Coach Prime, CU Buffs kick off new era
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Head coach Deion Sanders watches a field goal drill in April. Photo: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images for ONIT
The Colorado Buffaloes enter Deion Sanders' third season amid major roster turnover and will be relying largely on transfers, freshmen and returning backups at key positions to sustain the program's momentum.
Why it matters: Sanders' arrival has reignited both CU's football fortunes and Boulder's game-day economy.
Driving the news: CU kicks off football season Friday against Georgia Tech at Folsom Field in a showdown between the 1990 co-champions.
- The Buffs were 4.5-point underdogs against Georgia Tech as of Thursday on ESPN Bet, FanDuel and DraftKings.
The intrigue: Sanders' third year at CU will be one of change, as Shedeur Sanders, Heisman winner Travis Hunter and a bevy of offensive weapons and defensive stalwarts have moved on to the NFL.
- Heck, the team is even getting new turf and a new mascot.
What to expect: The Buffs were picked by many sports media outlets to finish in the middle of what could be a deep Big 12 conference. They have a difficult schedule, as they face all five of the other teams in the conference that won at least nine games last season.
- Two returning players were selected to the Big 12 pre-season All-America team: cornerback DJ McKinney and tackle Jordan Seaton. Seaton, in particular, has a chance to become one of the top players in the country.
- The Buffs are bringing in 33 transfers, including former Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter.
Zoom in: Even if he has a down year, Sanders' future is secure after signing a five-year extension.
- Plus, his value to the university extends beyond his on-field record, as his arrival has led to increased enrollment and an economic boom for Boulder on game days.
- Sanders said he is fully healthy following a cancer scare in the offseason.
Here are a few things to watch this season:
The future is now: Sanders earlier this week named Salter starting quarterback, but make no mistake: Five-star recruit Julian "Juju" Lewis is the future of the program. If Salter struggles out of the gate, expect calls to start the freshman phenom.
Miller time: Returning receivers Drelon Miller and Omarion Miller (no relation) are hoping to emerge as main targets with the departure of four CU receivers to the NFL.
Line dance: Nowhere is the impact of the transfer portal more obvious than on the offensive line, where Seaton could be joined by up to four new faces.
Getting defensive: CU broke the bank to keep defensive coordinator Robert Livingston in-house, and he will earn that paycheck as he tries to replace eight starters from a defense that made a gigantic leap last year.
What's next:
- 🐝 Aug 29 vs. Georgia Tech
- 🐔 Sept. 6 vs. Delaware
- 😾 Sept. 12 @ Houston
- 🤠 Sept. 20 vs. Wyoming (Family Weekend)
- 🐾 Sept. 27 vs. BYU
- 🐸 Oct. 4 @ TCU
- 🌪️ Oct. 11 vs. Iowa State
- 🪶 Oct. 25 @ Utah
- 🏜️ Nov. 1 vs. Arizona (Homecoming)
- ⛰️ Nov. 8 @ West Virginia
- 😈 Nov. 22 vs. Arizona State
- 🐈⬛ Nov. 29 @ Kansas State
The bottom line: CU's new starters will have to hit the ground running and take advantage of the softer first half of the schedule if they are going to fulfill Coach Prime's goal of winning a bowl game for superfan Peggy and the rest of Buffs Nation.