Colorado enters its 2026 season with a roster that looks very different, but the most encouraging signs are easy to spot. The Buffaloes are less than two months from kickoff, and after last year’s 3-9 finish, Deion Sanders’ fourth team in Boulder is leaning on a wave of new faces, two new coordinators and more than 40 incoming transfers to try to get back on track.
If that mix comes together, a bowl trip is well within reach. And the clearest reasons for optimism sit in three areas: receiver depth, linebacker potential and a new offense built to move people around.
The receiver room might be the most dangerous part of the roster. Colorado has never lacked talent there under Coach Prime, but this group has a chance to stand out even by those standards. Joseph Williams, Quentin Gibson and Quanell Farrakhan Jr. are all back, and they’ll be joined by transfer additions DeAndre Moore Jr. from Texas, Danny Scudero from San Jose State, Kam Perry from Miami-OH and Ernest Campbell from Sacramento State.
That collection gives Colorado a level of speed that can challenge just about anybody. The key now is getting expected starting quarterback Julian Lewis the chance to deliver the ball in space and let those playmakers work.
On defense, the linebacker group may not be deep, but it has enough proven production to matter right away. Gideon Lampron, Liona Lefau and Tyler Martinez are expected to take most of the snaps for new linebackers coach and defensive coordinator Chris Marve.
Their previous stops show why the Buffs are counting on them. Lampron, Lefau and Martinez combined for 214 tackles last season at Bowling Green, Texas and New Mexico State, respectively. Martinez’s total could have been even higher if not for an injury; he had 94 tackles the year before.
"(We're) definitely physical," Martinez said. "A lot of great, older guys in the room, especially the guys you're about to hear from: Tyler and Liona.
Those are my best friends on the team. We're a tight-knit group.
We have some pretty fun punishments if you're late and stuff like that in the room. That just grows bonding.
I'm just thankful for the room. We're gonna be good."
The other major advantage is what Colorado can do on offense under Brennan Marion. His full Go-Go system is making its first appearance in the Power Four, and it’s designed to pull from multiple offensive ideas while creating production on the ground and through the air.
Marion described the approach this way during spring camp: "For these guys, (it's) learning that you don't play a position, you play everywhere," Marion said during spring camp. "That's how you ultimately can stack a lot of success and have a lot of yards. If you look at our quarterbacks over the years, when we pass the ball a lot, they can rack up a lot of yards because the defense can never get a count on where the receivers are actually at."
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Took On This Challenge For A Powerful Reason
Deion Sanders stepped into the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge this week with a purpose bigger than the viral moment itself, using the post to show support for former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson. Sanders, who was nominated by LenDale White, shared the video on his social media channels and framed it as part of a broader push to keep attention on ALS and the people in football rallying around the cause.
The challenge has become a familiar way for former players and their circles to raise awareness, and Sanders made clear he was joining a line of names already tied to the effort. In his message, he also singled out other former stars who had taken part, turning a simple bucket of ice water into a public nod to a community trying to help one of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Hunter Just Gave Colorado Fans Another Reason To Believe In Prime
Travis Hunter has already become one of the most recognizable products of the Colorado era, but his latest public moment had nothing to do with highlight reels or draft chatter. In Jacksonville, the former Buffaloes receiver and cornerback was seen encouraging a group of youth athletes before they headed out on a run, urging them to stay positive and listen to their coaches. It was the kind of small, human interaction that fits neatly with the culture Deion Sanders has tried to build in Boulder.
Hunter also made clear where he thinks that mindset came from, crediting Sanders for preparing him beyond football and for the demands of professional life. That matters to Colorado fans because it reinforces the bigger pitch of the program: the Buffaloes are trying to develop players who carry themselves well long after they leave campus. Current Buffs player Randon Fontennette has been active in charity work as well, another sign that Sanders message is still showing up in ways that go beyond Saturdays. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Just Made A Major Change To Its Student Section
Colorado is changing the way its student section works, rolling out a new loyalty program for the 2026-27 academic year in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder Division of Student Life. The idea is to reward undergraduate students who show up for CU Athletics events, with points that can eventually help improve access to home football and mens basketball games along with other perks.
The new setup also gives students a more structured path into the ticket process, starting with a CU Athletics Sports Pass that goes on sale July 9, 2026, and point earning that begins Aug. 5. Pass holders will also get a Nike Dri-FIT Gold Rush T-shirt, while a separate Buff Club student membership offers an earlier entry point into the weekly ticket claim process for those willing to pay extra for it. [Read more 🡒]