The Colorado Buffaloes’ trip to Northwestern did more than just hand them a 41-7 loss in Week 3. It put Deion Sanders’ team at a familiar fork in the road, the kind that has defined the Coach Prime era before.
Colorado has shown two very different versions of itself after getting punched in the mouth. Sometimes the Buffs steady themselves and turn a bad day into a turning point. Other times, the wheels come off.
There is recent evidence for both outcomes. Last season, Colorado absorbed a 28-10 loss to Nebraska in Week 2 after a win over an FCS opponent that had left plenty to be desired.
That defeat exposed some of the same concerns that had already been bubbling up, but the Buffs answered it the right way. They won seven of their next eight games and stayed in the mix for the College Football Playoff and the Big 12 Championship, finishing 9-4.
But Colorado has also gone the other direction under Sanders. In 2023, after opening 3-0 and drawing the nation’s attention, the Buffaloes were crushed 42-6 by then-No.
10 Oregon in Week 4. From there, they collapsed, winning only one of their next eight games.
The 2025 season followed a similar pattern. After a Week 3 road loss to Houston, Colorado beat Wyoming at home the next week, but then dropped all but one of its next eight games and finished 4-8.
That history is why this week matters so much. This Colorado team is not the same as those previous versions. It does not have a Heisman Trophy-winning Travis Hunter, and Sanders also had a much better grip on roster construction this time around, unlike in 2025 when health concerns got in the way.
So the question now is simple: who are these Buffaloes, really?
The first Big 12 stretch should answer it. A road trip to Baylor comes next, and another flat performance there would be hard to ignore. If Colorado wins, though, the conversation changes fast.
Then comes a three-week run that could tell the whole story. The Buffaloes will host No.
13 Texas Tech and No. 17 Utah, with a bye week in between.
If they can win one or both of those games, the Northwestern loss starts to look like an off night against a good team. If they get beaten the same way again, the road ahead gets a lot steeper for Sanders and everyone around this program.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Just Entered A Brutal Stretch Colorado Cant Afford
Colorados lopsided loss to Northwestern was more than a bad afternoon, it was a reminder that the margin for error has all but disappeared. At 2-1, the Buffaloes are still early in the season, but the defeat made the road to bowl eligibility noticeably tougher and put an immediate spotlight on a schedule that was already going to test them in a hurry.
Deion Sanders enters his fourth season facing a stretch Colorado cant really afford to botch, with several upcoming games looking like uphill fights and the Big 12 opener against Baylor looming as a pivotal one. The larger concern is not just one loss, but whether the program has closed enough ground to keep pace with a conference that appears stronger around it. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado's Next Game Could Reshape Several Buffaloes Roles
Three games into the season, Colorado has already started to sort out which players are pushing their way into bigger roles and which ones are sliding the other direction. Smith, Fontentte and Martinez have all moved up in standing thanks to timely, impactful plays, while Lewis, Lester and Welch have seen their stock dip after quieter or less effective outings. It is the kind of early-season movement that can happen fast when a team is still searching for the right mix, and it has given the Buffaloes a clearer sense of who is earning more trust.
The next game could sharpen those decisions even more, especially with so many roles still in flux. Lewis has already taken responsibility for his interceptions in the latest game, and how he responds will matter not just for him, but for the way Colorado weighs its options around the offense. For a team still trying to stabilize its pecking order, the coming week offers a chance to turn a few emerging trends into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Fans Need To See How Fast The Big 12 Race Is Taking Shape
The Big 12 picture is already starting to sharpen after a busy Week 3, and Colorado fans have plenty of reason to keep one eye on the rest of the league. Texas Tech survived a close call against Houston, West Virginia pulled off an upset over Virginia, and the updated standings are beginning to separate the early contenders from the pack.
For a Colorado team trying to find its own place in the conference race, the pace matters as much as any single result. The scores from around the league showed just how quickly one weekend can alter the conversation, and with the standings already updated, the Buffaloes are getting an early look at how crowded and competitive this chase may become. [Read more 🡒]