Colorado’s offense has not found much rhythm through the first three weeks of the 2026 season, and the passing game has been a big part of the problem. Against Power Four opponents, the Buffaloes are averaging just 10.5 points per game, and sophomore receiver Quentin Gibson has been one of the players left waiting for a bigger slice of the action.
Gibson arrived with plenty of offseason buzz, but the early returns have been quiet. He has logged a fair number of snaps, yet the ball has rarely come his way. Through the opening stretch, he has only six catches for 25 yards and no touchdowns, a modest 4.2 yards per reception.
Colorado has tried to find him a few touches in other spots. Gibson has taken two carries out of the backfield for 11 total yards, and he has also been lined up as both a kick and punt returner.
The problem is that those return chances have not actually materialized. After handling four punt returns and 25 kickoff returns in 2025, he has not recorded a return in 2026, even with the special teams units struggling.
That kind of quiet start is a concern for a young player with real upside. If Gibson keeps getting squeezed out of the offense, the transfer portal conversation could start sooner rather than later.
He would not be short on interest if he ever chose that route. His profile as a promising sophomore, along with the production he has already shown in a short college career, would make him an attractive target for other programs.
Colorado has already seen that kind of fallout with other receivers. In 2025, Omarion Miller, Dre’Lon Miller, Kam Mikell and Isaiah Hardge all drew outside attention and eventually left after seasons that did not unfold the way they expected. That history makes Gibson’s situation worth watching closely.
The issue is made bigger by the makeup of Colorado’s receiver room. With so much seniority in that group, the Buffaloes do not want to head into the future without someone like Gibson in place.
There are still clear ways to get him involved. Brennan Marion’s ‘Go-Go’ offense creates room for creative usage, and Colorado’s special teams issues only strengthen the case for giving Gibson a defined job.
One option is to deploy him more as a gadget receiver, especially in the 21 personnel looks the offense already leans on. Pairing him with a power back like Damian Henderson II or Micah Welch could keep defenses off balance, while also letting Gibson work as a hybrid pass catcher and take occasional off-tackle carries.
The more straightforward answer may be the return game. Colorado has had trouble there, with several muffs on punt returns and poor decisions on balls left unfielded.
Gibson has already shown he can handle the role, and Sanders has reason to trust him. At minimum, he could stabilize that part of the team and earn a larger role from there.
In Other News...
Colorado Just Sent A Loud Early Message In The Big 12
Colorado opened Big 12 play at Prentup Field with the kind of result that can travel well beyond one September night, handling West Virginia 2-0 in its conference home opener. Hope Leyba and Reagan Kotschau provided the goals, while freshman goalkeeper Brooke Goerish backed it up with a clean sheet as the Buffaloes delivered a clean, composed performance against a team that had gone a long time without tasting a regular season loss.
For Colorado, the win carried more weight than just three points. It snapped West Virginias 22-match regular season unbeaten streak and kept the Buffaloes tied for the program record for the longest home winning streak, a sign that the home field edge at Prentup is becoming something opponents have to plan around. Early in a crowded Big 12 race, it was the sort of statement that gives a team credibility before the schedule really starts to bite. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Injury Concerns Could Change Baylor's Big 12 Opener
Colorado heads into its Week 4 matchup with Baylor carrying a longer injury list than the Bears, and that could matter when the Big 12 opener gets going. The Buffaloes are expected to be without several key players, even as a few others are set to return, leaving the roster in a tricky spot as they try to steady things against a conference opponent already managing its own bumps and bruises.
The absences of contributors such as Scudero, Charlie Williams and Henderson would be felt in different parts of the lineup, especially if Colorado needs more depth than usual to handle a Baylor team with fewer injury concerns. It gives this game a different edge than a standard conference opener, because Colorado is not just preparing for a new league test, it is trying to navigate it while piecing together a healthier rotation on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Secondary Faces A Big 12 Test It Cant Fake
Colorados defensive backs have spent the week talking less about the scoreboard and more about the details that decide games, with safety Naeten Mitchell and safeties coach Vonn Bell stressing the need to make plays and create turnovers before the Buffaloes head into a Big 12 matchup with Baylor. The task is straightforward enough on paper, but the challenge is a real one: Colorado has just one interception through three games, and the next opponent brings a pass-heavy attack that can punish even small lapses.
Bell has made it clear the back end has to stay disciplined, stay aware and trust the coaching points that have been built into the unit. For a secondary still trying to turn effort into takeaways, Baylor is the kind of test that can expose whether those lessons are sticking, and whether individual contributors are ready to help swing the game in Colorados favor. [Read more 🡒]