Colorado Buffaloes 2025 College Football Preview
Posted July 3, 2025
2024 Recap
Record – 9-4
ATS – 9-4
The Buffaloes rode the performance of a pair of superstars and a decent supporting cast to get THIS CLOSE to making an appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game. Colorado got on a HEATER after their loss to Nebraska and won seven of eight games, reaching a mark of 8-2. Sadly, their dreams went down the crapper in late November when they got hammered by Kansas, but at least they finished regular season in style by destroying the trash heap known as Oklahoma St (W 52-CACK). The Buffaloes ended the year with a spanking at the hands of BYU in the Alamo Bowl to end the year at 9-4. Not bad.
Colorado Buffaloes 2025 Outlook
OFFENSE
Colorado was a one-trick pony last year, but that trick was a good one. The rushing attack was non-existent (65 YPG, last FBS!) but star QB Shedeur Sanders was phenomenal (4,134, 37-10 TD to INT) as was his devastating WR corps that included two-way Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter (1,258, 15 TD). Sanders is off to the NFL and it’ll be up to either Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter or highly-touted freshman Julian Lewis to lead the team in 2025. We’ll see how things go during the summer but our guess is that Salter gets the nod due to his experience, despite having a rocky 2024 season (56%, 15-6 TD to INT). Don’t forget that Salter was phenomenal in 2023 (61%, 32-6 TD to INT) and he led the Flames to record of 13-1 and a date in the Fiesta Bowl vs Oregon. The RB room appears to be just a bunch of “guys” but we expect a bit more out of the run game this year. The Buffs lose their top-four (!) WRs from LY’s squad but they’ve got a few talented guys coming back and they did a nice job in the transfer portal. Keep your eye on players like 6’5” Sincere Brown (1,028, 16.9, 12) and Hykeem Williams, a very talented specimen from Florida St. The OL was brutal LY allowing 43 sacks (#126) but part of the blame goes to Sanders who liked to hold the ball for seemingly minutes at a time. The front looks improved this year, particularly at the tackle position.(Hill, Seaton).
DEFENSE
The Buffaloes had a sneaky-good defense LY (23 PPG, #42 FBS) and they were particularly stingy vs the pass (#29 pass efficiency D) thanks in large part to the play of CB Travis Hunter. The Buffs were also impressive in the PENETRATION department (39 sacks, #1 Big 12). We like the look of the defense heading into 2025 as they bagged a sweet haul thru the portal and there are some talented players returning from LY’s defense. The DL looks good as they added some beef in the middle with Tavian Coleman (Texas St) and Jahiem Oatis (ROLL TIDE) to go along with talented DEs Samuel Okunlola and Arden Walker. LBs Martavius French and Reggie Hughes were outstanding performers in the Group of Five LY, and they can build around DB Preston Hodge and CB DJ McKinney on the back end. It obviously stings to lose Hunter to the NFL but this stop unit ranks just inside the top half of the Big 12 in our rankings.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game will be fine with the return of PK Alejandro Mata (12/15 FG, 55/55 XP LY) and the addition of punter Damon Greaves (Kansas) but they’ll definitely miss Lajohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn in the return game.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – The only tough game in non-conference play is the home opener vs Georgia Tech but it’s not like the Yellow Jackets are unbeatable. The Big 12 schedule is challenging as they’ve gotta go ON THE HIGHWAY five times and those games include dates at TCU, Utah, and Kansas St.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Wyoming (Sept 20)
Wyoming is a borderline bowl team but this game pops up between the Big 12 opener (at Houston) and the REVENGE game vs BYU. Don’t forget that the Cougars humiliated Colorado in the Alamo Bowl last year. In our opinion it’s not a great spot to lay the lumber with the Buffaloes.
Season Win Total
Market consensus July 3
Over 6.5 +160
Under 6.5 -200
MEGALOCKS says:
No leanage.
19 of our 23 models have Colorado finishing the regular season with six or seven wins. They look pretty good on paper but the conference schedule is a bear.
Note – Our official list of season win total investments will be posted in the blog section of the website.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
The Buffs are on a five-game losing streak in bowl games and the last time they tasted victory in the postseason was back in 2004 when they slithered past UTEP in the Houston Bowl (W 33-28).
Love him or hate him, COACH PRIME has been good to DEGENERATE NATION by going 16-9 (64%) vs the point spread. He’s been particularly spicy in the role of home underdog (4-0 ATS).
Boulder, Colorado is well-known for consistently placing near the top of the United States Total Crime Index and for providing a safe haven for communist sympathizers and psychotic Karens. If you’re a senior citizen and enjoy being firebombed, Boulder may be the place for you!
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
Many folks are dismissing the chances of Colorado having success again in 2025, but NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND. It’s never great to lose a pair of superstars but COACH PRIME did a great job acquiring talent thru the portal and they’ve got a schedule that allows them to get off to a hot start. Unfortunately, we’re not completely sold on the QB situation and that makes us view them as a bowl team, but not a legit Big 12 contender. Sorry to the haters, but they’ll be a really fun team to watch this year. Go Buffs!