Colorado football: Breaking down the Buffaloes' most important games on 2024 schedule

Colorado football returns to the Big 12 in 2024 with a heap of expectations.

A total of 30 new players (24 transfers, six high school signees) will give Deion Sanders and his squad an opportunity to improve on their 4-8 record from last season.

The Big 12 released its slate of games for the 2024 campaign on Tuesday, revealing a few matchups that could make or break the Buffs' season. Colorado's non-conference schedule is just as important and features a pair of games against talented opponents that can't be overlooked headed into Big-12 play.

Coach Sanders and the Buffs would like to win them all, but these five matchups could determine the fate of Colorado's 2024 season:

Potential trap game: vs. North Dakota State, Week 1

Despite losing head coach Matt Entz, who won two national titles as HC and another four titles as defensive coordinator for the Bison, North Dakota State opened as just a 7.5-point underdog (FanDuel) on the road against Colorado in Week 1.

The Buffaloes being favored by just a touchdown at home against an FCS program should be all the motivation they need to not overlook a worthy opponent. NDSU is a FCS powerhouse that has won nine national championships since 2011 (two of the last five) and lost in the semifinals after an 11-4 campaign last season. The Bison are now led by head coach Tom Polasek, who spent the last three seasons as Wyoming's offensive coordinator.

It's unclear at this point whether NDSU quarterback Cam Miller, who accounted for 32 total touchdowns and just four interceptions last season, will be back in 2024 for a graduate year. However, talented wide receiver Eli Green, who averaged nearly 20 yards per catch (887 yards on 46 receptions) in 2023, will present a challenge for Colorado's secondary.

"Don't underestimate North Dakota State," Sanders said Tuesday on FS1's Undisputed. "Those guys come to play and they can play."

It won't be easy, but the Buffs must take care of business in Week 1 and set the tone for a new era of Colorado football. If not, it could be the start of a long season.

Must win: at Colorado State, Week 3

If it were up to Deion Sanders, this game would take place in Week 1.

"Colorado State, I wish we could start off with that one," Sanders said Tuesday on FS1's Undisputed.

It will be hard to top the 2023 version of the Rocky Mountain Showdown but this year's installment is shaping up to be another classic. Colorado knocked off CSU in a thrilling, double-overtime game last fall and it arguably changed the trajectory of the Buffs' season.

Consensus All-American Travis Hunter was taken to a local hospital after a hit by CSU safety Henry Blackburn, who was assessed a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and received death threats online.

Hunter missed three games as a result of the hit and Colorado went 1-2 during his absence. A 48-41 loss to USC might've gone differently if Colorado had the 2023 Paul Hornung Award winner available.

If that isn't motivation enough, the wife of CSU head coach Jay Norvell, Kim, recently called Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders out on X (formerly known as Twitter) for his actions after the Rocky Mountain Showdown.

The 2024 Rocky Mountain Showdown, scheduled for Sept. 14 in Fort Collins, will be personal for Sanders and the Buffs.

Toughest road test: at Arizona, Week 7

After opening up Big-12 play with matchups vs. Baylor, at UCF and against Kansas State for homecoming, Colorado gets its first shot at avenging a loss from last season in Week 7 at Arizona.

The Wildcats have a new head coach, Brent Brennan, after Jedd Fisch left for Washington but their top two players from last season's 10-3 squad are back. QB Noah Fifita threw for 2,689 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2023 with 1,402 of those yards and 10 of those scores going to star WR Tetairoa McMillan.

That duo torched Colorado's secondary last season as McMillan caught nine passes for 107 yards and a touchdown, while Fifita threw for 214 yards and two scores in a 34-31 win over the Buffs.

It'll be Colorado's toughest road test up to that point (and maybe all season), but working in the Buffs' favor is the fact that they've been historically successful in Tucson against the Wildcats (9-4 all-time).

Signature win opportunity: vs. Utah, Week 10

It's been eight years since Colorado beat Utah in football (2016). The Utes have beaten the Buffs seven consecutive times, including last year's season finale when Shedeur Sanders missed the game with a back injury.

Like Colorado, Utah has veteran QB in Cam Rising returning for his final year after a knee injury cost him the entire 2023 campaign. The MVP of the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game threw for 3,034 yards and 26 touchdowns in his last full season as the Utes' starter. Kyle Whittingham is one of the best coaches in college football and 2024 will be his 20th season as Utah's full-time HC (162-79, .680 winning percentage).

The Buffs, with backup QB Ryan Staub under center, managed just 262 total yards of offense against Utah last season and allowed the Utes to run all over them (268 rushing yards). An improved defensive front and the assumed health of Shedeur should give Colorado all the confidence it needs to knock off Utah for the first time in nearly a decade.

Big 12 Championship implications: vs. Oklahoma State, Week 12

After playing a talented Kansas squad at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, in Week 11, Colorado ends the regular season on Black Friday with a matchup against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys went 10-4 (7-2 Big 12) last season before falling to Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game and could once again be among the top teams in the conference.

The biggest reason why is Ollie Gordon II, who won the 2023 Doak Walker Award as the top running back in college football. Gordon II averaged 6.1 yards per carry last year for Oklahoma State, rushing for 1,732 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Cowboys quarterback Alan Bowman will also be back in 2024 after he was granted a seventh year of eligibility by the NCAA due to his season-ending injury (2019) combined with redshirting at Michigan (2021-22). Bowman threw for the third-most yards in the Big 12 last season (3,460) but also led the conference in interceptions (14).

The matchup will be a revenge game of sorts for Colorado transfer cornerback DJ McKinney, who spent the last two seasons at Oklahoma State.

If Colorado can neutralize Gordon II — in addition to Arkansas transfer RB A.J. Green — and force Bowman into a turnover or two, the Buffs might find themselves competing for a Big 12 title at season's end.

Follow Colorado Buffaloes sports reporter Scott Procter on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Breaking down Colorado football's most important games on 2024 schedule