Colorado heads into Evanston with a real chance to get to 3-0, and the matchup with Northwestern looks like it could come down to one thing: whether Chris Marve’s defense can control the line of scrimmage.
Deion Sanders’ team would match its best start since Coach Prime arrived in 2023 with a win on Sept. 19, and it would carry that momentum into Big 12 play with plenty of confidence. Northwestern is the favorite and has had two weeks to get ready, but the biggest stress point in this game may be the Wildcats’ interior line.
Northwestern lost starting center Jackson Carsello against South Dakota State in week zero, and he was eventually taken off the field on a medical cart. His status against Colorado appears unlikely to change, and the Wildcats still haven’t revealed who would replace him. That gives Marve a clear place to attack, with Colorado able to bring pressure right up the middle and test a shaky interior.
There’s more for Colorado to lean on there, too. Northwestern’s offensive line includes only two seniors, Carsello among them, so Marve can challenge the group’s inexperience with his veteran transfer defenders. The problem for Colorado is that Northwestern’s offense, led by Chip Kelly, can make a defense look uncomfortable in a hurry.
Kelly may have struggled with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, but when his offense gets rolling, it can be a problem. The last time he coached in the Big Ten, he got the most out of Ohio State receivers Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, and he helped running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson become 1,000-yard rushers.
Northwestern already showed against South Dakota State that it can adjust to Kelly’s system, piling up 224 rushing yards and 497 total yards in his debut. That means Marve’s defense has to be sharp with substitutions, because Kelly likes to move fast and keep the pace high. If Colorado gets caught slow getting fresh bodies on the field, the Wildcats can turn that into a problem.
That challenge is even bigger because Colorado’s interior defensive line is already thin. Defensive tackle Ezra Christensen has lost his eligibility battle, and junior college transfer Malachi Brown is out with a torn labrum. Against Georgia Tech, Sanders and Marve even had starting guard Chauncey Gooden help along the defensive line to cover depth issues.
Kelly will likely want to attack that area and wear down Colorado’s edge rushers while forcing the Buffaloes to keep up with the tempo. If the defense gets stuck in the wrong personnel and starts to look worn down, Northwestern can take control quickly.
Colorado has already handled a first-time starter in Alberto Mendoza of Georgia Tech and a freshman in Nate Dahle of Weber State. Aidan Chiles brings a different test. He is the most experienced quarterback Colorado has seen so far in 2026, but he may also be the most prone to mistakes.
Chiles has thrown 14 interceptions in two seasons at Michigan State, was sacked 51 times, and completed just 38.2 percent of his passes there. When pressure got to him, he tended to panic. He does bring dual-threat ability, and that fits Kelly’s offense, but he’ll be operating behind a young offensive line.
That opens the door for Colorado to come after him early. Edge rushers Toby Anene and Lamont Lester Jr. can be part of that plan, and Marve can also bring linebackers and a safety into the picture to get in Chiles’ face. If Colorado hits him early and often, the game can tilt in the Buffaloes’ favor.
Marve has already shown why Sanders brought him in alongside Brennan Marion on offense. He put together a strong game plan against Georgia Tech, and even with some lapses against Weber State, his defense still forced two takeaways and allowed 21 points. This one could be the game that strengthens his case even more - and maybe earns him another game ball from Sanders afterward.
In Other News...
Colorado Faces A New O-Line Concern In Crucial Road Test
Colorados offensive line is heading into a tricky road test with another veteran piece unavailable, as center Demetrius Hunter is out against Northwestern. Sean Kinney will make his third straight start at center, giving the Buffaloes the same front-line look they have used the past two weeks while also taking away an experienced backup option for a unit that has already had to manage some shuffling.
There is a little more uncertainty elsewhere, too, with wide receiver Danny Scudero still working toward possible game participation. For Colorado, the setup adds one more layer of pressure to a matchup where protection, communication and depth up front already loom large, and the final availability picture could still shape how much flexibility the offense has once the game plan starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Coach Prime Just Revived Colorados Biggest Program Question
Deion Sanders future at Colorado has become a financial question as much as a football one, which is exactly why the topic never really goes away around Boulder. Since taking over, Sanders has gone 18-21, and the university doubled down in March 2025 with a five-year, $54 million extension that was funded through athletic department revenues.
Now the school is staring at a projected $27 million athletic department deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year, and that only sharpens the stakes around any possible coaching change. Colorado would owe as much as $33 million to fire Sanders without cause, depending on timing, a figure that keeps the programs biggest question from being purely about wins and losses. [Read more 🡒]
Julian Lewis Has Colorado Fans Dreaming Bigger Than One Hot Start
Julian Lewis gave Colorado fans plenty to talk about with a record-setting outing against Weber State, completing 17 of 23 passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns. It was the kind of performance that can light up a fan base in a hurry, and it also offered a glimpse of how dangerous the Buffaloes can look when the offense is clicking under Brennan Marions system.
Joel Klatt pointed out that Lewis is still early in his development and should keep getting better as he gains experience in the offense. The next stretch will tell a lot more about where things stand, with Northwestern and Baylor on deck to provide a much tougher test than Weber State did. [Read more 🡒]