Colorado Buffaloes 2023 College Football Preview
July 12, 2023
2022 Recap
Record – 1-11
ATS – 2-10
Prime Time……Prime Time…….Prime Time.
Ya, it’s probably not even worth mentioning what a pile of HORSE HOOEY last season was for Colorado. For the record tho, they only won one game all season and allowed an impossible 221 (!) points in their last four games. It was a total disgrace.
COACH PRIME comes to Boulder and he’ll try to get things turned around. Is there any hope for 2023?
Colorado Buffaloes 2023 Outlook
OFFENSE
The Buffs have averaged less than 20 PPG in each of the last two seasons and they only managed to score 15.4 PPG in 2022 (#127 FBS). Peeps are moving in and out of the program LIKE THE DICKENS but we’ll do our best to provide a quick snapshot. QB Shedeur Sanders rolls into town after putting up eye-popping numbers at the FCS level (40-6 TD to INT, 6 rush TD LY) and he provides instant credibility for the offense.The WR/TE group is undergoing a total rebuild and the Buffs have added bits and pieces from the transfer portal. Hopefully the WR tandem from USF will work out. The RB room looks good as they added a legit #1 in Alton McCaskill (Houston) and a few other doods for depth purposes.The OL is a complete mystery as they’ll work over the summer to cobble something together from a pair of returning starters and a bunch of transfers. It’s hard to believe that anyone has a solid feel for how productive the offense will be this season. Our best guess is that it’ll be one of the worst in the PAC 12 but not a total disaster. Maybe new OC Sean Lewis can bring over some of his Kent St FLASH FAST offensive magic?
DEFENSE
The Buffs put on a horrific display of defense LY as they allowed 44.5 PPG (dead last FBS, USF 41.2) and an impossible 510 YPG (2nd-last FBS). Witnesses in Boulder said that they hadn’t thrown-up that much since watching those Communist scumbags on ESPN’s short-lived pile of doo doo, “His and Hers”. The transfer portal was used liberally during the offseason and they’re rebuilding at every level of the defense. That makes it very tough to figure out how things will go. Some key players to watch are safety Trevor Woods (#2 tackler LY), highly-touted sophomore CB Travis Hunter, and Clemson transfer LB LaVonta Bentley. This will obviously be one of the worst defenses in the PAC 12 but they’ll probably get better as the season rolls along.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking duo looks decent as they scooped PK Alejandro Mata from Jackson St (12-13 FG LY) and punter Mark Vassett who did good work with LUA-VUH. They’ll have to send out a search and rescue mission to find some return specialists.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – The BODY BAGS will be piling up in September as they face four tough opponents (at TCU, CORN, at Oregon, USC). The Buffs also have to face Utah in Salt Lake City.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at TCU (Sept 2)
This could get extra-ugly and we won’t be backing the Buffs in this one. We’ll want at least a few weeks to see how things are playing out.
Season Win Total
Market consensus July 12
Over 3.5 +120
Under 3.5 -150
MEGALOCKS says:
Lean: Under
It’s really hard to find more than one or two wins on their schedule. Then again, you’ve gotta tread with caution because this team has so many new faces.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
The Buffaloes last won a bowl game back in 2004 when they squeaked past UTEP in the Houston Bowl (W 33-28).
Colorado’s lone inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is the Raiders’ legendary WR Cliff Branch who dominated with the SILVER AND BLACK and was part of three Super Bowl teams (XI, XV, XVIII).
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
What can COACH PRIME accomplish in year one of the rebuilding process? The Buffs have a promising QB and some talented transfer portal pieces, but it seems like this is gonna be a long season for Colorado. We won’t be surprised if they give a few teams some unexpected trouble and they just might SHOCK the WORLD at some point and put it all together for a BIGGIE SIZE upset. Go Buffs!