Colorado’s season opener did more than put the Buffaloes at 1-0. It sent a message.
Now they come home to Folsom Field for Saturday’s first home game, and Weber State is the one standing across from them after a 1-1 start and a 47-42 loss to Southern Utah last weekend. On paper, it’s a heavy lift for the Wildcats, who are listed as 34.5-point underdogs by FanDuel.
But Weber State coach Eric Kjar isn’t walking into Boulder blind. He knows exactly what Colorado looked like in Week 1, and he knows the size of the stage his team is about to step onto.
“I think it's an exciting opportunity for us to be able to go into a big environment,” Kjar said. “A lot of people know about Colorado, or at least know their program, from a national standpoint.
And they played well last week. I thought they played great defense and made enough plays in the offensive game, running the ball really well and effectively, to where they were able to put themselves in a position to win on the road; that was a big win for them.”
That assessment lines up neatly with what Colorado did in Atlanta. The Buffs held Georgia Tech to six points and 51 rushing yards on 30 carries, a performance that earned Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week honors and got Lamont Lester Jr. named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.
Deion Sanders made it clear Tuesday in Boulder that he isn’t brushing off Weber State, either. He had strong words for Kjar, calling him “a flat-out winner,” and said he expects the Wildcats to arrive ready for the moment.
“I love him for many reasons,” Sanders said. “I love him because he's a flat-out winner.”
Sanders also pointed to the environment and the platform waiting for Weber State, including a large crowd and ESPN+.
“His kids play for him,” Sanders said. “And he's going to have those guys prepared. He's going to allow them to know the magnitude of the opportunity.”
That opportunity, Sanders said, goes beyond the scoreboard. He understands that some Weber State players could see Saturday as a chance to get noticed by Power Four programs and maybe work their way toward a move through the transfer portal.
“We're ready, man, we're prepared. I promise you we're not taking anything for granted,” Sanders said. “Because I know darn well if I were on that team, I would come here and want to put on and show out so that somebody could notice me and maybe grab me out of the portal and pay me handsomely.”
He added, “That's what I would be thinking if I were on that team,” Sanders said. “So I'm pretty sure there are certain guys thinking the same thing.”
Colorado has already shown it can win with defense, enough timely offense and a road performance that turned heads nationally. Saturday gives the Buffaloes a chance to keep that momentum rolling in front of their own crowd, while Weber State arrives with the kind of underdog motivation Sanders clearly expects to see.
In Other News...
Colorado Suddenly Faces A Very Different Test In Home Opener
Weber States trip to Boulder is already taking shape differently than expected, with starting quarterback Devin Brown likely out after dislocating his right pinkie finger in the season opener. That pushes freshman Nate Dahle into the spotlight for a second straight week, giving Colorado a look at a Wildcat offense led by a much less experienced hand than the one it prepared for.
Eric Kjar has already updated the situation and sounded confident in Dahles ability to manage the game, but it still changes the tone of the matchup for Colorados home opener. Rather than facing a veteran starter, the Buffaloes now have to account for a freshman quarterback making his way through another major test, which adds a little extra unpredictability to a game that already carried plenty of curiosity. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Rumors Create A Colorado Problem Fans Know Too Well
Florida States loss to SMU on Monday night was enough to reopen a familiar conversation around Deion Sanders, and it immediately put Colorado back in a place it has learned to recognize. The buzz around Sanders and the Seminoles has returned even without any credible reports of outreach, which is exactly the sort of background noise that tends to follow a high-profile coach who has already changed the trajectory of one program.
For Colorado, the concern is less about where Sanders is and more about what the rumor cycle does around him. Sanders is under contract through 2029 and has said publicly that he is happy in Boulder, but any fresh speculation can still ripple into recruiting and keep the Buffs tied to a national guessing game they did not start. It also leaves Florida State coach Mike Norvell absorbing scrutiny for a season that has already prompted plenty of questions, which is why this particular storyline is likely to linger even without a real update behind it. [Read more 🡒]
Buffs Fans Are Getting A Boulder Basketball Night That Will Feel Different
Boulder is about to get a rare basketball showcase when the University of Colorado hosts an NBA preseason game at the CU Events Center on Oct. 4. The Nuggets and Utah Jazz will meet there, giving Buffs fans a chance to see pro basketball in a building that is usually reserved for college hoops and turning an early fall date into something that should feel a little bigger than the usual exhibition stop.
The night will also bring a familiar face back to campus in KJ Simpson, the former Colorado guard who is now with Denver on a two-way contract. For Buffaloes fans, that adds a local layer to a game that already stands out, especially with the matchup opening the Nuggets five-game preseason schedule and giving Boulder a first look at what should be a memorable crossover event. [Read more 🡒]