Colorado Buffaloes Transfer Isaiah Augustave Lands With Virginia Cavaliers

After leading the Colorado Buffaloes in rushing last season, Isaiah Augustave will reportedly continue his college football career with the Virginia Cavaliers. The former Arkansas Razorback entered the transfer portal last week following just one year in Boulder.
Colorado's Isaiah Augustave runs after a catch against Texas Tech in a Big 12 football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Colorado's Isaiah Augustave runs after a catch against Texas Tech in a Big 12 football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As expected, former Colorado Buffaloes running back Isaiah Augustave has landed with the Virginia Cavaliers.

After leading the Buffs with 394 rushing yards last season, Augustave entered the college football transfer portal late in spring camp and is now committed to Virginia, On3's Hayes Fawcett reported Sunday. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Floridian began his college career with the Arkansas Razorbacks before spending the 2024 season in Boulder.

Oct 12, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Isaiah Augustave (23) celebrates after a touchdown duri
Oct 12, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Isaiah Augustave (23) celebrates after a touchdown during the second half against the Kansas State Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Augustave's commitment to Virginia is expected because Colorado coach Deion Sanders recently exposed the Cavaliers in a recent Well Off Media YouTube video for tampering with his players outside of the transfer portal. While calling out the Cavaliers for offering safety Carter Stoutmire money to leave Boulder, Sanders said he had already let Virginia have one of his players. 247Sports had reported Augustave was taking a trip to Virginia, and an unknown Colorado player yelled out Augustave's number (23) in the video.

"Virginia, you got to stop," Sanders said. "I let you have one. I ain't say nothing about it. C'mon now. Come on. We let you have one. I ain't say nothing about it."

Led by coach Tony Elliott, Virginia has now landed 21 players from the transfer portal this offseason, including one other running back in former North Carolina Central standout J'Mari Taylor. The Cavaliers' incoming transfer class ranks fourth in the 17-team ACC.

MORE: Colorado Buffaloes' Chidozie Nwankwo Clears Up Transfer Portal Confusion

MORE: Deion Sanders Shares Latest Insight On Battling Colorado Quarterbacks Julian Lewis, Kaidon Salter

MORE: Colorado Buffaloes Spring Football Game Storylines: Deion Sanders Introduces New-Look Squad

With Augustave officially gone, running back becomes an even greater priority for Sanders in the transfer portal. Dallan Hayden, Micah Welch, Brandon Hood and former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl currently represent the only scholarship running backs on Colorado's roster. Only Hayden and Hood played during Colorado's spring game on Saturday, combining for 46 rushing yards.

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Dallan Hayden (7) and safety Ben Finneseth (28) during the sp
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Dallan Hayden (7) and safety Ben Finneseth (28) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Following the spring game, "Coach Prime" outlined his transfer portal needs and said he'd like to add multiple running backs.

"One tremendous defensive tackle, another linebacker or two, two safeties, probably three corners, one receiver — that's a grown man, that's as a dog — couple running backs, a tight end, maybe a guard, a tackle, and maybe two centers," Sanders said.

Although the Buffs naturally leaned on their passing game with quarterback Shedeur Sanders and cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter in uniform, Colorado's rushing attack struggled in the past two years under "Coach Prime." Welch flashed potential when healthy last season, but adding a more experienced running back from the portal would help the cause.

Colorado has lost 25 players to the portal this offseason, including six since the spring window opened on Wednesday. Of those six, four have found new homes: Augustave (Virginia), safety Savion Riley (Georgia Tech), wide receiver Adrian Wilson (North Carolina) and defensive end Taje McCoy (Oklahoma State). Center Cash Cleveland and tight end Sam Hart have yet to commit elsewhere as of this writing.

The 10-day spring transfer portal window for non-graduate players closes on April 25.


Published
Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.