Deion Sanders had a reasonable expectation for Colorado this season: win a bowl game for the first time since 2004. Three games into the season, getting to bowl eligibility seems like a hurdle that the Buffaloes may not be able to clear.
A step back in 2025 was expected following last year's breakthrough. You don't lose program-changing players like Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders - along with a host of other contributors - and not feel it. Not at a program like Colorado. The program hasn't been built enough to simply reload - it takes rebuilding.
That doesn't mean that Colorado fans can't be disappointed with a 1-2 start to the season, especially with how those losses have come. An offseason of posturing of being able to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball has been for nothing. Against its two power-four opponents thus far, the Buffs have been physically overwhelmed.
Georgia Tech gashed the Colorado defense for 320 yards in the season opener. It was a game Colorado still could have won had it taken more advantage of three consecutive first-quarter turnovers by the Yellow Jackets.
On Friday night against Houston, the Cougars racked up 213 yards on the ground while holding the Buffs to 96. Colorado put up 93 of that 96 in the first half - any semblance of balance was replaced with ineptitude in the second half.
After the game, Sanders said he was "at a loss for words" for how his team performed after what he believed had been a good week of practice. Through three weeks, it also appears he's at a loss for solutions.
Where does Coach Prime and Colorado go from here?
Is Colorado destined for a subpar season? Are they headed toward the Big 12 cellar? That's what it looks like through three weeks. The good news is that there's still time to right the ship.
Doing that starts with settling on - and sticking with - a quarterback. Whether that be Ryan Staub or Kaidon Salter or the freshman Julian Lewis. After the game, Coach Prime admitted that Staub didn't play well. He stuck with him throughout the game, but it remains to be seen whether he'll be the guy going forward.
Salter seemed like the obvious starter heading into the season. He brought experience and pedigree with him from Liberty. Through his first two games in Boulder, however, he has looked like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. OC Pat Shurmur hasn't seemed to know how to take advantage of his skills, and has seemed afraid to allow him to push the ball down the field.
Handing the keys to Staub was done in hopes of finding more offensive balance. Staub could push the ball down the field, which would in turn open up running lanes for the Buffs' backs. Instead, Colorado's offense was stuck in the mud for most of the evening on the road.
It's clear the Buffs are going to have to do some soul-searching. There's a long season ahead, but it's getting late fast with two early losses.