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Colorado Buffaloes Quarterback Kaidon Salter Reveals Big 12 Goals In Electric Team Speech

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter revealed the team's goals of reaching the Big 12 Championship Game during a speech in practice. Salter is competing with freshman quarterback Julian 'JuJu' Lewis for the starting job and proving he is a vocal leader.
Charlie Viehl|
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter 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

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Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders has not named a starting quarterback for the season opener against Georgia Tech, but that has not stopped Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter from stepping into a leadership role.

In a video released by the Colorado Buffaloes, Salter was filmed breaking down the huddle and motivating his teammates:

"Ay man. This *expletive* starts now, bruh. Everybody say they want to make it to that Big 12 Championship. That *expletive* starts at practice. So we gotta go out, eat every day. You see your mama leaving your house when you had to go to school at six in the morning. This is for times like that, you know what I'm saying? Let's go, eat every day," said Salter.

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) during the spring game at Folsom Field.
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) during the spring game at Folsom Field. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Colorado Buffaloes Quarterback Competition

Colorado has not yet named a starter, but "Coach Prime" has previously stated that he feels confident in either Salter or Lewis to lead the offense. The Buffaloes are replacing quarterback Shedeur Sanders, an outspoken leader during his time at Colorado. It appears as though Salter may be slowly filling those shoes that Sanders led from.

Will the Buffaloes lean on Salter an his experience, or has Lewis shown enough potential to win the starting job?

Colorado Buffaloes Julian Lewis Kaidon Salter Deion Sanders shedeur sanders quarterback competitio
Oct 20, 2023; Carrollton, GA, USA; Carrollton Trojans quarterback Julian Lewis (10) watches on from the sidelines against the Westlake Lions during the first half at Grisham Stadium | John David Mercer-Imagn Images

On Aug. 8, Deion Sanders provided an update on the quarterback competition:

"I'm looking to have great practices by these two young men (Salter and Lewis), and the cream of the crop is going to rise," Deion Sanders said. "It's not an urgency that we got to name this and name that. Both these guys can play. I think we could play well with either one of them, but we want to put ourselves in the best position totally, so it's still going on."

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Big Ten Title Betting Odds

In Salter's address to his teammates, he talked about the Buffaloes reaching the Big Ten Championship as one of the group's goals. According to betting odds on FanDuel Sportsbook, Colorado has the 12th-best odds of winning the Big Ten title.

Here are betting odds for the Big Ten Conference Championship winner before the regular season begins:

1. Kansas State (+550)
1. Texas Tech (+550)
1. Arizona State (+550)
4. Utah (+600)
5. Baylor (+650)
6. TCU (+850)
7. Iowa State (+1300)
8. Kansas (+1400)
9. BYU (+2700)
10. Houston (+3000)
10. Cincinnati (+3000)
12. Colorado (+3300)
13. Arizona (+3500)
14. West Virginia (+4500)
15. Oklahoma State (+6000)
16. UCF (+8000)

New Look Colorado Buffaloes Offense

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star.
Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

As Colorado is replacing quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the Buffaloes have some uncertainty under center. To help address the problem, "Coach Prime" has brought in former NFL offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to Colorado's coaching staff.

Salter spoke to the media about how Leftwich has impacted the quarterback room as the team practices in fall camp.

“Coach Leftwich has definitely helped us come together as a unit and practice at a higher level,” Salter said. “Every day when I’m out there, he’s got the other quarterbacks standing behind me going through progressions, reading the defense before the play and vice versa. He wasn’t here before, but it feels like he’s been here the whole time.”

  • 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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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is the deputy editor for the Oregon Ducks, Colorado Buffaloes, and USC Trojans on SI. He has written hundreds of articles for SI and has covered events like the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician, holding a degree in Music and Philosophy from Boston College. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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