Colorado3-92Colorado's top-3 Big 12 portal class arrives with just 7% production returning — Sanders' third straight extreme rebuild, now restocking DL and WR after losing Tyrecus Davis.
Colorado is the program that turned a head-coaching hire into appointment television — and is now finding out what the lights look like when the wins stop following them.
Every Buffs fan knows the deal: the same cameras that made Boulder the center of the sport are the ones counting down to the day they can call it a circus that fell apart. The fanbase loves the attent…
Approaching
29 days
until kickoff · at Georgia Tech · Fri Sep 4 · 00:00 UTC
Colorado is the program with a 1990 national title and the most-watched college football story of the 2020s thanks to Coach Prime.
The team returns just 7% of its roster, relying heavily on 42 incoming transfers and a #67 recruiting class to rebuild. With significant turnover in key positions like CB and EDGE, the program's success will depend on integrating new talent quickly.
Ralphie waits in the paddock.
the open questionwhere does it go from here?
Colorado collapsed 57 spots in SP+ — the steepest drop in the Big 12, and Deion Sanders' third season opens with bottom-quintile production returning.
Deion Sanders' third consecutive top-15 portal class rebuilds Colorado from a 3-9 losing season, but with just 7% returning production, nearly everything is being overhauled at once.
Colorado's top-3 Big 12 portal class arrives with just 7% production returning — Sanders' third straight extreme rebuild, now restocking DL and WR after losing Tyrecus Davis.
Deion Sanders begins his third season at Colorado, where a 3-9 losing record and coordinator changes highlight the challenge of rebuilding a lower-tier program with a storied past.
Joseph Williams is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
Micah Welch sees a real spike in usage once the game is out of reach.
Omarion Miller is a real deep-ball threat -- a high share of his targets come on throws past the sticks.
Omarion Miller: a garbage time merchant signal screened this season.
Zach Atkins is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
Colorado releases two-deep offensive depth chart
Two-deep is public now — with CB depth ranked 67th nationally and pressure at corner baked in, who's actually behind the starters matters more than the top line.
Colorado announces offensive line depth chart
The O-line depth chart is out and that's the real story — Rothstein's not buying the Big 12 surge yet, but if Sanders can protect the quarterback in a conference this deep, the rankings catch up.
Eligibility battle heads to court
Sanders takes the CB eligibility fight to court — with pressure already building at corner and a #37 class that can't paper over a starting-caliber gap, this isn't a roster footnote, it's a depth-need lawsuit.
Colorado receiver injury update
Williams going down at receiver hurts a Big 12 roster already leaning on a #67 class to fill depth — Sanders can't afford attrition at a position where the two-deep was already thin heading into fall.
Colorado assistant coach retires
Staff continuity matters when you're mid-climb — a retirement in the CB room, already under pressure at #67 nationally, is a quiet hit Sanders can't afford while the portal class is still settling.
Colorado announces 2026 schedule
The 2026 schedule is out, and Sanders isn't hiding from the moment — Big 12 road tests will either validate the transformation talk or expose that a #67 class isn't built for a gauntlet yet.
Top 3 commits
Fan confidence in a typical range for this program right now
42nd percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Colorado · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Colorado enters 2025 rated No. 96 in SP+ (-8.3), down 57 spots from 2024. It is bottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season. SP+ reflects three years of tape; a drop this steep is structural, not noise. The recovery window is open but the room knows it. The preview consensus leans in — but preseason ratings reward the recent past, not the season ahead.
The off-field storyline driving the noise right now. Not analysis — the soap opera, and that's the point.
The 'the projection is underselling us' read -- fans betting the season beats the preview number.
The 'the model has seen the tape' counter -- efficiency ratings reward what a program has actually done, not hope.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
This event was in 31 of 619 board posts (5%) over the last 60 days — engaged but not consumed. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (164 posts): 16% positive · 61% neutral · 23% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Colorado signed a top-13 transfer-portal class — 33 additions headlined by Kaidon Salter (QB) from Liberty and Noah King (CB) from Kansas State. It is third consecutive top-15 portal class. Portal pickups are proven college players — the split isn't about development, it's about whether they fit the scheme and win their position battles. Coverage is split on whether volume or positional fit is the bigger story.
