Colorado’s preseason Big 12 shutout handed Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes another chip for the shoulder.
When the conference released its preseason All-Big 12 team on Monday, as voted on by media members, Colorado was left out entirely despite bringing in the nation’s No. 23 transfer class, according to 247Sports. But the omission that will stick with Buffs fans the most is Danny Scudero’s name missing from the list after the new Colorado receiver led the NCAA in receiving yards last season.
Scudero looked like the clearest Colorado candidate for preseason recognition. The former San Jose State standout arrived in Boulder after a monster year in which he caught 88 passes for 1,291 yards and 10 touchdowns. That production made him the national leader in receiving yards, earned him All-American honors and put him in the semifinalist mix for the Biletnikoff Award.
Instead, the Big 12’s preseason receiver spots went elsewhere. Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Young, who transferred in from North Texas after posting 70 catches for 1,264 yards, made the cut. So did Houston’s Amare Thomas, who finished last season with 67 receptions for 966 yards.
That’s where the frustration comes in for Colorado. No receiver in college football piled up more yards than Scudero, and leaving him off the team feels to many around the program like more than a simple oversight.
The sting gets sharper because one of the conference’s three wide receiver selections was Omarion Miller, the former Buff and fan favorite who transferred to Arizona State after Colorado’s 3-9 season. Miller showed plenty of promise in Boulder, even while dealing with inconsistent quarterback play in 2025, but his inclusion while Scudero was excluded is a tough one for the black-and-gold faithful to swallow.
Still, the snub could wind up helping Colorado. If defenses don’t immediately treat Scudero like the Big 12’s top receiving threat, the Buffs may be able to sneak up on some teams early.
That possibility only grows if redshirt sophomore quarterback Julian "JuJu" Lewis takes another step with a year of experience under his belt and new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion installs his system. In that setup, Scudero has a chance to turn the preseason slight into a loud statement.
He wasn’t the only Colorado newcomer who could have made a case for more attention. Former Tulane linebacker Santana Hopper appeared in all 14 games last season for the Green Wave and finished with 31 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks during Tulane’s College Football Playoff run. Colorado also added First-Team All-MAC linebacker Gideon Lampron, who comes to Boulder with a reputation as one of the Mid-American Conference’s top defenders and is expected to help right away.
For Sanders, the message is familiar. His teams have leaned into perceived disrespect before, and this latest preseason omission gives Colorado another reason to circle the calendar and keep the edge sharp.
Whether the voters were right won’t be settled until the games start. But after the Big 12 left out the nation’s leading receiver, the Buffs won’t have to search hard for motivation this fall.
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