Teams:

• Arizona
• Arizona State
• Baylor
• BYU
• Cincinnati
• Colorado – At bat
• Houston – On deck
• Iowa State – In the hole
• Kansas
• Kansas State
• Oklahoma State
• TCU
• Texas Tech
• UCF
• Utah
• West Virginia

Portal Team Rankings:

• On3: Big 12 7th | National 27th
• 24/7 Sports: Big 12 4th | National 23rd
• The Athletic: B

Via AI:

• DeAndre Moore Jr. (Wide Receiver): A highly impactful transfer from Texas, widely considered by the coaching staff as a massive get who brings immediate explosive playmaking to the receiving corps.
• Liona Lefau (Linebacker): A top defensive transfer from Texas with four-star credentials. He brings much-needed hard-hitting tackling and on-field experience to help overhaul Colorado’s linebacking corps.
• Boo Carter (Safety): An athletic and versatile defensive back who provides an instant spark and a major talent boost to the secondary.
• Santana Hopper and Danny Scudero: Two key playmakers the Buffaloes added from the portal to add reliable depth and versatility to the offensive and defensive schemes.

Via The Athletic:

Top players added: WR DeAndre Moore Jr. (Texas), WR Danny Scudero (San Jose State), OT Taj White (Rutgers), LB Liona Lefau (Texas), S Boo Carter (Tennessee)

Since arriving in December 2022, coach Deion Sanders has brought in over 170 transfers while signing an average of 16.5 high school or junior college recruits per cycle. There was no change in philosophy this offseason. Seven starters left via the portal, and another 13 exhausted their eligibility. Only four starters — all on offense — returned after a frustrating season. Sanders restocked the roster with 16 starters from other FBS programs, including five from Power 4 schools. Colorado’s crop of 12 new defensive linemen is led by Santana Hopper from Tulane. The offensive line is in transition once again, with five new additions who were starters a year ago. It’s anyone’s guess how all the new pieces mesh. But Moore and Scudero should be highly productive players in a Colorado offense that has never been fully committed to running the ball in Sanders’ tenure.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly:

I clearly haven’t learned my WVU lesson: Here’s where I once again tell you the team with the worst projected record in the Big 12 might be underrated because of how much I love its transfer class.

If you want to think the Deion Sanders era at CU is coming to a meek ending this year, there’s plenty of evidence on your side. With Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders gone and Coach Sanders dealing with a run of health problems, the Buffaloes collapsed to 3-9 and 96th last season. The coach made a run of QB changes that further confused a dreadfully inefficient offense, and the defense gave up far too many big plays. In Sanders’ fourth year in charge, he’s looking at his third or fourth total reset.

The thing is, I like nearly everyone he added. New offensive coordinator Brennan Marion brings instant improvement wherever he goes (and he goes lots of places), the new receiver trio of Danny Scudero (San José State), Kam Perry (Miami-Ohio) and DeAndre Moore Jr. (Texas) is outstanding, and the offensive line added three power-conference starters and four other veterans. If Marion and blue-chip redshirt freshman QB Julian Lewis form a solid partnership, the offense will improve quite a bit.

There’s more at the link.

Team Recruiting Rankings:

• On3: Big 12 15th | National 67th
• 24/7 Sports: Big 12 15th | National 67th

Via AI:

• Preston Ashley: A four-star safety out of Brandon, Mississippi.
• Rodney Colton Jr.: A four-star linebacker from Newnan, Georgia, who immediately stepped in as a true freshman.
• Carson Crawford: A highly-touted four-star linebacker from Carthage, Texas.
• Christian Ward: Wide receiver from IMG Academy (via Carrollton, Georgia).
• Domata Peko Jr.: EDGE defender originally from Ventura, California.
• Maurice “MoJo” Williams Jr.: Cornerback from Edna Karr, Louisiana.
• Josiah Manu: Offensive/Defensive lineman from Loveland, Colorado.

Big 12 Power Rankings

• ESPN’s Bill Connelly: 15th in the Big 12
• CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah: 15th in the Big 12
• The Big Lead: 15th in the Big 12
• Desert News’ Brandon Judd: 15th in the Big 12

AI Projection: What is the outlook for Colorado Buffaloes football for 2026?

The overall outlook for the Colorado Buffaloes football team in 2026 centers on a pivotal rebuilding year under head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, with projections hovering around bowl eligibility. Following a tough 3-9 season in 2025, the team has overhauled its coaching staff and roster to target immediate improvement.

Key aspects of the 2026 Colorado Buffaloes include:

Go-Go Offense: New Offensive Coordinator Brennan Marion is implementing his signature “Go-Go” scheme. This system relies on positionless wideouts, deceptive formations, and a stronger, balanced rushing attack with transfers like Richard Young and Damian Henderson II expected to lead the ground game.

Quarterback Battle: Redshirt freshman Julian Lewis is projected as the potential starting quarterback, though he has faced strong competition from Utah transfer Isaac Wilson. The offense aims to scheme Lewis open through play-action and strategic spacing.

Season Predictions: Analytics differ on the Buffaloes’ ceiling. ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) projects a record of around 6-6, which would sneak the team into a bowl game. Conversely, sportsbooks like DraftKings are slightly more conservative, setting their win total over/under at 4.5.

Defense & Schedule: Defensive Coordinator Robert Livingston has focused on resetting the line of scrimmage with transfer additions. Colorado opens its season on the road against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on September 3.