Colorado Buffaloes Get Reality Check in National Preseason Rankings

The Colorado Buffaloes are not expected to finish towards the top of the Big 12 according to one preseason ranking.

Oct 12, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders runs onto the field with his team before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Oct 12, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders runs onto the field with his team before the game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Colorado coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes entered Big 12 Media Days with a familiar mix of confidence and skepticism around the program, and Phil Steele’s latest preseason rankings only reinforced the national view.

Steele placed Colorado at No. 62 in his full 1-to-138 college football rankings, a spot that most certainly reflects the unknowns surrounding the Buffs entering 2026.

Colorado Buffaloes Land at No. 62

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the sidelines in the second quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado’s placement came in the middle of Steele’s preseason rankings, behind several Power Four programs and just ahead of Michigan State and Oklahoma State. That slot tells the story of where the Buffaloes stand nationally after a 3-9 season in 2025, when injuries, and quarterback inconsistency kept the team from matching the momentum they found in 2024. The ranking is not a surprise, but it does offer another reminder that Colorado still has to prove they belong in the conversation with the Big 12’s upper tier.

For Coach Prime, the number matters less than the message he wants to send that the Buffaloes expect to win in 2026. At the Big 12 Media Days, Sanders said Colorado’s biggest surprise this season should be simple.

“We better win,” he said. “That’s going to be the surprise."

He repeated that he likes the roster, likes the staff and believes the pieces are there to rebound.

Why Colorado's ranking fits––for now

Nov 1, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes reacts in the first quarter against the against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steele’s poll is built on a broad national view, and Colorado’s spot makes sense given last season’s finish and the uncertainty that still lingers at some key positions. The Buffaloes were 3-9 a year ago and ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 in several offensive categories. Even with Coach Prime’s “best coaching staff yet” and a different feel around the program, it still leaves Colorado in the prove-it stage heading into camp.

Sanders has made no secret that the changes were necessary. He acknowledged at media days that his swagger is back and said he feels better about the staff and roster than he did a year ago. That confidence will have to show up on the field, especially with the Buffaloes opening the season at Georgia Tech on Sept. 3.

What Colorado Buffaloes need

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis speaks with reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The biggest reason Colorado can rise from No. 62 is better quarterback play and more stability on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Julian Lewis is expected to be the central figure in the offense, and Sanders said he wants patience as the young quarterback grows into the role. New offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve also give Colorado a different look and a more coordinated plan than the one it had last fall.

Sanders has also been blunt about the standard. He said the program does not care what outsiders think and that the people inside the building know who they are. That attitude fits the brand he has built in Boulder, but the ranking at No. 62 shows that reputation alone will not move the needle. Colorado knows they need to turn confidence into results, and quickly.

What it means for 2026

Nov 1, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) prepares to pass the ball in the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A preseason ranking in the low 60s is not a ceiling, but it is a warning. Colorado has enough talent to be much better, especially if the transfers and young players settle in fast, but the Buffs also have work to do before anyone starts talking about the Big 12’s upper half. The opener in Atlanta will be the first chance to show whether this team is more than a bounce-back candidate.

For now, Phil Steele’s No. 62 ranking gives Colorado a familiar role of being overlooked and ready to argue they belong much higher. Sanders seems fine with that. He has made it clear that the real answer will come on Saturdays.

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