Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado opened 2026 with a dramatic 14-13 win at Georgia Tech, sealed by Julian Lewis's 20-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Williams with 42 seconds left and a blocked field goal by Boo Carter. A 52-21 rout of FCS Weber State followed, but the Buffaloes have since dropped four straight: a 41-7 blowout at Northwestern, a 23-13 loss at Baylor, a 29-7 home defeat to Texas Tech, and a 27-24 heartbreaker to Utah. At 2-4 overall and 0-3 in Big 12 play, the season is at a crossroads.

Brennan Marion's Go-Go scheme was supposed to ignite the offense, and it did against Weber State when Julian Lewis threw four first-half touchdowns and set a school record for first-quarter passing yards. But Lewis was pulled at halftime against Baylor and benched entirely against Texas Tech in favor of Isaac Wilson, who threw three interceptions in that start. Wilson showed resilience against Utah with 256 yards and two touchdowns, nearly leading a comeback, but the lack of a settled starter has prevented the offense from finding rhythm. The Buffaloes have committed multiple turnovers in three straight games and are converting third downs at an alarming rate (3 of 15 at Baylor).

Despite ranking 133rd in run defense last season, the 2026 unit has been stout. Colorado held Georgia Tech to 51 rushing yards, limited Weber State to 127 (most of which came after a 52-14 lead), and held Baylor to just 3.3 yards per carry. The front seven, led by transfers like Santana Hopper and Liona Lefau, has exceeded expectations. However, the defense has been hung out to dry by turnovers and penalties, and the pass defense has had breakdowns, as seen in the Northwestern and Utah games.

Colorado has been flagged 13 times for 107 yards against Weber State, 8 times for 84 yards against Texas Tech, and 10 times for 93 yards against Utah. The Buffaloes are the most penalized team in the Big 12. Turnovers have been equally damaging: four interceptions against Texas Tech (including a pick-six), three first-half turnovers against Northwestern, and two interceptions from Wilson against Utah. These self-inflicted wounds have consistently put the defense in bad spots and stalled offensive drives.

With six games remaining, Colorado needs four wins to reach a bowl game. The schedule still includes road trips to Oklahoma State, Arizona, and TCU, plus home games against Arizona State, West Virginia, and Kansas. The Buffaloes have shown flashes of brilliance, particularly in the passing game with Joseph Williams and DeAndre Moore Jr., but they must protect the football and reduce penalties to have a chance. The defense has been good enough to keep them in games, but the offense's inconsistency and the quarterback uncertainty remain the biggest obstacles. If Isaac Wilson can build on his second-half performance against Utah and the line can provide protection, Colorado could still string together wins. But time is running out.