The Toughest Road Test on Colorado Football Schedule Is Clear

The Colorado Buffaloes will head into 2026 looking to improve from their 3-9 mark in 2025. There are several tough road tests on the schedule, but there is one in particular that will set the tone for success next season.

Tough Road Start

In the beginning of the 2026 season, Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders will have the difficult task of leading the team to play three of its first four games on the road. This is no easy feat for any team.

In order to compete for a Big 12 title, Colorado will have to get wins on the road and the 2026 campaign is a great chance to start building the culture of being a great road team with several difficult games on the schedule away from Folsom Field.

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets defensive back Omar Daniels (9),defensive back Jy Gilmore (14) and defensive lineman Jason Moore (95) tackle Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) in the fourth quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado and Georgia Tech 2025 Matchup

The toughest road game for the Buffaloes is arguably their season opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who Colorado opened against at home last year. The Buffaloes lost a close 27-20 game that had some bright spots, but also some areas that were clear holes.

Offensively, Colorado was led by quarterback Kaidon Salter in this game a year ago who passed for 159 yards and one touchdown. The real strength in this game was the Buffaloes ability to run the ball. Colorado totaled 146 yards on 31 carries with an average of 4.7 yards per carry and one touchdown.

On the defensive side, there were some great things that defensive coordinator Robert Livingston’s group accomplished, but also one particular theme that was an issue in 2025.

Livingston’s defense was able to hold Haynes King and the Georgia Tech offense to 143 yards passing, one interception, and recover two fumbles, which showed a lot of promise.

The ground game was the main issue as the Buffaloes could stop it. The Yellow Jackets rushed 47 times for 320 yards on 6.8 yards per carry and had three touchdowns. Stopping the run was something the defense struggled with all year long.

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

New Look Buffaloes

Through recruiting in the transfer portal, Colorado has made a lot of changes on both the offensive and defensive sides to be more successful in 2026.

The Buffaloes have added offensive coordinator Brennan Marion who comes over from Sacramento State. Marion’s new offense will look to put a lot of pressure on defenses with an emphasis on getting the ball to playmakers in space and balancing the run game with the air attack.

Colorado has brought in several playmakers for this new look offense and has a new starting quarterback in redshirt sophomore Julian Lewis. Lewis has some game experience near the end of 2025, but the spring will be very valuable to develop chemistry with the skill players and understand Marion’s offense at a deeper level.

Defensively, there was a clear need to address the defensive line and the Buffaloes definitely did that. Several players who have a history of production were brought in to create negative plays and improve the struggling rush defense from 2025.

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks the sidelines in the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Challenge of Georgia Tech Road Opener

Road games are very tough as they are, but to have one as an opener and implement a whole new offensive scheme is a whole new level of difficulty.

Lewis must have a great spring so that he understands the offense and in a tough road environment he can have the offense on the same page with snap counts, checks, audibles, etc.

For Livingston’s defense, they will look to replicate the performance in pass defense and forcing turnovers last year against the Yellow Jackets but must stop the run. An inability to stop the run will prove very tough to overcome as indicated in 2025.

Sanders will look to have his group ready right out of the gate to set the tone for what the Colorado Buffaloes will do in 2026 and it all starts on the road.