TCU Football Week 1 Opponent Preview: Colorado Buffaloes

Eighteen months ago, a matchup between TCU and Colorado may not have made it past ESPN+ or a local broadcast. But given the seismic changes to both programs – each in vastly different ways – FOX bid on the Week 1 matchup as their flagship Big Noon Kickoff feature.

The Colorado Buffaloes visit the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 11:00 a.m. CT to open their 2023 college football seasons. Temperatures in Fort Worth are forecast to soar over 100º, continuing one of the hottest summers on record.

After TCU took last year's game in Boulder, Colorado is undoubtedly looking for a statement to open the Deion "Prime Time" Sanders era. Let's take a look at the revamped Colorado Buffaloes.

Colorado vs. TCU Series History

The Horned Frogs and Buffaloes have only met once on the football field – last season in Boulder. TCU came away with a 38-13 win despite projected starter Chandler Morris going down with an injury.

The victory opened the door for Max Duggan to make an improbable run and finish the Heisman runner-up.

Colorado has 719 all-time wins (30th-most) and a historic .571 win percentage (44th). They won the 1990 National Championship and battled Nebraska for dominance over most of the decade. The Buffs resided in the Big 12 before a decade-long stint in the Pac-12; they will return to the Big 12 starting next year.

Colorado Players To Note

Just four projected starters this season were with the Colorado program in 2022. Sanders brought in a historic class of 51 transfers this year.

The two headlining transfers this season for Colorado are former No. 1 prospect Travis Hunter and Coach Prime's son, Shadeur Sanders. Hunter will play both ways, lining up as a cornerback and as a receiver; he was named a preseason All-American as an all-purpose player.

However, the influx of talent doesn't stop at Hunter and Sanders. The Colorado secondary has a bunch of talent, many of the starters having been bluechip recruits. The most high-profile is Cormani McClain, the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2023 recruiting class who de-committed from Miami and chose Colorado. Former Arkansas safety and four-star recruit Myles Slusher projects to start, too.

Offensively, the Buffs landed Houston standout running back Alton McCaskill, who rushed for almost 1,000 yards but missed last season with an injury. Top inbound receivers include Jimmy Horn and Xavier Weaver, both USF transfers.

Sizing Up The Buffaloes

Heading into 2023, the Buffs have a real list of who's-who at their skill positions. Particularly, their receiving corps and secondary are packed with bluechip talent. Under new offensive coordinator Sean Lewis (Kent State head coach), Colorado will run one of the fastest paces in the country offensively. With Hunter, Sanders, McCaskill, and others, that makes Colorado a decent threat to score quickly early on.

However, this is a team without any depth, particularly on the offensive line. According to Phil Steele, Colorado has among the worst offensive line units in the Pac-12 this coming season.

In such a violent sport – and, for many of these transfers, a big step up in league and competition – injury is a part of the game. Unfortunately, the Buffs have very few positions they can absorb injury with depth. They do run deep at the running back and receiver positions, but injuries at QB or along the offensive line would be disastrous for the Buffs this year.

Sanders did a stand-up job changing the national narrative on Colorado overnight. They're now must-watch television just months after finishing with one win. For revenue, for the brand of Colorado, Sanders revolutionized this team.

But that may not translate to wins. This year, Colorado projects for three or four wins, according to sportsbook win totals. Their odds of even finding a bowl game are low.

Opponent Rundown

Team: Colorado Buffaloes

2022 Record: 1-11 (1-8 Pac-12)

Coach: Deion Sanders (1st year)

2022 Scoring Offense: 15.4 points per game (125th)

2022 Scoring Defense: 44.5 points allowed per game (131st)

Colorado 2023 Schedule

Date	Opponent
Sept. 2	at TCU
Sept. 9	vs. Nebraska
Sept. 16	vs. Colorado State
Sept. 23	at Oregon
Sept. 30	vs. USC
Oct. 7	at Arizona State
Oct. 13	vs. Stanford
Oct. 21	BYE
Oct. 28	at UCLA
Nov. 4	vs. Oregon State
Nov. 11	vs. Arizona
Nov. 17	at Washington State
Nov. 25	at Utah

TCU vs. Colorado Game Info

When: Saturday, Sept. 2, 11:00 a.m. CT
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, TX)
TV: FOX

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Visit Buffs Beat, Colorado's FanNation site, to see what they are saying about the upcoming game with TCU.