Colorado is headed into the 2026 season with a very different look, and Oklahoma State fans won’t be seeing the same Buffaloes that pushed close to the Big 12 Championship game in 2024. Last year’s 3-9 finish, with only one conference win, came after Deion Sanders lost a major chunk of talent - including Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, both now in the NFL. So Sanders is rebuilding again, this time with two new coordinators and another heavy dose of the transfer portal.
That makes the Oct. 24 matchup worth a closer look, because Colorado’s roster has a handful of names that could shape how this team looks in 2026.
The biggest one might be quarterback Julian Lewis. Some expected him to take over immediately as a true freshman, but Colorado kept his redshirt intact after he played four games.
Even in limited action, he showed enough to matter: 55.3% completions, just under 100 pass attempts, 589 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also handled the final three conference games against Arizona, West Virginia and Arizona State without turning the ball over.
That matters even more now, because new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion wants a vertical passing attack, and the Buffs are hoping Lewis can open it up.
At receiver, Sincere Williams brings speed and production that already translated once at Tulsa and then held steady in Boulder. He caught 30 passes for 588 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman with the Golden Hurricane, then followed that with 37 catches for 489 yards and four scores at Colorado. With the offense leaning into the deep ball, Williams could be in line for a huge year if Lewis gets enough time to throw.
Tight end Zach Atkins is another name Oklahoma State fans should have on the radar. His numbers last season - 20 catches for 149 yards - don’t jump off the page, but the opportunity has been the issue, not the talent.
He finished fourth on the team in receptions and ranked in the Top 20 among Big 12 tight ends in both catches and receiving yards. With Lewis set to run the offense full time and Atkins the only returning starter at wide receiver, Colorado could feature him more heavily in 2026.
The defense is the bigger mystery. Colorado has no returning starters on that side of the ball and brought in a new coordinator in Chris Marve, who came over from Virginia Tech.
The Buffs also loaded up on transfers, and one of the most interesting is Jeremiah Hopper. He arrives from Tulane after posting 4.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss last season, and he also spent three years at Appalachian State.
This is the chance he’s been waiting for at the power-conference level.
Another transfer to watch is Martavius Lefau, who brings the kind of experience Colorado can use right away. He played 42 games at Texas with 22 starts, making him a projected starter as fall workouts begin.
In 2025, he was a full-time starter and finished with 69 tackles, 27 unassisted tackles, three tackles for loss, three pass breakups, one sack and one fumble recovery. He enters 2026 with 139 career tackles and an interception, and that kind of résumé stands out on a defense that’s starting over.
In Other News...
Arizona Still Has One Huge July 4 Recruiting Battle Left
July 4 is shaping up as a busy day on the recruiting calendar, with three three-star prospects expected to make their college choices public. Kyren Caldwell is down to Alabama, Maryland and Mississippi State, while Darryl Flemister is expected to land on either Illinois or Iowa, but for Oklahoma State the most relevant name is Mason Joshua, the offensive lineman weighing Arizona against the Cowboys.
Joshuas decision is the one that could matter most to Oklahoma State fans, especially with new head coach Eric Morris helping give the Cowboys some momentum in the race. The announcement is expected around 2:00 p.m. ET, and until then the final answer remains one of those July 4 recruiting swings that can quietly shape a class long after the fireworks fade. [Read more 🡒]
Why Caleb Hawkins Still Isn't Getting Full Big 12 Respect
Caleb Hawkins is still waiting for the kind of full Big 12 recognition that tends to follow a big transfer move, even if the early buzz around him is obvious. The former North Texas running back is already drawing comparisons to BYUs LJ Martin in EA College Football 27, a sign that Hawkins has entered the conversation with some real credibility after a strong season and a move to Oklahoma State.
The ratings tell a familiar story for a younger player trying to catch an established name, with Hawkins lagging behind Martin in a couple of areas that often reward experience, while still grading out better in burst and lateral movement. Martin is the more seasoned college back at this point, but Hawkins has already shown enough as a runner to make the comparison interesting, even if the schedule will keep the two from settling anything on the field this season. [Read more 🡒]