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Colorado arrives at its bye week mired in a three-game losing streak, with its offense lagging and the starting quarterback role unresolved. The Buffaloes’ early-season promise has given way to pressing questions about personnel, scheme and whether the program’s heavy roster turnover can produce consistent results.
Quarterback uncertainty overshadows early wins
The season began on a hopeful note: an upset at Georgia Tech followed by a 52–21 victory over Weber State. That fast start, however, has been erased by consecutive double-digit defeats and an offense that has struggled to sustain drives.
Against No. 12 Texas Tech, Colorado led 7–3 before a second-half collapse. The Buffaloes were outscored 26–0 after halftime in a game marked by four turnovers and two missed field goals.
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At the center of the problems is the quarterback position. Colorado benched five-star recruit Julian Lewis two weeks earlier in a 23–13 loss to Baylor, inserting Isaac Wilson — the younger brother of NFL quarterback Zach Wilson — as the starter. Through two games, the replacement has produced two touchdown passes, three interceptions and a 56.3% completion rate.
Coach Deion Sanders signaled there are internal reasons behind Lewis’s demotion but declined to elaborate. “I’d love for Julian Lewis to come here and tell you what happened,” Sanders said. “I didn’t bench him. It didn’t happen like that. Julian Lewis didn’t play, so I won’t go there. I’m not going to say anything derogatory about the kid.”
Offense rank and looming schedule
Colorado’s offense sits at 124th nationally in scoring, a stat that helps explain the blunt assessment from Sanders after the Texas Tech loss. “We’ve been horrible, don’t sugarcoat it,” he said. “Seven points? You’re not gonna win. Not gonna win. Don’t sugarcoat it no more. Just tell it what it is.”
The upcoming slate offers little respite. Colorado faces ranked opponents in consecutive weeks, raising the stakes for any corrective measures during the bye.
- No. 12 Utah — next Saturday
- No. 18 Oklahoma State — Oct. 24
Transfer activity and coaching turnover
Since Sanders arrived in 2023, Colorado has seen dramatic roster movement. Projections from 247Sports and On3 estimate about 169 transfers in and roughly 167 transfers out under his tenure — an average near 42 incoming and 42 outgoing players per year. That churn has yielded high-profile successes, including Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, who helped produce a 9–4 season in 2024. But depth and continuity have been harder to sustain in subsequent seasons.
The program has also faced disciplinary shakeups. After a 41–7 loss to Northwestern, Sanders publicly took issue with players who were seen laughing as they left the field. Three first-year transfers — Jah Jah Boyd (Indiana), Justin Eaglin (James Madison) and Paul Omodia (Lamar) — were later removed from the team.
Colorado did not place a player in the 2026 NFL Draft, after having four draftees the prior year. Meanwhile, draft-eligible transfers such as offensive lineman Jordan Seaton (LSU) and wide receiver Omarion Miller (Arizona State) departed after last season.
The coaching staff has seen frequent change as well. Excluding Sanders’s original hires in 2023, the program has added at least six new on-field assistants each year since. This season features eight new coaches — four on offense and four on defense — and new coordinators Brennan Marion (offense) and Chris Marve (defense). It is the third time in four years the Buffaloes have introduced a new coordinator pairing.
Sanders: confidence amid concern
Despite the setbacks, Sanders expressed measured faith in his roster while acknowledging clear deficiencies. “I’m confident in them, and the unit as a group, particularly the defense,” he said. “Am I comfortable with the offense? No. Am I comfortable with certain positions, defensively as well as offensively, as well as special teams? No. But these guys are not quitting.”