The 'portal class fills the gaps' believers -- upgrades at real positions of need.
The 'portal is a gamble' counter -- departure losses and the 'plug-and-play doesn't work' read.
This event was in 115 of 619 board posts (19%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (164 posts): 16% positive · 61% neutral · 23% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Zero of five. Reset territory.
Opens Sep 4
vs Georgia Tech · away
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
FL leads the 2026 class with 4 commits. National footprint reaching 10 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
69 signees across 17 states, 2023-2026. FL leads the pull.
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
12 games with TV coverage: 2 national broadcast, 7 ESPN, 3 cable
Kickoff windows: 2 noon, 2 afternoon, 8 primetime
The bounces have gone their way on the fumbles they've forced: 53% recovered, vs. ~49% expected.
9 of 17 forced fumbles recovered; 6 of 12 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
Deflections without payoff: 12% of disrupted passes intercepted, vs. ~19% league-wide.
6 interceptions of 48 disrupted passes (42 deflected, 6 intercepted), 2025 only.
The flags have favored them: 72 penalties drawn on opponents vs. 68 committed, 81 yards to the good.
599 penalty yards committed vs. 680 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 12 corners
The split, staged
How Colorado fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
Still blows my mind Indiana, not some team like Ohio State or Alabama, was the first team to go 16-0 in the modern era
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
Loudest in the room this week real · by engagement
All 12 corners of the fanbase
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
~ our readColorado fans are leaning negative, and they're backing it with about as much hard evidence as anyone.
✓ counted We read 164 posts from Colorado fans this week.
Fan claims · every quote verified verbatim
Let's be honest we can all name several coaches and Universities who are terrible..But to just focus on Deion and Colorado shows me something about you... Colorado is much better. They were 1-11... has he been 4 years yet? We give other coaches time but for some reason we don't give it to him.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Jul 11, 2026 · via ESPN College Football
this dumbass coaching staff has genuinely made me lose brain cells. what in the fuck was that timeout
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Nov 8, 2025 · via CFB
The coaching isn't great right now, but all of the other position groups are playing well enough to win these games. It really is pretty much squarely on the quarterback.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Oct 5, 2025 · via CFB
Whatever youth coach put miller as a wide receiver did us an injustice
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Sep 28, 2025 · via CFB
Deion's clock management is still a fucking nightmare 3 seasons in. This was inexcusable at the start of last season. Actually insane it has not improved at all
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Aug 30, 2025 · via CFB
“As well North Dakota blew it with a min left up 4 points. There defense played well all game up until that final drive.”— r/CFB
“I've seen some way worse football than this in the 25 years I've been going to games...”— r/CFB
“Did anyone notice Sean Lewis’ hat tan at the end of the game? It was as sick as the score of this game”— r/CFB
“Prime should give his salary back, this dumbass coaching staff has genuinely made me lose brain cells. what in the fuck was that timeout”— r/CFB
“Let’s fucking go Colorado!!!! Sko buffs baby. Salter had his best game yet. That no call o the pick was iffy but ehh it went our way so I’ll look past it lol.”— r/CFB
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Fanbase Health Index · Colorado · high confidence
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.37 EPA/play | 3 | 9 | 127 / 204 | 62.3 | 1414 | 6.9 | 10 | 7 | 129.8 | 64.1 | 5.3 | 7.7 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage33.8% 86th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts INT rate3.4% bottom 25th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Kaidon Salter's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Pocket Passer · -0.03 EPA/play | 10 | 4 | 52 / 94 | 55.3 | 589 | 6.3 | 4 | 0 | 122.0 | 38.5 | 5.4 | 12.1 | |
Yards by week → Pocket PasserBalanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile. 97 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt7.2 bottom 36th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts INT rate0.0% 98th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Julian Lewis's full player page | |||||||||||||
