FOX Sports' Joel Klatt breaks down expectations for Colorado football in 2025

USA Today

6 hours ago

The Colorado Buffaloes have improved in back-to-back seasons under head coach Deion Sanders and almost appeared in the College Football Playoff last year. Although Colorado lost a fair amount of their offensive talent, including the likes of Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, to the NFL, Colorado and Coach Prime still expect to compete this upcoming season.
Many college football fans and analysts have written off Colorado for the 2025 season, citing that the Buffs lost too much talent. FOX Sports analyst and former Colorado quarterback broke down what he expects from this year's Buffaloes team and if a potential playoff run could be on the horizon in Boulder.
"On the field, it's been two straight years that they've improved in the win column pretty drastically," Klatt said on "The Joel Klatt Show". "They went plus-three and then plus-five in the win column the last two years. 9-4 a year ago. But, you've got to replace your quarterback, Shedeur Sanders. Coach Prime has never been the head coach of a team that didn't have Shedeur Sanders as its quarterback. How does that work out? We're not totally sure."
The Big 12 has arguably some of the best overall quarterback play in any conference (the SEC might top it with more star power) heading into the 2025 season. Colorado will face some tough matchups this year, playing in a stout Big 12 conference.
"You also have to replace the do-everything Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter," Klatt continued. "Do you have someone who can do that? No. Obviously not. But, I do know that Colorado has gotten better in the foundational areas of their program that those two players [Sanders and Hunter] masked the last couple of years. They got much better on the offensive and defensive line. They were first in sacks defensively a year ago, but unfortunately, they were last in sacks given up on the offensive side. I think that will improve."
"There is a standard at Colorado. They've improved from 124th-ranked scoring defense in 2023 to 42nd in 2024. Rob Livingston has done an excellent job as their defensive coordinator, but they're gonna have to replace too many players. So that's why I did not pick them [as a CFP party crasher], plus they have a tough schedule."
Klatt gives some tough love to his former school and believes it will be more of a rebuilding year in Boulder. Although they've gotten better elsewhere on the field, in Klatt's view, they've lost too many significant contributors at a variety of positions.
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