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The 2024 edition of the Colorado Buffaloes football team is looking to build on the 4-8 record from 2023. Colorado is returning to the Big 12 Conference after a hiatus of 14 years in the Pac 12-Conference. There was a lot of change this offseason on the Colorado roster with 41 players transferring out and 43 players coming in.
Head coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes had some offseason distractions they will have to work through as well coming into the season. The talent is present on this roster it will depend on whether the coaching staff can make the changes necessary in the trenches.
FanDuel currently has Colorado's over/under win total set at 5.5 this season.
Week 1: North Dakota State Bison
The Bison are known for upsetting Power Four teams in the past including Big 12 members Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State. North Dakota State returns nine starters on the defense and a fifth-year starting QB in Cam Miller. NDSU had to find a new coach during the offseason and found former NDSU offensive coordinator Tim Polasek. The Bison will be a good test for everyone to see if Colorado has improved in the trenches but with the athletes they have, especially with Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, Colorado will hold off NDSU for a victory on Aug. 29, winning 31-28.
Record: 1-0
Week 2: at Nebraska Cornhuskers
A matchup here with former Big 12 rival Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., is on tap for the Buffaloes. Nebraska leads the all-time series 49-21-2 with Colorado winning the last three matchups, including the game in 2023 by a score of 36-14. While at Temple and Baylor head coach Matt Rhule has improved by five wins from Year 1 to Year 2. Nebraska finished last season at 5-7 so to match that mark Nebraska will have to win 10 games in 2024. With an outstanding freshman QB in Dylan Raiola, there will be some growing pains with the Cornhuskers, but they should still improve with Rhule running the team. Nebraska will be looking for revenge at home against "Coach Prime" on Sept. 7 and will get that done 34-24.
Record: 1-1
Week 3: at Colorado State Rams
Last season there was a lot of bad blood between these two teams which led to Hunter being injured for several weeks after this game. Colorado leads this series 68-22-2 including six straight wins in the series. Colorado State returns 14 starters including wide receiver Trey Horton. The Rams will hang tough against the Buffaloes for a portion of this game with an electric crowd behind them. Colorado will have too many elite playmakers and will pull away late in this game on Sept. 14 winning 42-24.
Record: 2-1
Week 4: Baylor Bears
The Baylor Bears had a 3-9 season in 2023. Head coach Dave Aranda has a seat that is getting warm, and the pressure will be on. QB DeQuan Finn transferred in from Toledo after having a season with 2,657 yards passing with 22 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Baylor should be better this season but have a lot of ground to make up to get back to the Big 12 Championship caliber they were in 2021. The series between these two teams is tight but a slight lead by Colorado 9-7. The past will not affect Colorado, and they should have enough firepower to handle the Bears on Sept. 21 by a score of 42-31.
Record: 3-1
Week 5: at UCF Knights
These two opponents have zero past matchups. The UCF Knights are positioned to be one of the most explosive teams in the Big 12 this season. Transfer QB KJ Jefferson is coming in from Arkansas after throwing for 2,107 yards, 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. The Knights also have standout RB RJ Harvey and WR Kobe Hudson returning to campus this fall. Head coach Gus Malzahn has had only one losing season in his head coaching career which was last season with a record of 6-7. There is no reason to believe UCF will not be better in 2024 and will be a strong first test for Colorado on the road in the Big 12. UCF wins this game on Sept. 28 by a score of 38-31.
Record: 3-2
Week 6: Kansas State Wildcats
The Buffaloes will welcome back an old rival to Boulder, Colo., on Oct. 12 for the first time since 2010. Colorado holds a commanding series record against the Wildcats, 45-20-1. There is quite a bit of hype for Kansas State this year with their outstanding QB Avery Johnson and DJ Giddens in the backfield. Explosive RB Dylan Edwards will return to Colorado after transferring to K-State during this offseason. The K-State defense will return the bulk of the second-best defense in the Big 12 from last year. Kansas State is the more complete team in 2024, and it will show on the field and the Wildcats will win 35-24.
