With the release of this year’s first College Football Playoff Top 25, the Colorado Buffaloes entered the rankings at No. 20, their first time being ranked by the CFP selection committee since 2020. In comparison to where this team was at the release of last year’s first CFP Top 25, there have been some major and noticeable improvements.
In 2023, the first edition of this ranking was released on Oct. 31, and at the time, the Buffaloes sat at 4-4, fresh off a 28-16 loss at the hands of No. 23 UCLA. CU didn’t know it yet, but they had already picked up their final win of the season two weeks prior against Arizona State, and this team was quickly plummeting to a last place finish in the Pac-12.
So, what’s changed? Head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders’s team remains structured around Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, Pat Shurmur remains the offensive coordinator, they even have some of the same opponents on the schedule, and yet, the Buffs find themselves in the race for the College Football Playoff. Truly, it’s been a series of subtle changes that have gone a long way for them, so let’s dig slightly below the surface to see how they got here.
Strength of Schedule
The most obvious comparison to make is to look at who they’ve played. Without a doubt this has been a major factor, as last year’s edition of the Pac-12 was one of the best college football had ever seen, nearly having two representatives in the four-team playoff. The Buffaloes played against six ranked opponents last season, while also playing two others that had been formerly ranked but fallen just outside of the Top 25.
Some of the difficult competition they came up against consisted of the Bo Nix-led Oregon Ducks, Caleb Williams-led USC Trojans, and Damien Martinez-led Oregon State Beavers. Nix and Williams were first round draft picks, and Martinez is now a key contributor for the Miami Hurricanes.
Since their move to the Big 12, CU has seen quite the drop in competition level. They have only faced one ranked opponent this season in the No. 18 Kansas State Wildcats, who they would fall to by a field goal. While they have faced some of the same teams from last year’s schedule, these opponents haven’t played the same as in 2023. Arizona, for example, was ranked No. 21 at the time they defeated Colorado last year, but come time for their matchup in 2024, the Wildcats were unranked and hadn’t won a game since Week 4, which remains true through Week 10.
Defense Wins Championships
The difference in Colorado’s record hasn’t just come from the teams they’ve been facing, however, as the improvement of their defensive unit has been immense. During the offseason, the Buffaloes hired Robert Livingston as their defensive coordinator, and since the implementation of his scheme, CU has taken their defense to another level.
Through eight games last season, the Buffs were allowing an average of 34.9 points per game, which ranked as the 10th most in the country, and 3rd-most among power five teams. Compare that to 2024, and the Buffaloes have knocked that number down to just 22 points per game, which, while not the lowest in the country, is a major improvement from last season.
Livingston has gotten the most out of his defensive players this year, including safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, who has been one of CU’s most underrated players this season. Through eight games, he’s registered 60 total tackles, which is already 16 more than he had in the entire 2023 season, along with two sacks.
Turnovers have also been on the rise for the black and gold this year, as they’ve recorded six interceptions and six fumble recoveries, well on pace to eclipse last year’s totals.
"He12man"
And finally, one man has operated as the engine of this Colorado team and finds himself in the Heisman Trophy race as a result. Wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter was unavailable for three key games for the Buffs last season after he suffered a lacerated liver against Colorado State, and his performance this season has truly shown how much he means to this team.
To this point in the year, Hunter has already eclipsed all his major numbers from the entirety of last season. He leads the team in receptions (60), receiving yards (757), receiving touchdowns (eight), interceptions (two), forced fumbles (one), while also recording 20 tackles. He also now ranks second in Heisman odds according to ESPN, sitting at +225, which ranks above names such as Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, and Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke.
With Colorado already bowl eligible and in the hunt for a potential Big 12 Championship, which would include their first ever College Football Playoff berth, these keys to their success need to remain the focus through their remaining conference games. This team has completed a full 180 from how they were playing at this point last year, and it begs the question: how much further can CU take their monumental improvement?
Cover photo by Roberto Patrick Gerra/Sko Buffs Sports
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