| +0.30 EPA/play | 16 | 4 | 30 / 55 | 54.5 | 426 | 7.7 | 3 | 4 | 123.1 | 49.0 | 4.0 | 11.3 | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · -0.03 EPA/play | 29 | 12 | 96 | 384 | 4 | 4 | 44 | 6.6 | 4 | 17.0 | 7.4 | 5.6% (18/324) | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry4.9 bottom 34th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / reception3.4 bottom 10th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Micah Welch's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · -0.04 EPA/play | 7 | 8 | 70 | 326 | 4.7 | 1 | 42 | 9.8 | 9.2 | 26.1 | 14.5 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 186 of 349 classified this way. Played in 8 of 21 games this season · junior View Dallan Hayden's full player page | |||||||||||||
| +0.28 EPA/play | 26 | 4 | 21 | 144 | 6.9 | 2 | 38 | 7.4 | 8.8 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Threat · +0.78 EPA/play | 4 | 11 | 44 | 807 #67 FBS | 18.3 | 8 #23 FBS | 70 | 13.3 | 13.9 | 20.7% (67/324) | |
Yards by week → Deep ThreatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception18.6 92th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate18.2% 94th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.57 EPA/play | 8 | 10 | 37 | 489 | 13.2 | 4 | 47 | 14.1 | 12.2 | 16.7% (54/324) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. The most common profile in its group this season — 332 of 558 classified this way. Played in 10 of 21 games this season · sophomore View Joseph Williams's full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +0.87 EPA/play | 9 | 11 | 22 | 376 | 17.1 | 2 | 71 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 11.4% (37/324) | |
Yards by week → Deep Threat· Money-downStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. lives on the sticks and moves the chains 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception20.8 97th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.9 94th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Sincere Brown's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · -0.00 EPA/play | 6 | 11 | 21 | 159 | 7.6 | 1 | 32 | 6 | 9.1 | 9.9% (32/324) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception8.1 bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)-0.0 bottom 3th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint View Drelon Miller's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.17 EPA/play | 85 | 10 | 20 | 149 | 7.5 | 0 | 22 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 9.9% (32/324) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception7.1 bottom 13th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 10th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Zach Atkins's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.80 EPA/play | 5 | 5 | 9 | 81 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 2.9 | 5 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.18 EPA/play | 15 | 11 | 15 | 71 | 4.7 | 0 | 12 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 7.4% (24/324) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception6.2 bottom 3th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Quentin Gibson's full player page | |||||||||||
| +0.50 EPA/play | 17 | 9 | 5 | 37 | 7.4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 3.1 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Versatile End | 27 | 12 | 47 | 26 | 9 | 2.5 | 5 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate19.1% bottom 48th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readBreakout: his CFB Index score now sits at the 68th percentile among FBS EDGEs, up from the 24th | |||||||
| Versatile End | 53 | 11 | 42 | 25 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 5 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior View Arden Walker's full player page | |||||||
| Versatile End | 44 | 10 | 23 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate34.8% 92th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like View London Merritt's full player page | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 92 | 9 | 22 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight340 lb 98th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Anquin Barnes's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 88 | 9 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 0.5 | 1 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · senior our readFading: his CFB Index score moved from the 90th to 34th percentile among FBS IDLs | |||||||
| Versatile End | 91 | 8 | 15 | 7 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 3 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate16.7% bottom 39th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Brandon Davis-Swain's full player page | |||||||
| Pressure Merchant | 98 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 4 |
Pressure MerchantCollapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come. 23 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Hurry rate0.3 77th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Alexander McPherson's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 95 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 4 of 21 games this season · senior View Tawfiq Thomas's full player page | |||||||
