The noise around Colorado has eased a bit, and the reason is simple: Deion Sanders has his team off to a 2-0 start, the program’s best opening since his first season in 2023.
That alone would have changed the tone. But the Buffaloes backed it up on Sept. 12 with a 52-point outburst against Weber State, and Julian Lewis turned in his first 300-yard passing game. For a team that drew plenty of skepticism before the season, that kind of start forces a new conversation.
Sanders, though, made it clear after the win that he is not interested in settling for good vibes and a fast start. His postgame speech went viral for the wrong-and-right reasons at once, because it sounded less like a coach pleased with a blowout and more like one demanding a whole lot more.
“🔥 Coach Prime Post Game. Was NOT HAPPY with Buffs 👀"You definately ain't No Dawg, aint No Killa, aint No Pro...if you SATISFIED with THAT.
You guys are happy with winning the game. I'm trying to WIN IT ALL"📽️ @DeionSandersJr https://t.co/pnsIjUyIXv pic.twitter.com/etyaOAzdbs”
That message says plenty about the standard Sanders is pushing inside the locker room. A 2-0 record is not the finish line in his mind. He wants a team that plays like it belongs in the title hunt, even if outside observers had Colorado pegged near the bottom of the Big 12.
The defense, meanwhile, has already shown the fingerprints of new coordinator Chris Marve.
Colorado’s front has been active and disruptive, with the line controlling gaps and attacking the line of scrimmage. That has helped create two new names to watch up front: edge rusher Lamont Lester Jr. and versatile defensive end/tackle Santana Hopper. At linebacker, Gideon ESPN Lampron has emerged as a steady tackling presence.
The Buffaloes also produced 11 pass breakups against Weber State, their highest total in nearly 20 seasons. That’s a major number, even if the overall performance still left room for concern. Colorado gave up 21 points to an FCS opponent and allowed 372 total yards, including 127 on the ground.
So the defense looks better, but not finished. Northwestern should provide a cleaner test on Sept. 19, especially with Chip Kelly now coordinating the Wildcats’ offense. That matchup figures to bring more motion, more play action and a less predictable approach than Colorado saw against Georgia Tech and Weber State.
On the other side of the ball, the early returns on Pat Shurmur’s replacement are showing up all over the place.
Former Sacramento State head coach Brennan Marion has brought in his “Go-Go” offense, and it has already started to unlock Colorado’s playmakers. Micah Welch delivered his first 100-yard game of the season against Weber State and now has 164 rushing yards, more than he totaled through the first two games last season, when he had 78.
Lewis looked more settled in the passing game as well, and the highlight was the 66-yard touchdown strike to DeAndre Moore Jr. on the opening play. The offense has a less predictable feel than it did under Sanders’ previous coordinators, and the ground game has more space to work with.
Even the offensive line seems to be settling in. Colorado’s front five has looked more connected and more comfortable punishing defenses on the ground, which was a weak spot in Boulder before.
The results are encouraging. The expectations, from Sanders’ point of view, are still much higher.
In Other News...
Colorado Depth Chart Battle Is Starting To Get Real Fast
Colorados home opener gave the Buffaloes plenty to sort through, and not all of it was about the final score. The offense spread production around in a way that highlighted just how much competition is already baked into this roster, with two receivers and a running back all topping 100 yards. Joseph Williams stood out in particular, piling up 123 yards and two touchdowns while Elliott Arnold calmly drilled a 52-yard field goal on his first college attempt.
Multiple quarterbacks also saw the field, and freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne even added a rushing touchdown in relief, a reminder that the depth chart is not going to settle itself anytime soon. The other side of that coin was hard to ignore, though, because Colorado also finished with 13 penalties for 107 yards, leaving coaches with a clear list of things to clean up even as the internal battles for snaps start to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
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 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 🡒]