The golden era of Colorado football is over. Shedeur Sanders is throwing for the Cleveland Browns, Travis Hunter is shutting down receivers (and playing one) for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Deion Sanders is staring at his biggest test yet. Can Coach Prime build a title contender without his superstar son and the best player in college football? One analyst isn’t buying the hype.
Can Colorado Contend for a Title Without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter?
The Colorado Buffaloes pulled off one of college football’s biggest turnarounds in 2024-25. They finished 9-4 overall, transforming from a struggling 1-11 squad just two seasons prior into a team that sold out home games and made a run at the conference title. However, that story ended without a trophy after a bowl game loss.
Now, with Sanders and Hunter in the NFL, it’s officially a new era in Boulder. CFB analyst Spencer McLaughlin is pumping the brakes on any national championship expectations for the Buffaloes.
“I don’t know that I’m expecting Colorado to just jump up and contend for a national championship,” McLaughlin said. “These things take time. You’ve got to crawl before you can walk.”
That “crawl” will look a lot like surviving a brutal schedule this fall.
The Buffs don’t have it easy in 2025-26. They face all three teams they tied with for first in the Big 12 in 2024-25: BYU, Iowa State, and Arizona State. This time, they’ll have to do it without their Heisman winner and their All-American.
Colorado’s new-look offense features Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter at quarterback. However, all eyes will be on five-star freshman Julian Lewis, who Sanders managed to flip from USC If either one clicks early, Colorado might hang in the title picture. But that’s a very big “if.”
How Is Deion Sanders Building Through the Transfer Portal?
McLaughlin pointed to Sanders’ unique approach to roster construction. “They’re the best, most powerful example of a school that is trying to build its roster and its depth year in and year out through the portal.”
Sanders brought in over a dozen transfers again during this cycle, including Joseph Williams and Makari Vickers. However, questions remain about how long a portal-heavy approach can be sustainable. This strategy also creates another recruiting dilemma for Sanders.
VIDEO: #Colorado HC Deion Sanders
“We’re doing things that have never been done. When you see a confident black man, talking his talk & walking his walk, coaching 75% African Americans in the locker room, that’s kind of threatening; they don’t like that”pic.twitter.com/4PIYc0WMo7— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 3, 2025
While most programs travel across the country to visit top recruits, Sanders is rewriting the recruiting playbook. He made zero in-home or school visits this cycle despite having a $200,000 private plane travel budget. Instead, he’s waiting to see who comes to him.
The approach is bold, but it’s worth noting that coaches like Nick Saban and Kirby Smart built dynasties through different methods.
Still, Sanders has landed some major recruits. Beyond Lewis, he pulled London Merritt away from Ohio State. Yet McLaughlin remains skeptical about the timeline for championship contention.
“To say there’s a quick fix to getting to the highest level of college football, I don’t think that exists,” McLaughlin said.
What Does Colorado’s 2025-26 Roster Look Like?
Colorado’s roster does have some bright spots heading into the new season. DJ McKinney is set to lead the secondary, Omarion Miller is back from injury, and Drelon Miller showed flashes in 2024-25. But there are still holes to fill.
The schedule presents major challenges. Colorado faces road games against Utah, Kansas State, and West Virginia, plus a crucial showdown with BYU in Boulder. With such a demanding slate, there’s little room for error.
Kenny Dillingham on why Deion Sanders is unique as Colorado Buffaloes coach:
“He’s one of the smartest, in my opinion, coaches in branding… He does a phenomenal job developing defensive backs based off his history.”@skyler_gerard #GoBuffshttps://t.co/d9jJCNl0k4 pic.twitter.com/UmMa8njvlx
— Bri Amaranthus (@BriAmaranthus) July 9, 2025
For now, the Sanders approach is showing results. He’s transformed Colorado from an afterthought into a legitimate contender. But McLaughlin believes the program needs to set realistic expectations.
“Go to a Big 12 title game before you start thinking about that next step,” McLaughlin advised.
McLaughlin’s message is clear: take it one step at a time. If Sanders can build team chemistry and get his players to perform at their peak from day one, then a national championship run isn’t completely out of the question. But first, Colorado needs to prove it can compete without its former stars.
