Being that we are more than halfway through the college football season, it’s clear that the Colorado football program always had the talent to surpass their practically non-existent expectations.
With that said, though, there are still areas of concern that could keep this team from bowl eligibility during the 2023 season – and will hold the Buffs back for as long as they aren’t addressed.
No weakness deserves more attention than CU’s offensive line, evidenced by the 34 sacks Shedeur Sanders has taken through Week 7. While people have taken a look at the lack of production from running back room as a big problem, fixing the flimsy line in front of them fixes that problem.
Once Deion Sanders can go out there and recruit top offensive linemen from the high school recruiting trail or the transfer portal, the sky is the limit for the Colorado Buffaloes. We have already seen Shedeur Sanders shine behind replacement-level protection. Imagine what he’d be able to do with top-tier protection.
Colorado football can win in the Big 12 with functional OL ahead of Shedeur Sanders
Colorado could become a Big 12 contender in its first season in the conference with Texas and Oklahoma leaving its totem pole without a top option. Shedeur may even find himself in the conversation for being a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft too; something he garnered for the 2024 draft after a few games before reality set in against Oregon and USC.
Right now Colorado has several issues of concern, but one they can focus on and immediately increase their chances of winning after being fixed is the OL. Once Coach Prime starts winning in the trenches, he can start building something in Boulder that one day rivals what Alabama’s Nick Saban had in Tuscaloosa and what Georgia’s Kirby Smart currently has in Athens.