Colorado’s first loss of the season didn’t just snap momentum. It put two problems squarely under the spotlight for Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes: a thin interior defensive line and a ball-security issue that keeps showing up at the worst time.
Northwestern’s 41-7 win on Sept. 19 was brutal in every sense, but the damage on the ground was especially telling. The Wildcats rolled up 182 rushing yards, and even Weber State had found cracks in Colorado’s front with 127 rushing yards at 4.4 yards per carry. That’s a sharp turn from what Colorado showed in Week 1 against Georgia Tech, and it points straight to a depth problem inside.
The Buffaloes have already been forced to get creative. Tulane transfer Santana Hopper had to slide inside, and starting left guard Chauncey Gooden was plugged onto the defensive line as Colorado’s newest two-way option.
Those moves tell the story as much as the stat sheet does. Colorado and defensive coordinator Chris Marve clearly needed more speed and muscle in the middle, and the options have been limited.
That shortage has only grown more obvious with the absences piling up. Defensive tackle transfer Ezra Christensen, from New Mexico State, lost an eligibility case before the season, and top junior college transfer Malachi Brown is out for the year with a torn labrum. Put that together, and the Buffaloes’ interior line looks thin and worn down already.
The bigger concern now is what that means for the weeks ahead. Opponents watching Northwestern won’t have much reason to stay away from the run game. If teams can control the clock and keep leaning inside, Colorado has already shown it can be dragged into long stretches where the front wears down.
The other issue is just as hard to ignore. Rain played a role in the Northwestern game, and Colorado’s skill players, including quarterback Julian Lewis, had to deal with slippery conditions.
Brennan Marion’s “Go-Go” offense also carries built-in ball-security risk because of its RPO element. But the mistakes go beyond the weather and the scheme.
Damian Henderson II and starter Micah Welch both lost the football, and Marion along with running backs coach Johnnie Mack will have work to do when that room meets again. Baylor, with coach Dave Aranda calling the shots on defense, figures to attack that weakness immediately and challenge Colorado’s grip on the ball.
The Buffaloes already coughed up two fumbles in the rout of Weber State, and Lewis lost the ball once in that game. Across the last two contests, he has now turned it over three times.
That puts a new level of pressure on Colorado as Big 12 play begins Sept. 26 against Baylor. With Texas Tech, Utah and others coming soon after, the Buffaloes are heading into a stretch where defenses will be ready to hunt takeaways and punish every loose handle.
For Colorado, the themes are clear now: survive the wear-and-tear up front, and clean up the football.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Calls Out A Colorado Issue Fans Will Hate
Deion Sanders did not like what he saw after Colorados 41-7 loss to Northwestern, and it was not just the score that bothered him. The Buffaloes were undone by turnovers and offensive inconsistency, but Sanders focused on the reaction from some players afterward, saying he was dissatisfied with the fact they were laughing after the defeat.
With Big 12 play coming next, Sanders is using the aftermath as a teaching moment about accountability and what kind of standard this team has to live up to. For Colorado, the concern now is bigger than one rough afternoon. It is whether the lesson from an ugly opening loss sticks before the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Faces A Costly Crossroads If Deion Era Ends
If Colorado ever decided to move on from Deion Sanders, the fallout would be about more than simply finding a new head coach. His contract carries a significant buyout clause, which means any exit would come with a major financial hit before the Buffaloes even get to the harder part: figuring out what kind of program they want to be next. That question is already shaping the discussion around possible replacements, because the choice would say as much about Colorados long-term direction as it would about the football team itself.
Among the names being floated are Brennan Marion, Jason Eck, Ryan Walters, Brian Kelly and others, a mix that underscores how many different paths the school could take. Some candidates bring strong recruiting appeal, some have Colorado ties, and others offer more established head-coaching experience, but each would come with a different level of risk and expectation. For a program trying to find stability, the next move would not just be about replacing Sanders. It would be about choosing which version of the future Colorado is willing to buy into. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Had To Address A Troubling Colorado Issue Fast
The postgame mood around Colorado was blunt and unsettled after a 41-7 loss to Northwestern, a game that turned early when the Buffaloes gave the ball away and never recovered. Deion Sanders did not hide from it, acknowledging the mistakes that put his team in a hole while also giving Northwestern credit for how it was coached and prepared.
Sanders also had to deal with more than the scoreboard, addressing player behavior in the wake of the defeat as he tried to steady a team already under pressure. With Big 12 play looming, the message was clear enough: the Buffaloes have to clean up the details, prepare better and show much more discipline if they want the next stretch to look anything like they hoped. [Read more 🡒]