Colorado’s defense keeps punching above the team’s record.
Through six games, the Buffaloes lead the Big 12 with 53 tackles for loss and rank No. 4 nationally at 8.8 tackles for loss per game. That kind of production usually belongs to a team stacking wins, not one sitting at 2-4.
The front has been the engine. Colorado has hit at least seven tackles for loss in each of its first five games and reached a high of 12 against Texas Tech. Against Utah, the stat sheet spread the credit around: nine different Buffaloes, from linebacker Gideon Lampron to safety Naeten Mitchell to rotational linemen, were credited with at least a share of a tackle for loss.
Santana Hopper has been the most visible force in the surge. Against Texas Tech, he became the first player in program history with at least five tackles for loss and five quarterback hurries in the same game, per Colorado Athletics. He entered the Utah game with 9.5 tackles for loss on the season.
After that Texas Tech game, Hopper described the way the defense is feeding off itself.
“It’s like a chain reaction,” Hopper said. “You see one person doing something good, you want to do something good, so it makes me feel good to go out there and make a play.”
That’s been Colorado’s calling card: impact from everywhere. A defense that leans on one star can be picked apart. A defense that can get disruption from a safety, a linebacker and a backup lineman on the same drive is a much tougher puzzle.
Deion Sanders has liked what he’s seen in stretches, but he has also made clear there’s a difference between flashes and finishes. After the Texas Tech loss, he put it plainly.
“I liked many aspects of [the defense],” Sanders said. “We still broke at the end. And a good defense, a great defense, doesn’t break.”
That tension defines Colorado right now. The numbers say the defense is winning at the line of scrimmage almost every week. The record says those plays still aren’t translating into victories.
There is another number that helps explain why the Buffaloes keep hanging around: opponents are converting only 39 percent of their third downs against Colorado, according to the team’s season stats. Chris Marve’s defense is giving the offense chances. It just hasn’t been enough to stop the skid, with Colorado now on back-to-back-to-back-to-back losses despite leading the league in tackles for loss.
In Other News...
Colorado Opens With One Big Question Around Its New-Look Roster
Colorados men's basketball team spent Big 12 Media Day talking through a roster that looks very different from a year ago, with head coach Tad Boyle joined by Josiah Sanders and Barrington Hargress to help sketch out the early shape of the 2026-27 group. Boyle spent much of the day on the blend of new faces and returning pieces, while Sanders and Hargress offered a players view of how leadership and chemistry are developing before the season gets going.
What stands out for Colorado is how much of the conversation still centers on identity, not just talent. Freshman guard Alex Dickeson, graduate forward Justin Neely and sophomore forward Goc Malual are among the names giving this roster a new look, but the bigger question is how quickly that mix settles into something cohesive under Boyle. Sanders and Hargress both sounded focused on the day-to-day work, which is usually the first clue whether a team with this many moving parts is going to come together in time. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Sent A Clear Message About This Season At Big 12 Media Day
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Colorados offseason also had a little more substance than the usual summer workout grind. The group talked through the teams trip to Portugal, a stretch that gave the Buffs extra time together before the real schedule begins, with an exhibition set for Oct. 27 and the regular season opening Nov. 4. For a team trying to define itself early, those are the kinds of details that can matter long after media day has ended. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Could Get A Crucial Pass Rush Boost At Oklahoma State
Colorados defense may be getting a timely lift as it heads into a matchup with an Oklahoma State team that can stress opponents through the air and has done a solid job keeping its quarterback upright. Deion Sanders said defensive lineman Lamont Lester Jr. is expected to be a full participant, which matters for a Buffaloes front that can use all the disruption it can get against one of the more dangerous passing attacks on the schedule.
Lester has been one of Colorados key pass-rushing options this season, and the Buffs have already seen how much his presence can change the feel of the line. After being slowed by injury-related limitations in recent action, his availability gives Colorado a chance to pressure Oklahoma State in ways it will need if it wants to keep that offense from settling in and controlling the game. [Read more 🡒]