Nickname: BuffaloesEnrollment: 37,153Location: Boulder, Colo.Home field: Folsom Field (Capacity: 50,183)Conference: Big 122023 record: 4-8, 1-8 Pac-12All-time series history vs. UCF: First meeting
Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment in a 12-part series highlighting UCF’s 2024 football opponents.
Senior quarterback Shedeur Sanders declared at Big 12 media days that Colorado is “everybody’s Super Bowl” this upcoming season. That is an exaggeration, of course, but the Buffaloes could indeed be UCF’s most anticipated Bounce House visitor in 2024.
Deion Sanders brings the Buffaloes to Orlando for the first time on Sept. 28, the Knights’ home opener in conference play. UCF announced a sellout on June 18, with tickets only available on the resale market.
Colorado officially returned to the Big 12 on Aug. 1 after spending the previous 13 seasons in the Pac-12, a league ripped apart by college football’s realignment. Arizona, Arizona State and Utah also made the jump to the Big 12, while Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington departed for the Big 10.
Sanders, the Hall of Fame cornerback and former Jackson State head coach, guided Colorado to an eventful 4-8 record in his debut season in Boulder — a three-win improvement compared to Karl Dorrell’s final year in charge.
The Buffaloes took the sport by storm last September — opening with a road win over reigning national runner-up TCU, blowing out Nebraska at home and outlasting rival Colorado State in overtime to vault into the top 20 of both major national polls. But, Colorado crashed back down to earth from there with defeats in eight of its last nine games, closing on a six-game losing streak.
Let’s learn more about Colorado, picked to finish 11th in the Big 12’s preseason media poll — three spots behind the Knights.
Coach Prime changes coordinators ahead of 2nd Colorado season
Sanders needs little introduction, obviously, as one of football’s most colorful personalities of the last quarter-century. The 56-year-old — often referred to as Coach Prime — signed a five-year, $29.5 million contract to become Colorado’s coach in December 2022 after going 27-6 in three seasons at Jackson State and leading the Tigers to the Celebration Bowl twice.
Earlier this month, Sanders spoke highly of UCF head coach Gus Malzahn, saying, “He recruited Shedeur out of high school, and I remember going there in Auburn. He’s just been the same, consistent man since. He’s phenomenal.” Malzahn responded that he’s been a fan of Sanders since his playing days.
Colorado changed coordinators on both sides of the ball this offseason. Former Cleveland Browns and New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur, who called plays for the Buffaloes’ final four games in 2023, was officially promoted to offensive coordinator while Robert Livingston takes over on defense after a six-year stint as safeties coach for the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Buffaloes had a number of significant woes that contributed to their second-half downfall. No FBS quarterback was sacked more than Shedeur Sanders (52), and Colorado’s running game ranked last in the Pac-12 at just 68.9 yards per game. Defensively, they surrendered 34.8 points per game (121st out of 130 FBS teams) and allowed opponents to convert on third down 46.7% of the time.
NFL draft prospects Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter among Heisman favorites
Top Offensive Returners: WR Jimmy Horn Jr., WR Travis Hunter, QB Shedeur Sanders, OL Hank Zilinskas
Top Defensive Returners: LB LaVonta Bentley, DL Shane Cokes, DB Travis Hunter, DB Shilo Sanders, DB Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, LB Trevor Woods
Sanders said at Big 12 media day that he believes Colorado possesses as many as four 2025 first-round NFL draft picks. USA TODAY’s DraftWire listed two Buffaloes among the first 32 players off the board in its most recent mock: all-purpose threat Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Hunter, the No. 1 high school prospect in the nation back in 2022 who made national headlines for spurning Florida State to follow Sanders to Jackson State, earned the Paul Hornung Award in his debut campaign at Colorado as the country’s most versatile player. He played 114.7 snaps per game, had 721 receiving yards with five touchdowns and snagged a team-high three interceptions.
Shedeur Sanders will bid to become the first quarterback, and potentially the first player, selected next April. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior completed 69.3% of his passes last season for 3,230 yards, 32 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
According to BetMGM, Shedeur Sanders is a 30-to-1 pick (+3000) to win the Heisman Trophy — tied for the 13th-best odds, with Georgia’s Carson Beck and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel sitting as the joint favorites (+750). Hunter has longer odds at 50-to-1 (+5000), the same as Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins and Clemson QB Cade Klubnik.
Dynamic receiver/returner Jimmy Horn Jr., second-leading tackler LaVonta Bentley and second-team All-Pac-12 safety Shilo Sanders join the celebrate duo as Colorado’s key holdovers. Horn, who graduated from nearby Seminole, started every game for the Buffs and totaled 58 receptions for 567 yards and six touchdowns.
