Colorado’s Week 2 home opener gave the Buffaloes a little bit of everything: explosive offense, a first real look at a kicker, and a few self-inflicted issues that kept the grading from being clean across the board. After the tape, six names stand out most clearly - three moving up, three sliding the other way - with a road trip to Northwestern up next.
Joseph Williams was the easiest stock riser on the board. The Tulsa transfer needed only four catches to pile up 123 yards, and two of those grabs went all the way for touchdowns of 63 and 32 yards.
He averaged more than 30 yards per catch and gave quarterback Julian Lewis a reliable answer whenever Weber State lost him downfield. It was Williams’ second 100-yard game at Colorado, coming after his eight-catch, 128-yard day against Iowa State last October.
Williams was part of a rare offensive burst for Colorado, too. The Buffaloes finished with two 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher in the same game, only the third time that has happened in program history and the first since 2018.
Micah Welch also boosted his standing in a big way. The running back turned the opening play of the second quarter into a 55-yard touchdown and finished with 106 yards on 11 carries.
That gave Colorado its first 100-yard rushing performance of the Deion Sanders era. Welch also picked up his 10th touchdown as a Buffalo, joining former Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, former Colorado wide receivers LaJohntay Wester and Omarion Miller as the fourth Colorado player to hit double digits under this staff.
For a backfield built around rotation in offensive coordinator Brennan Marion’s offense, Welch keeps making the case that he deserves the ball when his number is called.
Elliott Arnold’s first college field-goal attempt also pushed his stock in the right direction. Colorado sent him out from 52 yards in the third quarter, and he drilled it after going seven-for-seven on extra points.
That kick matched his high school career long and gave Colorado a real-game sign that his range can translate at the college level. Sanders had already said before the game that Arnold would keep getting field-goal work and that he wanted to see the kickers handle pressure.
A 52-yarder was a strong first answer.
Boo Carter’s night went the opposite direction after a strong start to his Colorado run. He entered Week 2 with momentum after blocking Georgia Tech’s final field-goal attempt in the opener, but his first home game came with a costly mistake.
With 23 seconds left before halftime, Carter muffed a punt at the Colorado 18, and Weber State recovered at the 20. The Wildcats didn’t cash in on the short field, but Colorado still gave away a possession.
Carter has already shown he can erase mistakes with one big play; this time, he put one on his own cleanup list.
Chauncey Gooden also landed in the faller column after a penalty-heavy night. The offensive lineman was flagged twice, and that matters in a game where Sanders later called out the team’s discipline.
His second-quarter false start didn’t derail a touchdown drive, but his third-quarter holding penalty wiped out a nine-yard catch by JaQuail Smith that would have put Colorado at the Weber State 5. Julian Lewis was sacked on the next play, and the Buffaloes settled for Arnold’s 52-yard field goal.
One lineman didn’t account for all 13 flags, but those kinds of mistakes can swing a drive fast.
The backup quarterback picture is also worth watching, even if nothing about Isaac Wilson’s work was poor. Colorado freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne got the first extended relief snaps after Lewis’ day ended, completed seven of 10 passes for 35 yards, and added a nine-yard touchdown run.
Wilson then came on and completed both of his passes for minus-3 yards. Wilson arrived from Utah with seven starts as a true freshman, so one fourth quarter won’t settle anything.
Still, Sweetwyne getting the first turn is a detail worth noting.
Colorado’s bigger issue remains the ledger as a whole: 13 penalties for 107 yards. That total is sitting there ahead of Saturday’s trip to Northwestern, where the Buffaloes kick off at 5:30 p.m.
MT in Evanston. Week 2 produced clear movement in both directions, and the next game should tell us which of those swings are real.
In Other News...
Colorados 2027 QB Plan Just Got More Complicated
Colorados quarterback outlook for the 2027 class got a little more crowded when Cameron Pooley of Mater Dei High School verbally committed after a recent trip to Boulder for a home game. The Buffaloes extended a scholarship offer through director of player personnel Darrien Darden-Box, and Pooleys decision gives the staff an early piece to build around as it maps out the position for that recruiting cycle.
Even with Pooley in the fold, the picture around 2027 is still far from settled. Colorados quarterback room for that class remains thin, and the staff is also weighing four-star recruit Andre Adams as part of its broader plan, which suggests the Buffaloes may not be done reshaping the position just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado's Fast Start Set Up A Much Bigger Test For Deion
Colorados 2-0 start has given Deion Sanders and his staff plenty to like, beginning with Julian Lewis first 300-yard game and a defense that has looked sharper under coordinator Chris Marve. The offense has also shown signs of settling in under coach Marion, with the changes helping key players like Micah Welch become more effective and giving the Buffaloes a more balanced look than they had at times last season.
Still, the early surge has done more to raise the stakes than answer every question. The defense has shown some vulnerability, and the schedule is about to bring a very different level of resistance, the kind that will show whether this fast start is a sign of real growth or just a strong opening act. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Fans Have Plenty To Celebrate And One Real Concern
Colorado left its meeting with Weber State with plenty to feel good about after a 52-21 win that featured one of the biggest offensive showings of the young season. Julian Lewis put together a career-best day, throwing for 366 yards and four touchdowns, while Micah Welch gave the ground game a needed lift by delivering the teams first 100-yard rushing performance of the season. It was the kind of all-around offensive bounce that can make a September win feel like it carries real momentum.
The concern came on the other side of the ball, where the defense looked sturdier against the run than the pass but still gave up three touchdowns to Weber State. Special teams also settled in at a solid B grade, which made the day look productive overall, even if the Buffaloes did not fully close every loophole. For a team trying to stack reassuring signs early, the offense delivered them, but the defensive unevenness remains the one issue worth watching a little longer. [Read more 🡒]