Colorado

Colorado enters 2026 as a pressure-and-proof story after public promises of change following last season's blowout disappointments. The Buffaloes posted a brutal 3-9 record but responded with an aggressive portal strategy, headlined by Texas transfer De'Andre Moore Jr. and San Jose State's Danny Scudero (48.4 PPA), the top arrival in a class that added 91.1 PPA while losing 84.4. New offensive coordinator Brennan Marion takes over from Pat Shurmur, while Chris Marve gets promoted from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator. The challenge is translating portal talent into production for a team that ranks 87th nationally with a -3.3 JP+ rating, driven by matching 87th-ranked offense and 86th-ranked defense.

JP+ projects 5.7 wins for Colorado in a Big 12 schedule that features challenging road tests at Arizona State and Cincinnati plus a tough home date with Texas Tech. The Buffaloes face significant continuity questions with mixed offensive stability and high defensive turnover, particularly along the front seven where edge pressure production departed. Key losses include receiver Omarion Miller (43.0 PPA) to Arizona State and quarterback Ryan Staub to Tennessee, creating uncertainty about who emerges from the signal-caller competition. If Marion's offense can quickly integrate the portal additions and the defense stabilizes under Marve's leadership, Colorado could push toward bowl eligibility. If not, another disappointing season would put those public promises of evolution under intense scrutiny.