College football’s next postseason shift has Colorado looking back as much as forward.
With the sport moving toward a 24-team playoff by 2027, the Buffaloes suddenly fit into a much bigger picture. The current 2026 team, stuck in a three-game losing streak and 0-2 in conference play, would still face a steep climb. They’d need to win out and get plenty of help elsewhere just to have a shot.
But when you widen the lens to previous Colorado teams, the picture changes fast. Since the College Football Playoff launched in 2014, the Buffaloes have had plenty of rough seasons, including nine losing records, along with a 2-10 and a 1-11 campaign.
The worst under Deion Sanders was the 2025 team, which finished 3-9. Even so, a couple of CU teams would have had a real case for a 24-team bracket.
The clearest example is the 2016 squad under Mike MacIntyre. Colorado turned into a Pac-12 title contender in their fourth season together and climbed as high as No. 9 nationally.
The Buffs fell short of Washington, which won the league and grabbed one of the four CFP spots in that format, but Colorado’s resume got a boost from late-season wins over ranked Washington State, which was No. 20, and Utah, which was No. 21.
In a 24-team world, that group likely would have been in the field.
The 2024 Buffaloes also would have had a strong argument. Sanders’ second team finished 7-2 in Big 12 play, one of four conference teams to do that.
In a 24-team playoff, Colorado would have been the fourth Big 12 team in, even if it meant a low seed. Instead, the Buffs met rival BYU in the Alamodome, another team that missed out on the CFP.
A different bracket could have given fans Travis Hunter on the path to a national title run.
That setup could have delivered a marquee opening-round game, too. A Colorado-Miami matchup was the likely scenario, with Shedeur Sanders facing Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward. Hunter would have lined up against Miami wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, and Sanders would have run into an old rival from his Florida State days in "The U."
It would have been a television dream. Instead, Miami ended up in the Pop Tarts Bowl after missing the ACC title game.
As for 2016, Colorado probably would have landed around the No. 13 seed because of those late upsets, setting up a matchup with West Virginia or maybe Mountain West champion San Diego State. Either way, the conclusion is the same: a 24-team playoff would have given Colorado at least two more chances to crash the national title race.
In Other News...
Buffs Let A Stronger Start Slip Away At Stanford
Colorado had some early positives at the Stanford Intercollegiate before the opening round settled into a tougher afternoon, leaving the Buffaloes in 14th place after a 15-over-par start. Senior Maya McVey provided the best round for Colorado, carding a 1-over 72 to pace the lineup while the team tried to keep contact with a deep field playing on a demanding course.
Stanford set the tone at the top of the leaderboard, opening at 13-under-par and creating an early gap the Buffaloes will need to chase down. For Colorado, the task now is less about salvaging one round than finding the steadier stretch that can turn a rough opening into a climb over the next 36 holes. [Read more 🡒]
Buffs Are One Win From A Breakthrough With NCAA Stakes
Colorados women were still alive in the ITA Mountain Regional Championships thanks to a strong run from Lera Alexin and Ema Bubalo, who moved through the quarterfinals and into the doubles final with a chance to keep the Buffs postseason hopes climbing. The pairs success came as Heidi Crncans singles run ended in the round of 16 against Utahs Sara Akid, leaving Colorado with its clearest path in doubles.
Alexin and Bubalo now sit one win away from a regional championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Individual Championships, a prize that would put a real exclamation point on the Buffs weekend. Their next opponent will come from the other side of the bracket, and the matchup only adds to the stakes for a Colorado duo that has already given the program a meaningful lift at the right time. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Heads Into Utah With Key Availability Questions Still Looming
Colorados Week 7 injury report brought a mix of relief and concern as the Buffaloes prepared for Utah, with several names shifting in and out of availability ahead of the trip. Edge rusher Immanuel Ezeogu has been cleared to play, while Lester remains questionable and multiple starters are still dealing with injuries that could affect both sides of the ball.
The bigger changes came with the status of Martinez, who was removed from the injury report, and Perry, who is out for the Utah game. For a Colorado team trying to manage its depth on the fly, those updates only add to the uncertainty surrounding how much of the rotation will actually be available when the Buffaloes take the field. [Read more 🡒]