Colorado’s 2026 path is already drawing plenty of side-eye, and for good reason: Brett McMurphy of On3 pegged the Buffaloes with the toughest Big 12 schedule in the league.
That’s not just because the conference slate is rugged. Colorado also stacked up a non-conference lineup that leaves little room to breathe.
The Buffaloes open in Week 1 with a trip to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech, and the early road burden doesn’t stop there. Colorado also has to travel to Northwestern and Baylor, with Weber State at home as the lone softer landing spot in that opening run.
Put the whole thing together, and Colorado’s schedule stands out nationally, too. The Buffaloes will face 11 Power Four opponents, more than any other Big 12 team and one of only five teams across the country to do it.
That kind of setup puts a lot on the shoulders of redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who is projected to start for Colorado right now. If Lewis gets the nod, those road tests at Georgia Tech, Northwestern, and Baylor will be a serious challenge - but they could also tell the Buffaloes plenty about whether he’s ready and whether he has settled into Brennan Marion’s new offense.
A decent opening stretch would matter a lot. If Colorado can come out of that first run sitting anywhere from 2-2 to 4-0, that would give the program a much better foundation before the Big 12 grind really takes over.
And that grind is no joke. Colorado’s conference schedule includes home games against Texas Tech and Utah with a bye week in between, a road trip to Oklahoma State, a home date with Kansas State at Folsom Field, a visit to Arizona State, a home game against Houston, a final road game at Cincinnati, and a season-ending home matchup with UCF.
The first two games in October could shape everything. If Colorado reaches that point with only Weber State in the win column, then Texas Tech and Utah suddenly become must-win games just to get back to .500. Lose both, and the Buffaloes would be staring at a 1-5 start and the very real risk of repeating last season’s struggles.
That’s where Lewis and the defense under new coordinator Chris Marve come into focus. Colorado needs the quarterback to show confidence, but it also needs stops on the other side to keep games manageable.
After that early October stretch, there are several games Colorado could realistically target. Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Cincinnati, and UCF all look like chances for the Buffaloes to stack wins, and going 3-1 or 4-0 in that group could put bowl eligibility within reach.
Arizona State and Houston are the tougher closing hurdles in that mix. Both have become steady Big 12 title contenders, which makes those matchups especially tricky for Colorado. Still, if the Buffaloes can steal one of them, it could reshape the way the season is viewed.
Even with all the difficulty baked into the schedule, Colorado still has a path to something better. If the Buffaloes can pick off the right games, they could reach a bowl for the second time under Coach Prime and build some real momentum in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail.
In Other News...
Brennan Marion Just Sent A Message Colorado Fans Have Been Waiting For
Colorados rushing game has been a work in progress, and Brennan Marion has made it clear he intends to change that. The Buffaloes offensive coordinator has been pushing to lift a ground attack that finished near the bottom of the Big 12, and his background suggests he has a plan worth watching. Marion has already shown at previous stops that he can help turn around a run game, which is part of why his arrival carried real expectations for a unit that needs more consistency.
A viral scrimmage clip offered a glimpse of how direct Marion is being with his backs, and it also seemed to resonate with Deion Sanders. Richard Young is among the players Colorado hopes can fit into Marions Go-Go offense, which is expected to lean more heavily on two-running-back looks and a deeper rotation of ball carriers. For a team trying to build a tougher identity on offense, the message from the sideline was hard to miss. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Toughest Stretch Could Define Coach Primes Rebound Year
October already looks like the month that will tell the story of Colorados 2026 season. The Buffaloes have a brutal run of Big 12 games coming up, with Texas Tech, Utah, Oklahoma State and Kansas State all waiting in the same stretch, and a bye week offering only a brief pause in the middle of it. For a program trying to reset after a major offseason overhaul, that kind of slate is going to test how quickly the new pieces can come together.
The challenge is made even steeper by the company Colorado is keeping at the top of the league. Texas Tech enters as the defending Big 12 champion and the clear favorite, while Utah and Kansas State also sit near the top of the odds board, which leaves the Buffs facing a month where they are likely to be underdogs in every game. With 43 transfers and new coordinators Chris Marve and Brennan Marion in place, October may end up being less about style points and more about whether Coach Primes rebuilt roster can hold up when the schedule gets unforgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Faces A Defining Colorado Test In 2026
Colorados reset for 2026 is already taking shape around a new staff and a roster that looks far different from the one that stumbled to a 3-9 finish in 2025. Brennan Marion is in as offensive coordinator and Chris Marve takes over the defense, while Julian Lewis is expected to be the starting quarterback for a team that has leaned hard into transfers and recruits to rebuild quickly.
The bigger question now is whether that mix can translate into actual stability, especially on a defense that was overrun against the run a year ago. Marve inherits a unit that needs a major turnaround, and Colorados front will be watched closely as newcomers settle in and the Buffs try to figure out what kind of identity they want to carry into the season. [Read more 🡒]