Spring practices are underway for Colorado and head coach Deion Sanders as he enters his fourth year with the program.
The Buffs experienced a chaotic offseason marked by the transfer portal, the hiring of a new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, and coaching promotions, including Chris Marve assuming defensive leadership following Robert Livingston and Domata Peko's departure.
Colorado will officially hand the keys to redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who made two starts and appeared in four games last season. The team's defense is also revamped with proven collegiate production, but some remain skeptical.
Colorado has the lowest projected win total in the Big 12 for 2026, according to @FDSportsbook
— Scott Procter (@ScottProcter_) March 13, 2026
Texas Tech - 11.5
BYU, Utah - 8.5
Arizona, Houston, KState - 7.5
ASU, Baylor, OKState, TCU - 6.5
Cincy, Iowa St., Kansas, UCF, WVU - 5.5
Colorado - 4.5
Are you taking the over 4.5?
Colorado's over/under win total is set at 4.5 according to FanDuel Sportsbook, which is lower than I had originally anticipated. Indeed, it marks the lowest win total among all Big 12 teams.
It seems they're not convinced Marion's "Go-Go" offense will dominate the Big 12, nor that the defense will improve significantly after the overhaul.
Before the odds were released, I initially projected Colorado for a 6-8 win total, with five wins as the minimum expectation for Coach Prime in his fourth year. If Lewis can make a significant leap at quarterback, I'm confident that win total could be achieved or even surpassed if you will.
The path to a successful season won't be easy
The Buffs face a rather challenging nonconference schedule, including road games at Georgia Tech and Northwestern, before entering Big 12 play at Baylor followed by a clash with Texas Tech.
To surpass the Vegas line, the Buffs' defense needs to replicate the production they showed at their previous schools, particularly the front-line players Santana Hopper and Erza Christensen.
The linebacking core will be significantly strengthened with Gideon Lampron, Liona Lefau, and Tyler Martinez leading the way, while the secondary features promising players, including Boo Carter, Naeten Mitchell, and Justin Eaglin.
Colorado will face a tough challenge, but they're going to be an exciting team to watch, regardless of the Vegas odds.