Why Colorado’s Quarterback Room Ranks Among the Worst in the Power Four

It's been a turbulent season under center for the Colorado Buffaloes, cycling through three quarterbacks and searching for stability in an offense full of young talent. That inconsistency finally caught up to them in ESPN’s latest Power Four quarterback rankings, where Bill Connelly’s model dropped Colorado's quarterback room 17 spots to No. 57 — one of the biggest falls of the ranking update.

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) warms up prior to their game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

It’s a sharp contrast to the new excitement bubbling around freshman passer Julian “JuJu” Lewis, who just delivered one of Colorado’s best passing performances of the season in his first career start on the road. But as encouraging as Lewis’s debut was, the season-long analytics offer a sobering reminder of how rough the ride has been for the Buffs’ quarterback trio as a whole.

Here’s why CU's ranking fell so far — and why things may still be trending upward in Boulder.

Why the Quarterback Room Took a Major Hit

Oct 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) chase down a bad snap during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Colorado’s 17-spot fall wasn’t about what happened in Morgantown — it was about everything that happened before it.

Connelly’s model evaluates full-season efficiency, leaning heavily on total QBR, success rate, and turnover frequency. As a result, flashy highlights don’t really move the needle; consistent production does. But Colorado’s quarterback carousel never offered that.

Kaidon Salter’s early-season struggles, Ryan Staub’s inconsistency, and the offense’s inability to sustain drives have left CU near the bottom of the Power Four in passing efficiency.

Connelly's model graded CU's quarterback rooms collectively, meaning Colorado’s quarterbacks have been evaluated as a unit, not just by who is currently starting. But this creates a statistical lag because even if Lewis takes over and elevates the offense, the early-season production still weighs the group down.

It’s the consequence of a season spent searching for answers at the most important spot on the field.

The Julian Lewis Effect Is Real — It Just Hasn’t Registered Yet

Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) throws a pass during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

If the rankings were based on potential, Lewis would have shot Colorado up the board immediately. His performance against West Virginia was the kind of debut that programs dream about: 299 yards, two touchdowns, zero turnovers, all behind an offensive line missing both starting tackles.

More importantly, he played with calmness, precision, and control — traits that typically take freshmen months or in some cases even years to develop.

But Connelly’s model is intentionally blind to hype. It does not grade for recruiting pedigree or future breakout potential. It only reacts to accumulated data, and with Lewis having just one career start, the sample size is just too small to move Colorado’s overall score.

However, the early signs are impossible to ignore. Lewis looked incredibly comfortable in the pocket, stepped up and delivered accurate throws under duress, and showed natural chemistry with receivers Omarion Miller and Joseph Williams. If Lewis continues on this trajectory, Colorado’s quarterback room will look dramatically different in the metrics by the end of next season.

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Why Context Matters

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) runs for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It should also be noted that Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, who Colorado narrowly lost to 27-20 in week 1, climbed 27 spots to No. 2 in the rankings. The fact that Colorado was one possession away from beating the team led by the nation's second-ranked quarterback underscores just how thin the margin for error has been for "Coach Prime's" squad this season.

But focusing on the past is moot, because with Lewis now firmly in place under center for Colorado, the Buffaloes finally have direction. Instead of bouncing between three quarterbacks, they have a clear leader in a freshman phenom who already looks far ahead of schedule.

Colorado’s quarterback room may sit near the bottom of the Power Four today, but with Lewis taking over and the offense growing around him, the days of being ranked in the 50s might be short-lived.