| 90 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 49 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| 94 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 42 | 10 | 69 | 41 | 28 | 7.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 81th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Jeremiah Brown's full player page | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 50 | 11 | 46 | 33 | 13 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.7 98th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate1.1% bottom 12th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score went from the 85th percentile among FBS LBs to the 18th | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 40 | 9 | 37 | 23 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 87th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Shaun Myers's full player page | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 37 | 8 | 31 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 91th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score moved from the 77th to 28th percentile among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| 41 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | 9 | 12 | 78 | 4 | 1 | 7.5 | 0.5 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume78 96th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Tawfiq Byard's full player page | |||||||
| Ball Hawk | 4 | 12 | 52 | 13 #2 FBS | 1 | 2.5 | 0 |
Ball HawkReads the quarterback's eyes and takes the ball away. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 44 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate25.0% 88th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Preston Hodge's full player page | |||||||
| Press Corner | 8 | 9 | 34 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Press CornerLong and physical; jams receivers off their route at the line. 43 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Height6'2" 87th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score climbed from the 93rd percentile to the 67th among FBS CBs | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 23 | 8 | 33 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate15.2% 83th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Carter Stoutmire's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 28 | 8 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 8 of 21 games this season · senior our readAscending: his CFB Index score moved from the 0th to 13th percentile among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 13 | 5 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 5 of 21 games this season · sophomore our readBreakout: his CFB Index score climbed from the 3rd percentile to the 61st among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 3 | 8 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. The most common profile in its group this season — 141 of 270 classified this way. Played in 8 of 21 games this season · junior View Teon Parks's full player page | |||||||
| Ball Hawk | 29 | 7 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ball HawkReads the quarterback's eyes and takes the ball away. 44 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate31.2% 97th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Ivan Yates's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 10 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. The most common profile in its group this season — 141 of 270 classified this way. Played in 6 of 21 games this season · sophomore View Makari Vickers's full player page | |||||||
| 5 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 16 | 12 | 9/11 | 81.8 | 30/31 | 57 | 42 |
| 43 | 2 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 35 | 12 | 64 | 2799 | 43.7 | 67 | 14 | 5 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.18 EPA/play | 15 | 11 | 25 | 597 | 23.9 | 0 | 46 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -0.54 EPA/play | 14 | 7 | 5 | 33 | 6.6 | 0 | 19 |
| Possession Receiver · +0.18 EPA/play | 15 | 11 | 4 | 29 | 7.3 | 0 | 14 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+20 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #97 | #45 | +3.5 | Georgia Tech | L 20–27 128 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #88 | #140 | -23.5 | Delaware | W 31–7 131 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 12 | #101 | #34 | +4 | @Houston | L 20–36 135 | 1-2 | 0-1 |
| 4 | Sep 21 | #88 | #100 | -12.5 | Wyoming | W 37–20 125 | 2-2 | 0-1 |
| 5 | Sep 28 | #84 | #21 | +6.5 | BYU | L 21–24 116 | 2-3 | 0-2 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #77 | #30 | +14.5 | @TCU | L 21–35 132 | 2-4 | 0-3 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #81 | #40 | +2.5 | Iowa StateTop 25 win | W 24–17 131 | 3-4 | 1-3 |
