After finishing 9-4 overall in 2024, the Colorado Buffaloes saw most of their key contributors leave for the NFL. Any team going through that much turnover could expect to see some regression, but the caliber of talent moving on to the next level will create huge holes to fill for head coach Deion Sanders.
Colorado lost its leading passer (Shedeur Sanders), leading rusher (Isaiah Augustave) and top four recieving yards leaders (Travis Hunter, LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard and Jimmy Horn Jr.). The team's offensive line also projects to include four incoming transfers, and the defense lost multiple playmakers.
ESPN's updated FPI Rankings have the Buffaloes in 49th place, down 26 spots from the 23rd spot that they finished last season in. This comes with a projection of 5.5 to 6.5 wins in 2025, a 2.4 percent chance of winning the conference and a 3.1 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff.
Kaidon Salter will take over as the team's signal caller after four years with the Liberty Flames. He'll look to rebound after a down year in 2024, and attempt to get back to his 2023 self, where he finished with 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air. This will be the first year Sanders won't have his son at the quarterback position since his first season of collegiate coaching in 2021.
The wide receiver room will have some familiar faces, with Drelon Miller and Omarion Miller projecting to headline the group. The pair combined for 493 yards on 42 receptions and four touchdowns in 2024, but will need to take a big step to replace the production being lost. Sincere Brown could be a wildcard in the room, transferring in after 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Campbell Fighting Camels in 2024.
Losing so many program staples in one offseason could prove to be detrimental to Colorado, but it will be up to Sanders to do whatever he can to keep his team competitive.
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