UCF FOOTBALL: Knights flip 4-star defensive back Jamarrion Gordon from Alabama
Colorado brings in more than 40 players from NCAA transfer portal
Transfer Portal Additions: RB Isaiah Augustave (Arkansas), DL Anquin Barnes (Alabama), OL Kahlil Benson (Indiana), OL Ethan Boyd (Michigan State), DL Rayyan Buell (Ohio), DL Taurean Carter (Arkansas), LB Johnny Chaney (Florida A&M), DB Adonis Forrest (Eastern Illinois), EDGE B.J. Green II (Arizona State), LS Kameron Hawkins (Arizona), RB Dallan Hayden (Ohio State), EDGE Dayon Hayes (Pittsburgh), LB Nikhai Hill-Green (Charlotte), TE Sam Hart (Ohio State), DB Preston Hodge (Liberty), DB Colton Hood (Auburn), OL Phillip Houston (Florida International), OL Wyatt Hummel (Villanova), DB RJ Johnson (Arkansas), OL Tyler Johnson (Houston), OL Payton Kirkland (Texas), OL Justin Mayers (UTEP), DB D.J. McKinney (Oklahoma State), DL Chidozie Nwankwo (Houston), DL Samuel Okunlola (Pittsburgh), OL Zechariah Owens (Clemson), WR Cordale Russell (TCU), WR Will Sheppard (Vanderbilt), DB Herman Smith III (Jackson State), QB Walter Taylor (Vanderbilt), DL Tawfiq Thomas (Louisville), WR Terrell Timmons Jr. (N.C. State), OL Yakiri Walker (Connecticut), QB Destin Wade (Kentucky), EDGE Keaten Wade (Kentucky), EDGE Nikhil Webb Walker (New Mexico State), LB Jaylen Wester (Florida Atlantic), WR Lajohntay Wester (Florida Atlantic), EDGE Quency Wiggins (LSU), TE Charlie Williams (UNLV), DB Ivan Yates (Furman)
Transfer Portal Losses: OL Jack Bailey (Northwestern), DL Zach Blackwood, WR Cole Boscia (California), EDGE Eric Brantley Jr. (Florida Atlantic), DB Kyndrich Breedlove (Purdue), WR Dante Capolungo, P Trent Carrizosa (San Jose State), OL David Conner (Texas State), DB Omarion Cooper (Florida State), WR Tar’Varish Dawson (Jacksonville State), RB Dylan Edwards (Kansas State), WR Chernet Estes (Utah Tech), DB Andi Etok, TE Caleb Fauria (Delaware), WR Willie Gaines (Murray State), LB Marvin Ham (Arkansas State), RB Anthony Hankerson (Oregon State), LB Deeve Harris (Marshall), TE Michael Harrison (San Diego State), DB Adam Hopkins (Charlotte), OL Isaiah Jatta (BYU), LB Demouy Kennedy, OL Gerad Lichtenhan (Oregon State), EDGE Khairi Manns (James Madison), RB Alton McCaskill (Arizona State), DB Cormani McClain (Florida), OL Jeremiah McCrimmon, TE Chamon Metayer (Arizona State), DB Jaden Milliner-Jones (SMU), WR Jacob Page, DB Savion Riley (Miami), DB Jahquez Robinson (Auburn), DB Myles Slusher, LB Kofi Taylor-Barrocks (UTEP), DL Bishop Thomas (Georgia State), DB Vito Tisdale (Eastern Kentucky), DL Chazz Wallace (N.C. State), OL Savion Washington (Syracuse), QB Kasen Weisman (Florida Atlantic), OL Van Wells (Oregon State), OL Owen Westemeyer (Iowa State), RB Sy’Veon Wilkerson (Georgia State), OL Jack Wilty (South Florida)
For the second straight year, Coach Prime plugged more than 40 roster holes via the transfer portal. Notably, he went shopping for offensive linemen that could keep Shedeur upright and improve one of the country’s least potent run games.
The Coloradoan’s Scott Procter forecasts that two transfers will crack the starting lineup on the right side: guard Justin Mayers and tackle Kahlil Benson. Tyler Johnson, who allowed just two sacks in 890 pass blocking snaps at Houston, Yakiri Walker, Phillip Houston and Wyatt Hummel will compete for places and provide crucial depth.
Will Sheppard and Lajohntay Wester each eclipsed 2,000 career receiving yards at their previous schools, hauling in 21 touchdowns apiece. Dallan Hayden was a consensus four-star recruit out of the Memphis area, and he averaged 5.1 yards per rush with six TDs during a two-year stint at Ohio State.
Colorado’s defensive front will look markedly different as well. B.J. Green, Samuel Okunlola, Dayon Hayes and Quency Wiggins are expected to turn up the heat on opposing passers. Nikhai Hill-Green, who originally committed to UCF after leaving Charlotte in the portal, is expected to earn a starting nod at linebacker.
Finding a starting cornerback opposite Hunter was a priority for Colorado in the spring, especially in the aftermath of former five-star Cormani McClain’s decision to leave. D.J. McKinney, who had a career-high seven tackles for Oklahoma State in last year’s Big 12 title game, has the upper hand entering fall camp.
IMG Academy’s Jordan Seaton trusted to start at tackle as true freshman
Top Incoming Freshmen: DL Brandon Davis-Swain (West Bloomfield, Mich.), ATH Kam Mikell (Statesboro, Ga.), WR Drelon Miller (Silsbee, Texas), OL Jordan Seaton (Washington, D.C.), RB Micah Welch (Milledgeville, Ga.)
Colorado signed a handful of blue-chippers from the high school ranks, winning a crucial December battle against Florida, Ohio State, Tennessee and others for the signature of IMG Academy’s Jordan Seaton. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Under Armour All-American started at left tackle for the team’s spring game and is projected to top the depth chart on the blind side.
Four-star recruits Drelon Miller and Kam Mikell will likely see early playing time at receiver, and Micah Welch brings downhill power and a nose for the goal line to Colorado’s running back group.
Sanders snatched up three more athletes from the Sunshine State, including a pair near his old stomping grounds of Fort Myers: Naples cornerback Ebenezer Bouzi, Dunbar linebacker Kyeran Garcia and Bradford cornerback Malakai Murphy.
Two early enrollees, however, exited Boulder after the spring. Edge rusher Eric Brantley Jr. (Valdosta, Ga.) resurfaced at Florida Atlantic, and JUCO defensive lineman Zach Blackwood is still seeking a new home after dipping into the portal.
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Publish date : 2024-07-29 05:12:19
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