Colorado’s first move in the 2026 transfer portal brought in more than size. Noah Feddersen arrives from North Dakota State with a 6-10, 245-pound frame and, just as importantly, a firsthand feel for what it takes to get to March Madness.
That matters in Boulder because the Buffaloes have made the Big Dance a goal for 2026, and Feddersen is already speaking like someone intent on helping set that tone. In an exclusive interview, the fifth-year forward laid out the approach that carried the Bison into the NCAA Tournament last season - and the message is simple: the work starts long before March.
“The biggest thing is that you don’t get [to March Madness] at the end of the season; you get there right now,” Feddersen said. “[You get there] by working hard in the summer and then having a solid season through and through, game by game. You don’t get there in the last week of the season; you’ve got to work every day, every week, every month, keeping your head down until you lift it up in March and see the results.”
Colorado will need that mindset to take hold, but it will also need production. Feddersen is expected to help on the glass, an area he’s still trying to sharpen as he enters his fifth college season. And he won’t be carrying the frontcourt alone.
Justin Neely, David Gomez and Rider Portela are all part of the equation, and their roles matter plenty if Colorado is going to make a serious push toward the tournament. Gomez and Portela, in particular, are still inexperienced and will have to adjust to Big 12 speed and physicality. If they can settle in quickly and give the Buffaloes steady minutes off the bench, that would be a major boost.
Neely brings a different kind of expectation. Colorado will want something close to the level he delivered for UNC Greensboro in 2025, when he led the Spartans in nearly every statistical category. Boyle and his staff may not be asking for that exact workload, but they will still count on him as one of the team’s top two scoring threats and one of its best rebounders.
The challenge, of course, is that the path is not exactly forgiving. Colorado is working with 10 new players, and building chemistry that fast is never easy, even if the early signs around the group have been positive. That process will keep changing as the season unfolds.
Then there’s the schedule. The Big 12 is a grind, and Colorado won’t have the same benefit it had in 2025 of hosting many of its toughest opponents.
Still, if this group can absorb the lesson Feddersen brought with him from North Dakota State, the Buffaloes may have more room to grow than the outside odds suggest.
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The secondary alone has enough moving parts to keep fans watching every practice rep, while the front seven is still searching for the kind of consistency that can change a game. On offense, the quarterback picture and the line in front of him remain central to how quickly Colorado can find stability, and with so many transfers and returnees in the mix, the final starting group may not be obvious until camp has had its say. [Read more 🡒]
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What stands out now is less the recruiting profile than the way Ward is approaching the transition. He has talked about wanting to bring energy and consistency to Colorado, but like most young receivers, the bigger challenge is learning the mental side of college football. Reading defensive disguises, picking up the details of the offense and making the right adjustment on the fly are part of the next step, and that process will go a long way in determining how quickly he becomes more than just another promising freshman. [Read more 🡒]
Brennan Marion Just Raised The Stakes For Colorados Offensive Line
Brennan Marion has already put a spotlight on Colorados offensive line room, and it is the kind of pressure the Buffaloes have been trying to create for years. The new offensive coordinator arrives with experience from both the Group of Five and Texas, and he sees a 2026 group that is bigger and more physical than the line he coached in Austin, a notable marker for a unit that has long been one of the programs soft spots.
Colorados push to reshape that front has included a mix of former high-profile recruits and under-the-radar additions, all with the same goal of making the trenches sturdier. Marion likes the way the room is coming together, though he also made clear there is still one obvious benchmark from his Texas days that helps define just how high the bar really is. [Read more 🡒]