Colorado picked up a burst of recruiting energy heading into its matchup with No. 14 Houston, but the Buffaloes won’t have any visitors in the building for this one.
The momentum started when tackle Li’Marcus Jones briefly decommitted from Colorado, then flipped from Mississippi State and back to the Buffaloes in less than 24 hours. That move brought the “Play for Prime” hashtag back into circulation among recruits, this time tied to Colorado’s 2027 class. Soon after, three-star cornerback Tavarren Wade of Lancaster, Texas, joined that same class.
Even with that buzz, Colorado’s second-to-last home game is expected to come without any recruits or verbal commits on hand at Folsom Field. According to Colorado insider Jack Carlough of 247Sports on Nov. 12, no prospects are expected to be wearing lanyards and taking in the game.
It’s the first time this season the Buffaloes are expected to play without aspiring recruits or even verbal commits in attendance. The timing makes sense, too.
Most high schools, especially in Colorado, are already deep into the postseason. Even out-of-state targets are busy, including three-star quarterback commit Cameron Pooley of Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, California, who is already in the second round of his playoffs.
If this game were on a Saturday, the recruiting crowd likely would have looked different. Instead, Colorado heads into the Friday the 13th showdown without that usual sideline presence, while trying to keep the rest of its 2027 class intact.
The “Play for Prime” wave kept rolling during the week anyway. Four-star quarterback Andre Adams, one of Colorado’s earliest verbal commits, posted his own message on Nov. 10 after Jones made his return. Fellow four-star tackle commit Dewey Young followed suit, even sharing a photo of himself in a Colorado uniform.
#PlayforPrime@CUBuffsFootball @CoachBox6 @DeionSanders pic.twitter.com/3XlJfgp47u
Three-star interior offensive line commit Jayin Talib also posted a picture in Colorado gear and said he “can’t wait” to play for Sanders.
Can’t wait to #PlayForPrime @DeionSanders @CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/nrAqBPtCP7
Edge rusher commit Drew Sapp and three-star defensive tackle Kenny Fairley added their own photos with Sanders and used the hashtag as well, each backing up their commitment to CU. Four-star wide receiver Jaiden Kelly-Murray also jumped into the movement after joining Colorado in May following a brief decommitment from South Carolina.
Jones gave the hashtag a little more meaning when he explained why he came back to Colorado. In his commitment re-announcement, he wrote, “I allowed the media to get to my head about where Coach Prime will be at next year, but the staff informed me that they will in fact be there,”
So while Houston won’t bring recruits to Boulder for this one, Colorado’s 2027 class is hearing that Sanders and his 2026 staff are expected to remain in place after the Cougars game.
In Other News...
Colorado Faces Another Tough Home Test Against A Surging Houston Offense
Houston heads into another Big 12 road test with momentum and a quarterback playing cleaner football than he did a year ago. The No. 17 Cougars have built a 7-2 record and sit 4-2 in conference play, and Connor Weigman has been a big part of that rise with sharper passing numbers and fewer interceptions as the season has worn on.
Colorado, meanwhile, is trying to steady itself at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in league play, which makes this matchup feel like another measuring stick for a Houston team trying to stay in the conference race. The Cougars have already shown they can travel with confidence, but this one still carries the kind of challenge that can expose a team if the offense is a step off its usual pace. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Suddenly Has A Special Teams Problem Before Houston
Colorados special teams picture got a lot murkier heading into its meeting with Houston after starting kicker Elliot Arnold was downgraded from questionable to doubtful following an injury suffered against Arizona State. The Buffaloes had already been managing the situation after the roughing-the-kicker hit, and now they are bracing for a game in which field position and routine kicking work could matter just as much as anything else on the field.
Daniel Gerlach has stepped in at placekicker, but Colorado is still sorting out who will handle kickoff duties, leaving one more layer of uncertainty for a unit that needs to be steady against the Cougars. For a team trying to keep its special teams from becoming a liability, the timing is less than ideal, especially with Houston waiting and every hidden-yardage play likely to loom large. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Secondary Faces A Test That Could Change Everything For Weigman
Houstons secondary has spent much of the season trying to steady itself, and the recent uptick has at least given the Cougars a fighting chance heading into a matchup with Colorado. For a team that has often needed Conner Weigman to carry too much of the load, any progress on the back end matters, because it changes the way Houston can survive against a deeper, more dangerous opponent.
Colorado brings a passing game that will keep the Cougars honest from the start, with Joseph Williams and Deandre Moore Jr. serving as the kinds of receivers that can expose any lapse in coverage. If Houston can hold up better in the secondary, it does more than just slow one opponent - it gives the Cougars a path that does not depend entirely on Weigman to be perfect. [Read more 🡒]