| 9 | Oct 26 | #74 | #17 | +14 | @Utah | L 7–53 144 | 3-5 | 1-4 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #83 | #65 | +3.5 | Arizona | L 17–52 140 | 3-6 | 1-5 |
| 11 | Nov 8 | #105 | #103 | +6.5 | @West Virginia | L 22–29 154 | 3-7 | 1-6 |
| 13 | Nov 23 | #103 | #40 | +6.5 | Arizona State | L 17–42 140 | 3-8 | 1-7 |
| 14 | Nov 29 | #133 | #29 | +16.5 | @Kansas State | L 14–24 132 | 3-9 | 1-8 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29 | @Kansas State | L 14–24 | 323 | 1 | 29:23 | -0.020 | 33.3% | 149.1% | |
| Nov 23 | Arizona State | L 17–42 | 300 | 1 | 26:52 | -0.178 | 22.9% | 139.3% | |
| Nov 8 | @West Virginia | L 22–29 | 350 | 1 | 29:24 | +0.076 | 29.9% | 161.7% | One-score loss |
| Nov 1 | Arizona | L 17–52 | 299 | 5 | 34:09 | +0.010 | 34.6% | 106.6% | Blowout loss |
| Oct 26 | @Utah | L 7–53 | 140 | 1 | 26:22 | -0.249 | 27.3% | 127.2% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Oct 11 | Iowa State | W 24–17 | 403 | 0 | 30:03 | +0.204 | 31.2% | 168.6% | One-score win |
| Oct 4 | @TCU | L 21–35 | 343 | 4 | 31:32 | +0.149 | 36.9% | 142.2% | |
| Sep 28 | BYU | L 21–24 | 291 | 1 | 26:25 | +0.175 | 52.8% | 86.7% | Best success rate |
| Sep 21 | Wyoming | W 37–20 | 497 | 1 | 27:56 | +0.376 | 46.7% | 151.9% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Sep 12 | @Houston | L 20–36 | 300 | 2 | 23:15 | +0.205 | 30.0% | 178.2% | Most explosive |
| Sep 6 | Delaware | W 31–7 | 402 | 0 | 32:57 | +0.211 | 40.6% | 145.6% | |
| Aug 30 | Georgia Tech | L 20–27 | 305 | 0 | 27:37 | +0.152 | 39.0% | 119.1% | Defense's roughest night |
| Season average (12 games) | 329 | 1.4 | +0.093 | 35.4% | 139.7% | ||||
Colorado fields a struggling explosive, big-play offense behind a porous, gives up the big play defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
18th percentile quality, 84th percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 22nd percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it climbs to the 38th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
8th percentile success on standard downs, 48th on passing downs — a 40-point gap between the two.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 26th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 38th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.09; 28th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.00. The widest gap came in week 4: 0.24 raw vs. 0.06 adjusted.
Colorado reads strongest in explosive plays (top 7%) and success rate allowed (top 66%); the crux lives in success rate, where Colorado sits at the 5th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · Colorado
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Colorado · 2018-present
50% home win rate vs 25% on the road. margin runs +14.1 better at home. Folsom Field seats 50,183, averaging 99% full (49,781 attendance, 25 games reported).
Positional competition · RB room
Micah Welch and Dallan Hayden split the carries (94/164 vs 70/164) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Omarion Miller (WR) and Zach Atkins (TE) split the targets (63/94 vs 31/94) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
What changed
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved down 16 points. The rest held closer to steady.
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved down 16 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Season by season
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, Colorado’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (60.6% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 91-play sample) — mid-pack, 6 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
61°F average kickoff temp; 4% of games had measurable precipitation; 5 mph average wind.
Based on 70 home games with weather data.
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
Colorado's 2014–2025 record is 56-85. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
All-Time Record
since 1902 · 124 seasons · .546 win rate
Colorado went 9-4 in 2024 with Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. Then they both left for the NFL Draft. Then the Buffaloes went 3-9. That is the entire case for and against Deion Sanders as a program-builder, compressed into two consecutive seasons.
The program's only national championship was in 1990 under Bill McCartney — three Big Eight titles, Rashaan Salaam's 1994 Heisman, a Colorado identity built on the ground game and the altitude at Folsom Field. Then two decades of drift. Then Coach Prime arrived in 2023 and turned Boulder into the most-watched address in college football without winning a conference title or coming close to a Playoff. The 2023 season was the national arrival story. The 2024 season, with Hunter and Shedeur Sanders leading a 9-4 team, was the proof-of-concept season. And 2025 — 3-9, a 53-7 wipeout at Utah, blowouts to both Arizona schools — was the season the show ran into the reality of what a Power program looks like when its two best players leave and the depth behind them hasn't been built.
