fan, under the username VivaTerlingua, originally revealed that they had found the playbook in the bar of the Buffaloes’ team hotel on Friday. They expressed interest in getting the playbook to the Red Raiders, although they didn’t post pictures of it initially.

They weren’t absolutely certain that it was authentic, but on the Buffs’ opening drive, it became clear that it was. The playbook reportedly contained the first six plays of the first half and the first two plays of the second half. 

Update: It was real. 1st six plays of the first half and 1st two of the second half (then picked off) https://t.co/M6F018Ib4J pic.twitter.com/BkNt6Ov475

— Jody S. Laughter∴ (@Lubbockist) October 4, 2026

From that point, it contained lists of plays that offensive coordinator Brennan Marion would pick from throughout the game. The fan estimated that the playbook contained 25 pages worth of information, an amount that would be damaging, to say the least, in the hands of an opponent. 

Why this is concerning for the Colorado Buffaloes

Oct 3, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Red Raiders clearly didn’t need the playbook’s help to stop the Buffs’ offense, its public emergence has created a litany of problems for the Buffaloes moving forward.

First of all, the questions surrounding Colorado’s habits are the first that they will need to address. The negligence of whichever player left the playbook behind makes this situation shameful enough, but the fact that it was left behind in the hotel’s bar the night before a game is another discussion entirely.

Colorado has been followed by character concerns since Sanders cut three players from the team after its 41-7 loss to the Northwestern Wildcats. Those concerns are now bound to be heightened with the Buffs’ latest scandal.

More importantly, though, the Buffaloes have a long bye week ahead of them. In a week that should’ve been about improving on offense and fixing the aspects of it that haven’t been effective through five weeks, the Buffaloes will instead have to focus on install.

Colorado will likely need to scrap most of, if not every, play from that playbook that has reached the public, as all of the Buffs’ future opponents would have a direct cheat sheet on them moving forward. This puts the Buffs further behind the 8-ball than they already were going into a crucial game against the No. 12 Utah Utes.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ Week 5 offensive performance

Oct 3, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Isaac Wilson (16) during the first quarter against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buffaloes’ offense struggled even without Texas Tech having access to their plays. Quarterback Isaac Wilson threw for 290 yards and just one touchdown to three interceptions. Perhaps unfortunately for him and Marion, they won’t have this situation to point to as an excuse for that lack of execution.

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