Record: 3-3
Week 7: at Arizona Wildcats
This week will be a trip to the new Wildcats to the Big 12. Colorado leads this series 16-10 but Arizona won last season at Boulder 34-31. Arizona has a solid defense and possibly the best QB and WR duo in the conference with Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillian. While Colorado can run with anyone in this conference the tough stretch will continue with this road trip. Arizona wins 37-28.
Record: 3-4
Week 8: Cincinnati Bearcats
The Bearcats and Colorado have only had one meeting in their histories which Colorado won in 1972. Cincinnati might be in for another tough season after their first year in the Big 12. They will have to depend on QB Brendan Sorsby who transferred from Indiana. Cincinnati does have some game-changing players with RB Corey Kiner and DL Dontay Corleone on the roster. Colorado has enough firepower to take down the Bearcats at home on Oct. 26 by a score of 31-21.
Record: 4-4
Week 9: at Texas Tech Red Raiders
These two teams have 10 previous matchups with the series tied at 5-5. The Red Raiders are a possible dark-horse team in the conference title race. Texas Tech returns Behren Morton at QB and Tahj Brooks at RB. Brooks is a workhorse at RB and head coach Joey McGuire should lean on him as much as he can this season. The defense has been improving every season under McGuire going from giving up 29.2 points a game in 2022 to 26 points in 2023 and should improve on that in 2024. Texas Tech picks up the win against Colorado in this one, 27-24 on Nov. 9.
Record: 4-5
Week 10: Utah Utes
Utah is one of the other three joining Colorado jumping from the sunken Pac-12. The Utah Utes lead the series between these two teams 35-32-3. Utah is one of the early favorites in the Big 12 with the return of QB Cam Rising. The Utes are bringing over the third-best defense in 2023 from the Pac-12. Weapons like WR Money Parks and transfer Dorian Singer will be great weapons for Rising and the offense. Utah won 23-17 in 2023 and when these two teams play on Nov. 16, they will win again by a larger margin 31-20.
Record: 4-6
Week 11: at Kansas Jayhawks
Another old foe is on the schedule for the Buffaloes this season with a game on the road at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Colorado has a big lead in this rivalry 42-23-3. If Jalon Daniels can stay healthy in 2024 the Jayhawks will be poised to have a special season. With RB Devin Neal and all the other weapons back with a more beefed-up offensive line, the offense should be lethal again as long as it was not built and designed by Andy Kotelnicki who left for Penn State. Kansas will have to improve along the defensive line to help out the backend of the defense which should be pretty good again. Kansas will win this game on Nov. 23 by a score of 35-34.
Record: 4-7
Week 12: Oklahoma State Cowboys
The last game of the season is against another good team in the Big 12. The Buffaloes lead this series 26-20-1. Colorado will have to face Ollie Gordon II in this game which could be the fifth of the top-5 RBs in the Big 12. The season for the Cowboys will depend on QB Alan Bowman making plays when needed and limiting turnovers. Oklahoma State will be improved on defense behind stud LB Nick Martin. The Cowboys could be coming into this game with a chance to play in the Big 12 Championship the next week. Oklahoma State will win this game on Nov. 29 by a score of 27-21.
Record: 4-8
Colorado Buffaloes Overview
While a 4-8 season might seem disappointing for Colorado fans the team should be improved which will keep them in most games and with a few plays to work in their direction the Buffaloes could easily be 7-5.
The turnover of players will take time to come together. Complete roster overhaul year after year is something the coaching staff will need to figure out and build upon younger players to develop. The schedule did no favors for the Buffaloes with facing possibly the four-best teams in the conference against Utah, Kansas State, Kansas and Oklahoma State. Even if they come up short in these games Colorado will still be fun to watch with Sanders and Hunter on the team.
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