Deion Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million extension in March 2025 and declared his health restored after a blood-clot scare following prior surgery. He is loudly not on the hot seat in Boulder, by the school's own accounting. The offseason story in 2026 is a trench rebuild — Sanders spending portal resources and attention on offensive and defensive linemen, the structural pieces that 2024's stars masked. The bet is that Prime's recruiting gravity is real enough to pull in the depth a 9-4 team needs to become an 11-2 team.
The 2026 question is the one Boulder has been avoiding since 2023: is the spotlight the program, or does the program have to earn the spotlight? Four years in, 16-21 overall, the answer can't stay philosophical. The Big 12 schedule doesn't curve for narrative. Ralphie still runs out before kickoff, the altitude is still real, and Deion Sanders is still the most magnetic figure in the sport. Whether that's enough is what 2026 will actually answer.
Spectacle football — fast, brash, camera-aware; under Prime the program is as much a broadcast event as a team. The scheme tendency is spread concepts designed for playmakers, with QB mobility as a central read and receiver talent exploited in space. The 2026 roster is being rebuilt around the trenches precisely because 2025 exposed that the playmaker-first approach collapses when the playmakers leave. Folsom Field at 5,360 feet and Ralphie's run before kickoff are genuine home-field assets — altitude is a measurable factor in late-game execution.
Colorado 2016–2025. Holding the line. The 10-year slope (-0.11 rungs / yr) doesn't tilt either way — the program lives at roughly Tier 3.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 3-9
Colorado: Below .500 in FBS play. The rebuild bar.
Big 12 Standing · 2025
Colorado is 15th of 16 in the Big 12 at 1-8. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech | 9-1 |
| 2 | BYU | 8-2 |
| 3 | Utah | 7-2 |
| 4 | Arizona | 7-3 |
| 5 | Arizona State | 6-3 |
| 6 | Houston | 6-3 |
| 7 | Cincinnati | 5-4 |
| 8 | Iowa State | 5-4 |
| 9 | TCU | 5-4 |
| 10 | Kansas State | 5-5 |
| 11 | Baylor | 3-6 |
| 12 | Kansas | 3-6 |
| 13 | UCF | 2-7 |
| 14 | West Virginia | 2-7 |
| 15 | Colorado | 1-8 |
| 16 | Oklahoma State | 0-9 |
Coaching Era · Colorado
Deion Sanders has held the program for 4 seasons — the era is established.
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 1967
Ralphie, the live buffalo mascot (now Ralphie VI), is led onto Folsom Field by handlers at a 25 mph sprint before every game. The most dangerous mascot tradition in CFB — only buffalo bigger than the players are the offensive line. Symbol of the program's Rocky Mountain identity.
since 1924
5,360 feet elevation. Visiting teams arrive Friday for oxygen acclimation; the 4th quarter at Folsom is a different sport. The mountain backdrop became the program's iconic photograph during the 1990s peak.
since 2023
Deion Sanders' 2023 hire transformed the program into the most-discussed surface in college football. Roster overhaul (75% transfers), media tour, recruiting wins, the 'Coach Prime' brand. The era is its own ritual — every Saturday is a national TV event regardless of opponent.
Program memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
Colorado wins a share of the national championship — the high-water mark the whole program is measured against
1994
Rashaan Salaam rushes for 2,055 yards and wins the Heisman
3-9 the year after Hunter and Shedeur left — a 53-7 loss at Utah the low point
Wound
Moment of the Year · Colorado · 2025
Week 6 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2024 — loss 14-36 (home). Last 5 postseason: 0-3.
NFL Draft Pipeline
2025–20254 picks last 5 cycles. Pipeline emerging.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Hired for 2026: Brennan Marion — not yet reflected in on-field data.
Hired for 2026: Chris Marve — not yet reflected in on-field data.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes
Colorado · Next-Season Outcome Band
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Fanbase Health Index · Colorado · high confidence
2025 stat leaders
How They Play · 2025
Most Similar Programs · Colorado
Season Standing · 2025 · 3-9
Coaching Era · Colorado
Moment of the Year · Colorado · 2025
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
NFL Draft Pipeline