What national media outlets are expecting from the 2023 CU Buffs
The Colorado Buffaloes and their fans have been on cloud nine since December. That month brought us the hiring of Deion Sanders as head coach and promises of a brighter future. December also brought us some closure to a very disappointing 1-11 season. However, it seems that national prognosticators can’t shake the thoughts of that poor campaign.
We scoured the college football media landscape to see what pundits think of the 2023 Buffaloes and the early returns are not great, to say the least. Looking at outlets such as Lindy’s, Athlon, ESPN and CBS, Colorado wasn’t given much respect compared to its Pac-12 counterparts.
Sanders has been very confident about what he can do at Colorado, going as far as to tap into his inner Freddie Mercury to claim that he wants it all and wants it right now. Can Colorado prove the doubters wrong? Or will the rebuild be a multi-year process?
Here is what the national media is expecting from Colorado in Coach Prime’s first season:
Athlon: 11th in the Pac-12
Here’s some of what Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports wrote on the Buffs:
The Buffaloes will be one of college football’s most intriguing teams to watch in 2023. With Deion Sanders at the helm, along with a massive roster haul from the transfer portal, Colorado is a difficult team to assess and project. On the positive side, wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter is arguably the top all-purpose player in college football, and quarterback Shedeur Sanders could be the best signal-caller the program has seen since it moved to the Pac-12 in ’11.
Phil Steele: 11th in the Pac-12
Phil Steele has released a college football preview magazine every year since 1995. His 11th-place prediction for the 2023 Buffs would have them around two or three wins.
Lindy's: Last in the Pac-12
Lindy’s has an even bleaker outlook for the 2023 Buffaloes, picking them to finish dead last in the Pac-12. I can’t envision a world in which Colorado is worse than Cal or Stanford, but that’s how Lindy’s sees things.
CBS Sports: Under 3.5 wins
From Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports:
Despite being projected as one of the Pac-12’s worst teams, you can make the argument that the most fascinating team in the conference will be Colorado. Deion Sanders helped his new team compile the No. 1 transfer portal class via the 247Sports rankings and transformed the dynamic of high school recruiting. Colorado had one of the worst rosters in Power Five football last season, but Sanders transformed it with a mix of former blue-chip talent like Travis Hunter and starters from previous schools like Shedeur Sanders… Pick: Under 3.5 (-110)
ESPN: Last in the Pac-12
ESPN’s (subscription required) predictions for Colorado in 2023:
Offense: 22.8 points per game (84th nationally)
Defense: 35.4 points per game (115th nationally)
Projected wins: 2.3
Projected Pac-12 wins: 1.4
My prediction: 8 wins
We all know that this is the only prediction you need to trust. Who wants to join me out on this limb?
Further reading
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=26]
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
